Like me, many of the Twisted Outlook contributors probably remember watching the old Transformers cartoon series during their childhood days. So, when Michael Bay announced in 2005 that a movie was in production, I knew it was a "must-see" when released. Originally scheduled to be released on July 4th, the movie was delayed in the UK to fall in line with the School Holidays. Released on July 27th, I made my way down to the local cinema and below is my review.
The movie begins with a voice-over from Optimus Prime, leader of the autobots, who sets the scene for the rest of the film. "Before time began, there was... the cube. We know not where it comes from, only that it holds the power to create worlds and fill them... with life. That is how our race was born. For a time we had lived in harmony, but like all great power, some wanted it for good... others, evil. And so, began the war. A war that ravages our planet until it was consumed by death. And the cube was lost to the far reaches of space. We step in across the galaxy hoping to find it and rebuild our home. Searching every star. Every world. And just when all hopes seem lost; message of a new discovery took us to an unknown planet called... Earth. But we were already too late".
Megatron and Optimus Prime on the Movie Posters |
The film focuses around Sam Witwicky - a local nerdish lad, who's claim to fame is his Great Grandfather led a tribe into the Arctic circle and made a discovery of the "Ice Man" - no not Tom Cruises' rival in Top Gun - but Megatron (this is not explained until later in the film). Witwicky's aim is to buy his first car and impress Mikalea (someone currently out of his reach) and when he visits a local car dealership - he falls for a nice yellow number - remember, the car chooses the driver, not the other way around.
Meanwhile, in Qatar a US Army base is ravaged by a machine like device, which downloads all of their secretive information and leaves the soldiers for dead. Only a small few escape - and so we have our heroes for the movie.
After some strange occurrences with his new car, Sam is awoken one night to find the car driving off into the night. It is here that we realise his car is none other than Bumblebee. After calling out to his fellow Autobots - Bumblebee is joined on Earth by Optimus Prime, Jazz, Ironhide and Ratchett.
The film then goes on to explain the significance of Sam's Grandfather, who after falling into an ice cave, discovers Megatron - frozen in ice following a fall to Earth. A map of the cube becomes imprinted on his grandfathers glasses and this is what the autobots and the decepticons are after - one to use it for good, one for evil.
Bumblebee in Disguise |
We are introduced to Sector 7, a secret Government agency who are keeping Megatron cryogenically frozen in a secret location, alongside the cube. As expected, the cryogenic process fails and Megatron is let loose - along with his servants Bonecrusher, Starscream, Barricade, Devastator and Blackout. Upon this occurring, the film breaks out into a number of fight scenes, some of which are brilliantly shot and full of action - however, at times, Michael Bay goes over the top and it is simply a blur of metal and difficult to make out what is happening.
The fight scenes spill out onto the street and the battle between Megatron and Optimus Prime ensues. In the end, Sam is the hero - ignoring Optimus Primes pleas to use the cube to destroy him and instead using it to destroy Megatron.
The remains of the decepticons are dropped into the ocean and all reminders of the battle put into the past. Bumblebee chooses to remain with Sam and his now love interest Mikaela. The film ends with more words of wisdom from Optimus Prime - "With the Allspark gone, we cannot return life to our planet. And fate has yielded its reward: a new world to call home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret, waiting, protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there's more to them than meets the eye. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars: we are here, we are waiting".
It is a fitting end and to be expected as 2 more films have already been commissioned. All in all a good big screen version of the cartoon, containing the major characters. Whilst, the decepticons were wiped out, many did not feature in this film and over the next 2, no doubt we will see the rest of them and the autobots come to the fore.
