(Review originally written at 29 November 2006)
To be honest this movie was a real deception, after hearing all the positive stories about it.
Guess I'm just not a fan. I remember watching "Transformers" as a kid and I remember playing with the toys with my friends at their house. But further more I really have no recollections of the series. Guess I was too young at the time when the "Transformers" were at their prime in the Netherlands. I remembered the basic main characters but that was about it.
For anyone who isn't really that familiar with the '80's cartoon series, this can be a very confusing and even bad movie to watch. Really nothing is ever explained in this movie and everything is just taken for granted. Basically the entire movie is about the Autobots constantly fighting the Decepticons but in the movie it never gets clear way. The entire story lacks a purpose and the movie is just basically the one event after the other without bothering to explain anything, or even introduce the characters. I'm sure that the movie worked better in 1986, when new "Transformers" animated series episodes were still being made and everybody was still really into the series and characters. The movie was perhaps perfect for its time but in todays perspective the movie is just silly and without a point.
The '80's musical score makes the movie feel even more outdated!
The story is really the weakest thing about the movie. Sure, when compared to a animated series episode the story is more complex and bigger but nevertheless, for 'just' a movie the story is just way too weak and simple. The movie also heavily 'borrows' from the Star Wars movies with its story.
For the fans this movie is a nostalgic trip to a great period of growing up with the animated series and the classic characters. They should be able to appreciate all of the characters and big battles in the movie but for a non-fan the movie simply just has very little entertainment to offer. The humor is underused and the most fun and interesting characters seems wasted in the story. Often characters are introduced quickly in the movie and they disappear out of just as quick (often without a clear reason or explanation) again.
Still the characters are the reason why the movie still somewhat works out. All of the characters are highly imaginative and obviously have a long background with each other. But like I said before, all of the best and most interesting characters are wasted in the movie and the movie also has way too many characters in it for a 84 minutes short movie.
For most part the animations look just the same as for the television show, with the exceptions of a couple of big battle sequences, that are detailed but at the same time also quite confusing to watch at times.
Oh, and Orson Welles somehow also got mixed up in this. I'm really not surprised that he later regretted this and actually hated the movie.
If you're a fan and grew up with the series, then by all means see this movie, already for nostalgic reasons alone but if you're just like me, a person who've seen some of the animated series episodes but it didn't made an huge or lasting impression on you, than you're really better of just skip viewing it.
5/10
Watch trailer
To be honest this movie was a real deception, after hearing all the positive stories about it.
Guess I'm just not a fan. I remember watching "Transformers" as a kid and I remember playing with the toys with my friends at their house. But further more I really have no recollections of the series. Guess I was too young at the time when the "Transformers" were at their prime in the Netherlands. I remembered the basic main characters but that was about it.
For anyone who isn't really that familiar with the '80's cartoon series, this can be a very confusing and even bad movie to watch. Really nothing is ever explained in this movie and everything is just taken for granted. Basically the entire movie is about the Autobots constantly fighting the Decepticons but in the movie it never gets clear way. The entire story lacks a purpose and the movie is just basically the one event after the other without bothering to explain anything, or even introduce the characters. I'm sure that the movie worked better in 1986, when new "Transformers" animated series episodes were still being made and everybody was still really into the series and characters. The movie was perhaps perfect for its time but in todays perspective the movie is just silly and without a point.
The '80's musical score makes the movie feel even more outdated!
The story is really the weakest thing about the movie. Sure, when compared to a animated series episode the story is more complex and bigger but nevertheless, for 'just' a movie the story is just way too weak and simple. The movie also heavily 'borrows' from the Star Wars movies with its story.
For the fans this movie is a nostalgic trip to a great period of growing up with the animated series and the classic characters. They should be able to appreciate all of the characters and big battles in the movie but for a non-fan the movie simply just has very little entertainment to offer. The humor is underused and the most fun and interesting characters seems wasted in the story. Often characters are introduced quickly in the movie and they disappear out of just as quick (often without a clear reason or explanation) again.
Still the characters are the reason why the movie still somewhat works out. All of the characters are highly imaginative and obviously have a long background with each other. But like I said before, all of the best and most interesting characters are wasted in the movie and the movie also has way too many characters in it for a 84 minutes short movie.
For most part the animations look just the same as for the television show, with the exceptions of a couple of big battle sequences, that are detailed but at the same time also quite confusing to watch at times.
Oh, and Orson Welles somehow also got mixed up in this. I'm really not surprised that he later regretted this and actually hated the movie.
If you're a fan and grew up with the series, then by all means see this movie, already for nostalgic reasons alone but if you're just like me, a person who've seen some of the animated series episodes but it didn't made an huge or lasting impression on you, than you're really better of just skip viewing it.
5/10
Watch trailer
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