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Murdoch

Transformers Movie

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Just got back from this movie here in lil' ol' New Zealand. I'll make some recommendations based on a certain personality type. Pick your personality type and respond accordingly.

Straight Up Action Fans (SUAF) - you should have a good time. The acting isn't going to earn anybody an Oscar nod, but it doesn't suck either. If you walk into a Michael Bay film expecting in depth characters, you're an idiot. This isn't Hamlet, this is about big robots pounding the crap out of each other.

Megan Fox ably fulfills the "eye candy with attitude" role, and Shia LeBouf is for once likeable and not a complete pain in the ass. The Transformers are all admirably voiced, the Autobots sounding like grizzled war heroes and the Decepticons like completely evil bastards. The standout of course is the great Peter Cullen, who reprises the role of Optimus Prime that he did so well in the old cartoon. The 20+ years since has given his voice even more commanding authority. When Prime talks, you fucking listen. And the action is mind-blowing and impeccably filmed. This is a down and dirty, no holds barred slugfest. It was also frequently very funny, with the Autobots at Sam's house scene being the most memorable. And while there's not really time for big character moments, it is not completely without heart.

Open Minded Transformers Fans (OMTF) - if you remember the Transformers fondly from your childhood but are not completely anal-retentive and nerdy about every last detail, you should enjoy it just as much as the SUAF. I fit into this category. It was a great thrill hearing Peter Cullen own the show once again, and while none of the other Autobots shared the same voice actors as the cartoons, for me they filled the vacant shoes of their forerunners admirably. The only one who didn't really click for me was Ratchet. The voice was fine, but it did not make me think of the original. The Decepticons were totally different, sounding much more demonic. I think this was the right move. The original voices worked as cartoon villains, but they just would not work in this movie, which is a serious, grown up action flick. Do not associate this with the cartoon. It is not a continuation. It is it's own thing, BASED on the original. If you can accept that, you should have a blast. The action is simply awesome. No more hi-tech robots somehow missing just about every shot they make. The Transformers get down, dirty and brutal like never before, and I loved every moment.

It suffers from the combined blessing and curse that plagued the X-Men, in that there are so many characters and only so much you can cram into one film, that someone will feel short changed somewhere. I think they did pretty well though, and gave the most popular ones a solid airing.

Close Minded Transformers Fans (CMTF) - You will hate this film. If you want every facet to be exactly the same as the 20 year old kid's cartoon, for the love of whatever is holy do us all a favour and keep watching them. Or if you do see it, save us the grief and do not come on here and whine like a nerdy little bitch about Bumblebee being a Camaro, Optimus having lips (seriously, if you think this is a flaw, GET A LIFE), or whatever stupid insignificant details get your panties in a bunch.

EDIT: Forgot a couple!

The Watches Action Movies Just to Point Out Flaws in Them, AKA the Pain in the Ass (PITA): This movie will very possibly give you an aneurysm.

Drama, Arty Film Fans: You're kidding, right? See PITA.

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I never watched the transformers much, but it always kept a bit of an appeal to me and I'd love to see the original show.

The movie however... I'd really, really like to see. I've seen some short previews of the transformers themselves (including one of what I assume is Star Scream, the jet) and good god. Its orgasmic.

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Guest

If you mean the F22, then yes that is Starscream. And if you liked what you saw in the previews then yes, you should love it. Action wise it's everything the previews showed and much much more.

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I've always liked the Transformers as a kid, I collected some of their toys and watched a few episodes but never was obsessed with them. A few years ago I saw the origional 1986 movie and I loved it and couldent help but ask myself "Holy shit... why didn't I know of this sooner!"

Honestly, I really don't care how much the characters look different because as said, it's a serious action movie and not a cartoon. Since you said it keeps some things origional that are more important (like Peter Cullin voicing Prime), thats better imo.

I sometimes hear that this movies going to blow hard and it pisses me off. I'm very happy to read this review, now I know I'm going to enjoy this movie!

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Transformers to me was always cool. My favirote being (And still is) Soundwave.

As for the movie, it hasn't been released in Cinema's over here in the UK. When it does, i may go see it.

