Transformers (2007)

Well what can I say? Watching my childhood up on screen was more than fantastic. This movie really came through as what I believe is the best action/popcorn movie of 2007. Yes it easily takes down the trilogies. Not to say it isn’t without it’s problems but overall it proves to be a really good movie. Top notch in almost every aspect.

Those Pesky Problems:

Now, I love Michael Bay movies. I also believe he is a master craftsmen and I would have his job in a heart beat. But with Transformers he takes a page out of the action book and tries to immerse you into said action with unstable cameras. Normally this is an ok gimmick but I think when you have small characters and 5 story high characters the action tends to get really jumbled really quickly and leaves you either lost in the shuffle or a bit sick because of the huge screen you are watching it on. So really Michael Bay show us the action – we don’t always have to be part of it. The movie has amazing special effects it’d be good if we could see them from time to time instead of acting like the camera is in the hands of a ADHD child.

Anyway, this movie was really good minus those small quirks. I didn’t think the running time (144 minutes) was all that bad. It wasn’t anything like Pirates 3.

What I really loved:

Hearing the original voice for Optimus Prime was awesome. Plain and simple it was great that they got back Peter Cullen to reprise his role. Hearing the noise as they transformed and hearing Prime command the autobots to “Roll Out” was more than anyone needed to hear. Bay handled the adaptation very well. The flames on Prime was pretty cool in the end. Shia as the main human did very well. He is rising up as a young action/adventure star and think with a few more movies (Indiana Jones 4) he will be easily the biggest name for awhile.

The plot? Well it’s more of a series of events to tie together giant warring robot factions… So never you mind. Just realize that ILM has single handedly out done themselves. The movie should almost win Best Animated at the Oscars or at least a technical special effects award. If I had my way at the movie I don’t know what I would have changed – it all came together really well. The autobots were more that cool, and I suppose the only thing is you’d have liked to have more character arcs for the robots especially the Decepticons but sadly this movie seems like it was long enough. So one can only hope that IF they do make more of them (which they’d be crazy not to) we’d get more of the autobots and more character development (and more autobots). I like how the movie ends off with the monologue from Prime asking for more autobots to land – sweet!

And the weird:

I feel like being slightly vague with this movie because most of it is visually anyway – I mean how can I describe how cool the other autobots are? The only thing you really get annoyed with in the movie is it sometimes plays out like a giant Chevy commercial. And you might notice, it’s pretty funny how the only evil car is a Ford Mustang… I wonder if Chevy purchased that car (or cars) for Bay also.

On and the lips on the Transformers? I wasn’t a big fan on Prime or Ironhide (he looked like he had a mechanical mustache) but I suppose it’s what they had to do. At least Prime got a little shield to cover it up.

So that is that.

Verdict: Best Summer Movie so far… Go see it.

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