Movie Review - "Transformers"“Autobots! Transform and roll out!” are words that will warm every heart of adults growing up in the 1980’s when “Transformers – More Than Meets the Eye”, the cult animated TV series was a mainstay in the entertainment diet of children, teenagers and reluctant parents who are constantly begged to buy that robot in the window. Personally, I was one of those who planted themselves in front of the television, hooked on these transforming ‘talking robots’ every week. The cartoon soon out-grown its TV success and eventually, was released into theatres as an animated movie in 1986. Every kid in the neighbourhood would kill to own a transformers toy [Gen:1] first launched by Hasbro (1984) in his grasp. 
Once word spreads that you are one of those lucky few who has a prized transformers in possession will soon be the envy of every kid on the block, all trying hard to be your friend just to have a chance to lay their hands on an innocent looking automobile that changes into an Autobot or Decepticon. Owning Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Jazz and Starscream will propel you to superstar status in the children social circle. Every kid will linger around your home looking ever so longingly at their favourite transformers which effectively is two toys in one package. Besides having the coveted toy, you must learn to say the lines as the character would and mimic various sound effects of transforming, laser beams and so on. Soundwave has the coolest but toughest voice to impersonate and it was just too much fun to pass it up. Fellow transformers toy owners will get together to role-play and simulate battle situations carried out over playgrounds, shopping centres, nurseries, homes and even in the bathroom.
Michael Bay’s version of the long-awaited animated series adaptation into a movie is heavily updated to reflect present times. Bumblebee receives an extreme makeover from a VW Beetle into a Chevrolet Camaro while Megatron transforms into an alien jet instead of a hand cannon. Soundwave is badly missed in the movie adaptation but a diminutive stick-like robot replaces the reconnaissance master of the original series wrecking havoc on Air Force One. After much pressure from fans worldwide, Michael Bay relented and cave in to their cries to have Peter Cullen return as the original voice of Optimus Prime [he does the voiceover for Ironhide as well]. Putting a familiar voice did well to satisfy the cravings of fans but the CGI graphics blew me away.
The movie opens with a lone rogue helicopter entering US military airspace in Qatar but despite repeated warnings landed calmly in its air base only to transform into a robotic killer aka “Bloodhound” destroying everything in its path, jamming all communications and stealing top-secret computer files. The pentagon goes into overdrive with the Secretary of Defence, John Keller (Jon Voight) seeking help from anyone who can make sense of the data transmitted from Qatar during the attack. Mystery hangs in the air and we were introduced to Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf – pronounced as Shy-Yah La-Bove) telling his class about the exploits of his explorer grandpa in between hawking items for sale in eBay and negotiating with his teacher in giving him an ‘A-’. Little does he know that his grandpa’s glasses hold the key to the survival of Earth. Bumblebee has been sent to earth camouflaged as a beat-up Camaro and brokered his way into being Sam’s first car for US$4,000. Being the guardian of Sam, bumblebee played fairy godmother and charmed his schoolmate, the sexy Mikaela (Megan Fox) into letting him drive her home. 
As the story unravels, Sam is taken on a wild ride with Mikaela in tow as the Autobots reveals their true identity, the discovery made by his grandpa and its mission to retrieve the energy cube called the “All-Spark” which gives life to machines before it falls into the hands of the Decepticons, led by the evil Megatron who will use it to destroy earth. There is much awe and humour to the Autobots when they follow Sam home to pick up his grandpa’s glasses. To add to the madness is Agent Simmons (John Turturro) of a top secret government agency called Section 7 to complicate things further and arrest the entire Witwicky household along with bumblebee who was captured when Optimus Prime and his Autobots tried to rescue Sam. As more twist and turns come into the fold, Megatron is released from his cryogenic state and the final battle is awesome to behold. The battle scene is worth the ticket alone as Shia protects the energy cube with his life alongside Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Ironhide, and Ratchet. Those who aren’t familiar with the transformers will have a hard time following who are the Autobots and Decepticons in the street battle scenes involving the military. And of course, the good guys always win in the end but there are provisions made for more sequels to come as we see Starscream [F-22] escape earth and Optimus Prime sending out a signal to remaining Autobots stranded in space to come forth to earth. Great movie magic – 4 energy cubes out of 5!