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It's gotta have some good action in it if even my dad, who's nearing 60 fucking years old, wants to see it. Then again, this was the same guy who took me to see the Doom movie wanting to see it himself and ending up feeling like he wasted his money afterwards.

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Seeing as I'm a huge 80s cartoon fan (if my avatar is any hint) I'm interested in viewing it a lot, even if just to see what strained connections they've made. I'm not expecting another Tranformers: The Movie which destroys all of your conceptions regarding the lifespan of the characters, but then again it won't be as pure gold as the first two seasons of the cartoon were.

But Starscream's in it, so I'm happy to see my favorite transformer.

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OMG a movie about superhero vehicles!!! What can we ever do!?!?!

[/inflammatory]

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Jodwin said:

OMG a movie about superhero vehicles!!! What can we ever do!?!?!

[/inflammatory]


Your surprise is over 20 years late.

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Bank said:

Your surprise is over 20 years late.


Jeese, I guess I should have born a few years earlier then. Although I guess most of the people now drooling over the Transformers movie weren't +20 years old guys with little life back then.

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I think Starscream looks horrible. reminds me too much of some messed up merger of a Robotech Veritech fighter jet and a Bionicle Lego thingy. but aside from that I'm looking forward to seeing it.

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Jodwin said:

[/inflammatory]


Dude, it's just a good fun action movie. Some guys are retardedly obsessed with TF, but not all fans are like that.

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I'm really excited about the movie and can't wait to see it. But I hope it's worth the new animated induced series.

It's hip and now!

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Heh,I would like to see the movie.
That poster of the new cartoon looks silly, as funny as it
sounds, I might enjoy it!
it kinda looks more interesting to me than the 3d anime ones
(energon and that other series to be exact).

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The animated show is directed by the guy who did teen titans and The Batman so it may just be entertaining. It takes a new approach from the formula and the Autobots act much more like Super heroes defeating Super Villains then focusing mainly as the Desepicons.

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Oh I almost forgot, the one thing I really didn't like was one particular character's introduction. I won't say who to prevent spoilers; you'll know him when you see him. The rest of the humour was situational and fit well (like the scene I mentioned with the Autobots at Sam's) but this guy felt like forced comic relief in a somewhat serious scene and it didn't gel with me. Fortunately the scenes with him in this "mode" are relatively brief, and he gets it together when the shit starts seriously going down. A minor blemish on an overall solid and fun action film.

And that poster looks ridiculous.

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Is it true they will produce a second and third installment? Because I read somewhere that they did not put in Soundwave in this because he would need size shifting for his transformation if they kept him as a casset player, and that he will be a important character in the next installment. Forget where I read this.

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Sequels are basically guaranteed. As for whether Soundwave will be in it, here's a convenient, concise guide to picking which Internet rumours to believe.

Don't.

Following this guide will result in success rate of over 90%.

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I liked the beast wars series with the 3d animation. still my fav transformers series, I think I have a bunch of the toys sitting in the garage

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eviladam said:

Heh,I would like to see the movie.
That poster of the new cartoon looks silly, as funny as it
sounds, I might enjoy it!
it kinda looks more interesting to me than the 3d anime ones
(energon and that other series to be exact).


:(

The only two series I've seen are both anime-
Transformers: Robots in Disguise (2001)
Transformers: Energon (2004)

What I saw I liked- Theres always something cool about a planet-sized transformer (Unicron)

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EANB said:

What I saw I liked- Theres always something cool about a planet-sized transformer (Unicron)

the original cartoon Transformers: The Movie that first featured Unicron was the most epic thing my young eyes had seen back then.

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MasterOfPuppets said:

the original cartoon Transformers: The Movie that first featured Unicron was the most epic thing my young eyes had seen back then.

Indeed, I can only hope there is a scene at least half this epic in the new one.

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That scene, memorable though it is, pales in comparison to this new movie. Seriously, the actions scenes are just mind blowing. The final battle in particular is just... nuts.

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I was born in 1984, movin' right along... (to the Bucky O' Hare movie, circa 2015)

Though loads of people my age, or even a good 3 years younger, seem to like this crap... are they trying to pretend they are older than they are or something?

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