wELCOME cONSUMER

Released: 2007
Directed by: Michael Bay
Written by: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13
Country USA

Review:

A war re-erupts on Earth between two robotic clans, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, leaving the fate of mankind hanging in the balance. Starting as a toy line in 1984, Transformers has never completely lost momentum, spawning numerous spin-offs in the form of cartoons, comic books, a theatrically released animated feature film, countless more toy lines, fan fictions and a die-hard following that refuses to let go of this unique property. There’s never been anything quite like Transformers. Sure, there’s been copious copycats, but none of them have ever been successful at recapturing the spirit of one of the most unusual franchises in American history. Now CGI special effects and movie making techniques have finally surpassed the threshold required to believably bring Transformers to life in a live action movie. Will the revamped designs turnoff hardcore TransFans? Or will Michael Bay manage to win them over and break the 2007 summer movie curse? Thanks to a special early preview sponsored by Keith’s Comics, we were able to watch the movie nearly one week before it’s official theatrical release and pass on our opinion to you.

Unless you’re deaf, dumb and blind living under a rock deep inside a cave, you know a little (or a lot) about Transformers. Chances are, it was your favorite afternoon cartoon back in the ’80s, your favorite comic book from Marvel or you’re a tween who enjoyed Cybertron not long ago. Transformers is one of those anomalous phenomenons that is truly unparalleled in any entertainment medium. The concept of sentient robots has endured since its first inception and Transformers manages to tap into the childlike spirit within us. A live action adaptation has been a long time coming and many felt Michael Bay couldn’t handle it. The collective “hush-hush” on leaking any photos on the internet had people suspicious. Typically when a studio freaks out over leaked footage, it’s a very bad sign about the quality of the film. Dedicated fans of the franchise are infamous for their echoing discontent with all incarnations of the series, save for G1. Never mind the fact that Transformers manages to be financially successful in almost any form, fans are steadfastly loyal and whiny.

So the real question is, can Michael Bay appeal to the masses and the TF niche in one fell stroke? The answer is yes. Oh, hell yes. For a property based on a toy line, Transformers has always had an unsurprisingly shallow plot. The principles are basic and clear: moral vs. corrupt. The universal concepts of how we define art and life are rooted in these two opposing forces. Us against an unknown threat and good triumphing over evil. We respond to this dynamic because it’s innate in our species. Conflict, in whatever form, is the propulsion of entertainment. For this very reason, Transformers has substantial thrust and never lets up.

Shia LaBeouf (I, Robot; Constantine; The Battle of Shaker Heights) plays Sam Witwicky (Witwicky being the name of the kid from G1), a young man whose first car turns out to be a living, transforming robot named Bumblebee. Of course, this is a great shock to Sam but there’s no time for introspection. The Autobots and Decepticons are quickly gathering their respective factions in order to obtain the All Spark cube. The power of the cube is life itself and the ability to create worlds. Sam and his crush Mikaela Banes (played by Megan Fox, who is quite the fox) must now assist the Autobots in locating and protecting the All Spark from Megatron and his followers.

LaBeouf is charged with a hefty responsibility and I’m not referring to the narrative. Transformers has been one of the most anticipated films in some time, so the human lead was crucial. The “kid befriends robot” cliché is a hokey bit of fantasy leftover from a bygone era and there was a real danger of making the kid too young or annoying. Previous representations of Transformers have occasionally suffered from severely dumbed down human leads or from an overt imbalance of airtime for robot and human. Thankfully, LaBeouf has perfect comedic timing and oodles of charm. His awkward yet sincere chemistry with Fox makes him a genuinely likable Witwicky (or “Wickety,” a running gag). Additionally, the dynamic between him and the robots is pitch perfect. He carries the entire human cast effortlessly and has the makings of a real action star.

The next character to steal the show is Bumblebee. Due to a previous injury, Bumblebee spends almost the entire movie speechless. His method of communication is picking appropriate music and sound bytes, a la Herbie (or Christine, but Bumblebee doesn’t go on a killing spree). The initial exchanges between Witwicky and the Transformers are nothing short of hysterical. Each Autobot has a distinct voice and personality, affording a great deal of humorous moments that had the audience howling in their seats. So much of Bumblebee’s persona is articulated with gestures, facial expressions and mimicry. Nevertheless, there is one somewhat inappropriate joke that should have been a deleted scene. It doesn’t take away from the film, but it borderlines on slightly tasteless. Guys will probably find no fault in the gag while girls might.

Kudos to the studio for hiring Peter Cullen to reprise his role as Optimus Prime. Originally, I didn’t think it was that important to cast him. But after having watched the movie, I now know otherwise. In order to faithfully embody the spirit of G1, there are some things you just don’t deviate from. With that said, the absence of Frank Welker as Megatron is not entirely noticeable for the simple fact that Megatron hardly speaks. Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings) does an apt job as the leader of the Decepticons. But he doesn’t bring anything distinct to the role either, which begs the question: why not hire Welker? It’s apparent efforts were taken to make Weaving sound almost exactly like Welker. Voice aside, Megatron is bestial and monstrous. All of the Decepticons are frightening and show no regard for human life. There is a body count in this movie but no blood.

All of the Transformers are engaging or terrifying in some way. Frenzy is another character who delighted the audience with his quirky antics. Barricade, a menacing Decepticon, is quite horrific both in manner and speech. Prime is the butt of a few jokes, playing on his fatherly age among the Autobots (”my bad” being an especially funny moment). The prominent paradigms remain faithful to their original archetypes; Prime is self-sacrificing; Megatron is single-minded; Starscream is a boot-licking failure; Bumblebee is closest to the humans. Everyone is true to form and should manage to satiate devotees of the original cartoon.

The idea of seeing humongous robots transforming and fighting seemed impossible, but Bay makes it happen. The Transformers are poetry in motion; watch Jazz and try not to be amazed. The hand-to-hand combat is rampant and intense. There’s no break in the action and no waiting to see the robots. Bay gives ‘em to ya without repent. It’s evident Bay understands what TransFans and action movie fans alike want to see: big robots duking it out. Transformers is one of the most exciting action movies I’ve ever seen and certainly Bay’s best film to date. The pacing is merciless and you’ll feel pleasantly exhausted by the end. Yes, there are gigantic Transformer-sized loose ends, making way for plenty of sequels.

Transformers benefits from a rock n’ roll based soundtrack, a brilliant amalgam of CGI and practical effects, stunning organic visual revisions to the TFs designs and a very basic plot. This movie may not score high among critics because the plot, while highly unusual, is fairly simple in nature. Good vs. bad, remember? But what’s wrong with that? Sometimes entertainment needs to be entertaining; an action movie needs to be an action movie. Bay attempted a sci-fi action movie in the past with The Island, which was a huge pile of crap. Unlike that tripe, Transformers never tries to become more than what it is. It’s never preachy or overly cerebral. Tacking on pseudo-intellectual undertones would undermine the reality of this property because, let’s face it, Transformers was a cartoon series based on a toyline. It’s not Shakespeare.

This movie may not be for everyone, but it’s for almost everyone. If you like having a good time at the movies, go see this big, fun popcorn flick. You will see things you’ve never seen before in a movie and that’s saying a lot. Transformers is like a roller-coaster; don’t analyze the motion, just enjoy the ride.

Final Grade: A+

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