Transformers

Year: 2007
Director: Michael Bay
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Megan Fox, Jon Voight, Rachael Taylor, Anthony Anderson, John Turturro

Any child of the 80s would be very familiar with the animated series Transformers, which was based on the Hasbro toyline featuring robots that can be transformed into different objects. The cartoon told a story of that age old battle between good and evil, between the peace loving Autobots and the power hungry Decepticons. I was a fan of this cartoon myself. And now that it gets the Hollywood treatment by a director well-known for blowing lots of shit up in his films, how does it fare?

Transformers the film doesn't differ too much from the cartoon, as far as storylines and concepts are concerned. Autobot leader Optimus Prime begins the film by narrating about their quest for the Allspark, a cube that gives life to their species, and also about the war against the Decepticons who plan on using the Allspark for universal domination. Then we are brought to Earth, where a Decepticon attacks a US Army base in Qatar and single handedly decimates it.

Then we are introduced to a young boy named Sam Witwicky, who is looking forward to buying his first car. Sam is the regular nerd in high school and hopes to impress the ladies with his car, particularly a hot babe called Mikaela. But then, he gets the shock of his life when he discovers that not only is his car alive, it transforms into a robot named Bumblebee! Eventually he meets the rest of the Autobots, including the great Optimus Prime, who informs Sam that he may hold the key to finding the Allspark. By this time, the Decepticons are already on their trail and wasting no time in demolishing everything in their path to get to Sam. The government themselves are in deep with the action, as two surviving soldiers from the Qatar attack, a computer analyst, her hacker friend, a secret agent and the Secretary Of Defense himself play crucial roles in the oncoming battle between the two factions.

Now, with all Michael Bay films come a certain amount of expectation for a lot of stuff to be blown up. Armageddon, Pearl Harbor, The Island, you've seen it all. Most critics would scoff at it because they usually see it as unnecessary despite how well Bay gets it done. But here's where he actually succeeds. Yes, he still blows a lot of shit up, but you can't help but marvel at it and beg for more. And this time, he has a tremendous script to back it up. This isn't just some mindless action flick, it displays a lot of heart, humour and drama. Kudos to Bay and to Steven Spielberg who serves as executive producer.

The cast is truly splendid. Shia LaBeouf is a revelation. He's come a long way from playing Keanu Reeves' sidekick in Constantine. LaBeouf plays Sam to great effect. You'll root for him as he turns from a geek to a reluctant hero alongside the Autobots. Megan Fox is hot, and some may dismiss her as mere eye candy, but she carries the strength of her character Mikaela convincingly. Duhamel and Gibson represent the muscle of the characters in playing Captain Lennox and Sergeant Epps respectively and pull it off well. Anderson is the comic relief, playing the computer hacker, no problem for a comedian of his stature. Turturro hams it up as the secret agent Simmons, who has some of the best lines in the film, while Voight does not disappoint as the capable Secretary Of Defense. Also keep a lookout for Kevin Dunn and Julie White who play Sam's parents, they're a riot!

Ah, but what about the robots themselves? Of course, they're the stars of the movie. Their look may be quite different from the cartoon, but you won't mind once you see them in action on screen. Peter Cullen, who voiced Optimus Prime in the cartoon, returns to voice him in this film, and does splendidly. Actor Hugo Weaving voices Megatron, the leader of the Decepticons, and makes him sound quite menacing indeed. But really, what you'll marvel at is watching them transform, roll, drive, fly and crash all over the place. It's a true spectacle that I think most Transformers fans back in the day would cheer for.

Sure, there are some scenes that seem rather cheesy, even the ending hints of that. But it's well executed cheese, if that makes sense. Bay left room for a sequel, and I am certain Transformers will do well enough to warrant one. Full marks for this film. (5/5)