Monday, June 1, 2009

Transformers Movie Review



There have been three main publishers of the comic book series bearing the name Transformers based on the toy lines of the same name. The first series was produced by Marvel Comics from 1984 to 1991, which ran for 80 issues and produced four spin-off miniseries. This was followed by a second volume entitled Transformers: Generation 2, which ran for 12 issues starting in 1993. The second major series was produced by Dreamwave Productions from 2002 to 2004 with multiple limited series as well, and within multiple story continuities, until the company became bankrupt in 2005. The third series is currently being produced by IDW Publishing starting with an issue #0 in October 2005 and a regular series starting in January 2006. There are also several limited series being produced by IDW as well.In addition to these three main publishers, there have also been several other smaller publishers with varying degrees of success.


Finally, the hype surrounding one of this summer’s big releases is justified. Transformers delivers the thrills we’ve been waiting for all year long and love him or hate him, director Michael Bay pulls off something films with bigger budgets and more stars couldn’t accomplish. Transformers is the over-the-top slam-bam action dramedy that almost single-handedly redeems the 2007 summer blockbuster season.


Based on a line of Hasbro toys, Transformers puts the fun back into moviegoing, blending comedy with the robot action and adding a dash of romance. Smartly cast with awe-inspiring special effects, Bay and company have created more than just a movie. The idea of robots battling each other with the future of mankind hanging in the balance almost seems plausible because of how ingeniously the make believe world of Autobots and Decepticons has been brought to life in Transformers.


Following a brief bit of narration in which the backstory of the Autobots and Decepticons is revealed, Transformers focuses on the story of high school student Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) and his desire to own a car. Sam’s dad has promised he’ll help buy him his first car if he can raise some cash on his own and if he delivers on his report card. Sam's even resorts to using eBay to try to sell some of his great-great-grandfather’s possessions which the famous explorer used while making an important discovery in the Artic.


The Autobots (the good guys) are led by Optimus Prime (voiced by none other than Peter Cullen). Sam’s initial suspicion that there’s something fishy about his Camaro are confirmed when the car displays a mind of its own by choosing only to play ‘love’ songs after Sam offers shapely beauty Mikaela (Megan Fox) a ride. That act of intelligence is followed up shortly by the Camaro transforming into a gigantic yellow robot (the Autobot Bumblebee). It seems Sam’s great-great-grandfather’s glasses hold the key to the location of an item that both the Autobots and the evil Decepticons (the bad guys) want to get their mechanical hands on. Sam's use of eBay to sell the glasses has alerted the robots to his whereabouts and thus turned him into a major player in their robot war. Meanwhile the United States military is drawn into the battle after their base in Qatar is attacked by a helicopter that shape-shifts into a super nasty robot. Further attacks on the military and civilians, along with an infiltration into Air Force One’s computer system, convince military intelligence and the Secretary of Defense John Keller (Jon Voight) that there’s more going on than meets the eye. The military readies to go into battle against an enemy they’ve never seen before and one they have no idea how to crush. Everything comes to a head as Sam, Mikaela, the US military and the Autobots face down Megatron (voiced by Hugo Weaving) and the Decepticons.


The Cast
Shia LaBeouf can carry a film. LaBeouf’s comic timing is impeccable and even his delivery of the more serious lines of dialogue is believable. LaBeouf’s appealing without being a pretty boy and he’s the glue that holds the entire film together.Megan Fox hangs in there during the action scenes although it’s evident the foremost reason she was cast was because she’s gorgeous. Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson play Army Rangers who survive the initial attack in Qatar and who help lead the charge against the Decepticons.John Turturro’s funny as a federal agent who knows more about the robots than anyone on the planet due to a secret government project he’s been involved with called Sector 7. And Jon Voight adds a certain gravitas to the production by playing it totally straight.


The Bottom Line
The fast-paced action leaves you without a second to catch your breath and longing for a remote control to rewind and slow down the fights and transformations. There’s so much going on and Bay doesn’t let up once the film enters the third act. But even if you can’t tell exactly what’s going on, it’s incredibly entertaining to watch. The wizards at ILM worked their magic in new and astonishing ways and the result is a film in which huge robots have their own distinct personalities. If it weren’t for their bulky metallic frames, these robots would almost seem human.First and foremost Transformers is an action film, but it’s also surprisingly touching and uplifting. The sides are clearly defined and the battle between the Autobots and Decepticons will leave you drained but cheering.


Grade: A-


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