Once word spreads that you are one of those lucky few who has a prized transformers in possession will soon be the envy of every kid on the block, all trying hard to be your friend just to have a chance to lay their hands on an innocent looking automobile that changes into an Autobot or Decepticon. Owning Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee, Jazz and Starscream will propel you to superstar status in the children social circle. Every kid will linger around your home looking ever so longingly at their favourite transformers which effectively is two toys in one package. Besides having the coveted toy, you must learn to say the lines as the character would and mimic various sound effects of transforming, laser beams and so on. Soundwave has the coolest but toughest voice to impersonate and it was just too much fun to pass it up. Fellow transformers toy owners will get together to role-play and simulate battle situations carried out over playgrounds, shopping centres, nurseries, homes and even in the bathroom.
Michael Bay’s version of the long-awaited animated series adaptation into a movie is heavily updated to reflect present times. Bumblebee receives an extreme makeover from a VW Beetle into a Chevrolet Camaro while Megatron transforms into an alien jet instead of a hand cannon. Soundwave is badly missed in the movie adaptation but a diminutive stick-like robot replaces the reconnaissance master of the original series wrecking havoc on Air Force One. After much pressure from fans worldwide, Michael Bay relented and cave in to their cries to have Peter Cullen return as the original voice of Optimus Prime [he does the voiceover for Ironhide as well]. Putting a familiar voice did well to satisfy the cravings of fans but the CGI graphics blew me away.
The movie opens with a lone rogue helicopter entering US military airspace in Qatar but despite repeated warnings landed calmly in its air base only to transform into a robotic killer aka “Bloodhound” destroying everything in its path, jamming all communications and stealing top-secret computer files. The pentagon goes into overdrive with the Secretary of Defence, John Keller (Jon Voight) seeking help from anyone who can make sense of the data transmitted from Qatar during the attack. Mystery hangs in the air and we were introduced to Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBeouf – pronounced as Shy-Yah La-Bove) telling his class about the exploits of his explorer grandpa in between hawking items for sale in eBay and negotiating with his teacher in giving him an ‘A-’. Little does he know that his grandpa’s glasses hold the key to the survival of Earth. Bumblebee has been sent to earth camouflaged as a beat-up Camaro and brokered his way into being Sam’s first car for US$4,000. Being the guardian of Sam, bumblebee played fairy godmother and charmed his schoolmate, the sexy Mikaela (Megan Fox) into letting him drive her home. 
As the story unravels, Sam is taken on a wild ride with Mikaela in tow as the Autobots reveals their true identity, the discovery made by his grandpa and its mission to retrieve the energy cube called the “All-Spark” which gives life to machines before it falls into the hands of the Decepticons, led by the evil Megatron who will use it to destroy earth. There is much awe and humour to the Autobots when they follow Sam home to pick up his grandpa’s glasses. To add to the madness is Agent Simmons (John Turturro) of a top secret government agency called Section 7 to complicate things further and arrest the entire Witwicky household along with bumblebee who was captured when Optimus Prime and his Autobots tried to rescue Sam. As more twist and turns come into the fold, Megatron is released from his cryogenic state and the final battle is awesome to behold. The battle scene is worth the ticket alone as Shia protects the energy cube with his life alongside Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Ironhide, and Ratchet. Those who aren’t familiar with the transformers will have a hard time following who are the Autobots and Decepticons in the street battle scenes involving the military. And of course, the good guys always win in the end but there are provisions made for more sequels to come as we see Starscream [F-22] escape earth and Optimus Prime sending out a signal to remaining Autobots stranded in space to come forth to earth. Great movie magic – 4 energy cubes out of 5!P.S. - The soundtrack of Transformers is kicking with bands like Linkin Park, Smashing Pumpkins, Disturbed, The Goo Goo Dolls and many more.
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