The special effects are all the reason you need to see "Transformers,"especially if you're an action movie junkie.
The transformations are so realistic, they make it believable for a two-story-tallrobot to fit inside the body of an average sports car.
In the movie, two factions of a robotic race, the Autobots and the Decepticons (whose technology allows them to morph themselves into the shape of automobiles and other types of vehicles), have been fighting a civil war on their home planet of Cybertron for hundreds of years. When the Allspark, a massive cube with the power to create other members of their race, somehow ends up on Earth, the two sides take their war to our home and duke it out over control of the Allspark.
Directed by Michael Bay of "Independence Day" and "Pearl Harbor", this robot epic stars Shia LeBeouf as Sam Witwicky, the boy with who holds the key to finding the Allspark. Peter Cullen reprises the role he played in the '80s as the voice of Autobot leader Optimus Prime.
For anyone too embarrassed to admit having played with the Hasbro toys as a kid, don't be. Transformers is a mature film. Its tone is nowhere near the campiness of the original 1980s-era Saturday morning cartoon. At the same time, watching Transformers is a great treat if you're a fan of the original series. The action sequences are packed with explosions and exciting special effects – some of the best ever created. The first appearance of a Transformer was especially brilliant.
This is a good popcorn flick, through and through. It's a simple idea -- robots ripping each heads off -- so don't expect a movie classic. Ladies be warned: Your choice of date movies might not mesh with what Transformers is about. In general, guys are going to like it more than gals. It's a great way to spend a guy's night out if you're looking for an alternative from the usual. Despite a lack of quality acting or dialogue, we still gave it a high score of seven because of its humor and thrilling action. The movie comes offas cheesy at times, bordering illogical.
For instance, who would believe that a grandma's boy super hacker named Glen (played by Anthony Anderson) rather than one of the hundreds of world-class analysts at the Pentagon, is the only human capable of breaking the Decepticons' code?
Also, the excessive advertisements can get on your nerves. The camerawork emphasized logos and other product placements such as car brands like GMC and Pontiac, which became repetitive. Technology advertisements from Apple and Xbox also made us feel the movie was overdoing the advertising. Online auction website eBay was also featured prominently when Witwicky tries to sell his great-grandfather's glasses online.
Advertising aside, "Transformers" is fun and surprisingly humorous. Bernie Mac's bit as a used car salesman drew a lot of laughs from the audience and Witwicky's Chihuahua peeing on one of the Autobots drew some more laughs (despite being slightly icky). The movie is not a roll-on-the-floor-laughing comedy, but a laugh-out-loud action movie with originality.
Despite our joint appreciation of the movie, we did differ on one aspect: Patrick: I thought the animation blended really well with the roads, buildings, and humans in the background. I liked how the Transformers would change from a muscle car into a robot. This was a breakthrough in animation that's worth seeing for its special effects.
Jessie: You're right, but, for me, the sequences get old by the end of the movie and I don't think it was as much of an innovation as you say. When you've got George Lucas's special effects company working on it with Steven Spielberg producing, it's going to have great looks, but it's only the fun and offbeat tone that makes it worth a viewing. All in all, check this movie out.