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Transformers (2007)

Director: Michael Bay

Critics' rating

Average user rating

31 reviews

Synopsis

Based on the hugely popular cartoon and toy range from the 1980s, Transformers revolves around a war between two sets of robots for supremacy on Earth. Optimus Prime is the leader of the Autobots, who have travelled to Earth to protect mankind from Megatron and his evil army of Decepticons. Meanwhile, young human Sam Witwicky buys his first car, which just happens to be Autobot Bumblebee, and soon finds himself embroiled in the battle to save the planet.

Movie review

From Time Out New York

"Freedom is the right of all sentient beings," declares a towering red-white-and-blue robot standing atop L.A.'s Griffith Observatory in the sunlight. It’s an oddly stirring moment—sci-fi writ large and Randian. You begin to wonder if sentient beings actually go to see Michael Bay movies. But of course they don’t: The next half hour of clangorous metal-on-metal—bridges and buildings crumbling, machines and humans tumbling—makes for the most brainlessly thrilling CGI climax in motion-picture history. Kinetic, jaw-dropping and utterly bloodless, this surely is the sequence that Bay will be remembered for.

Transformers, based on the beloved line of Hasbro toys, is the omega of a concept once voiced by Steven Spielberg, that of “movie ideas you can hold in your hand.” (Not for nothing is Spielberg this film’s executive producer.) The dictates of proper criticism require I mention our painfully Marty McFlyish hero, Sam (LaBeouf), whose 1976 Camaro turns out to be a robot from outer space. His role is as blankly conceived as any dreamer in the Spielberg canon. Sam happens to be angling for a girl (luscious Fox, way too ripe for such innocence), and the two are swept up in the maelstrom.

But who are we kidding? Antiquated dramatic virtues like plot or characters don’t apply here, and once the “narrative” escapes its awkward Herbie phase, you may be surprised how scarcely you mind. Basically, ya got friendly Autobots versus evil Decepticons. Find a 15-year-old (or a 35-year-old) to explain it to you. Rarely has summer entertainment been so deafeningly loud or, dare I say it, deliciously dumb.

Author: Joshua Rothkopf 2007-07-02 21:10:27

Time Out New York Issue 614: July 5–11, 2007

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User reviews of this film

Callum said...

Posted on Oct 19 2009 12:37 Great film people should like it yeah its cheesy but who cares when watching all the efeects and scenes makes it epic to watch ***** five star rating :)

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trav said...

Posted on Oct 17 2007 00:59 this movie is a pile of garbage, terrible script!

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Ramez said...

Posted on Aug 30 2007 02:55 Its a high flying thoroughly enjoyable action flick the people who criticized the plot really need to get out in the fresh air more and stop judging movies and start watching them .. i didnt like the look of this move a mate forced me to watch it i went inot this movie expecting to hate its guys I ENJOYED EVERY MINUTE OF IT. nuff said really

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Luke said...

Posted on Aug 21 2007 11:58 Possibly the worst film I have ever seen. Sure, the effects were amazing, but the action scenes were abysmal thanks to a complete lack of any coherance or choreography and while I understood the storyline, the acting, dialogue and script were all so pathetic that it wasn't worth following.

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Marc said...

Posted on Aug 16 2007 14:31 Horrible pile of s*hit
Do not pay to watch this film it is that bad

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keira said...

Posted on Aug 14 2007 12:37 i thought this was a really good film and i will definately get it on dvd. i thoguht the effects were good and the jokes kept me laughin for days! anyone who hasnt seen - SHOULD! its absolutely great!!

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dorisco.com said...

Posted on Aug 13 2007 14:32 Dont take this film too serously man. If you do you wont like it, if you dont, then This is a massivly CHEESY great movie. The Plot SUCKS, The Acting Almost Sucks. But Who Cares when your watching a fantastic action film. Go see it , but if you like films like scheindlers list - stay at home (too serious man) . Ill will deffently be buying this. Almost awesome film. Transformers - robots in diguise

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Mo said...

Posted on Aug 06 2007 06:28 Bad story, incomprehensible action sequences. Nonesense. I say again. Waht a crock of shite.

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Matt said...

Posted on Aug 04 2007 20:10 This is the first time I have written a review for a film and I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. This film has restored my faith in cinema again since the good but some what disapointing Spiderman 3. I'm no transfromer fan boy but loved them when I was a kid. The first point I'd like to make is that some fan boys will go on about how the transformer designs should of been used but what ever may have worked on in a 20 year old cartoon may not necessarily transfer that well to the big screen. I like the new designs not just of prime but of the other bots as they make them look more realistic/plausable how they transform and giving them more detailing and with prime looking this good with the standard of effect we have now just imagine what they could do bringing other bots like unicron to the big screen! Who cares if you can see primes face in the film and in the cartoon you don't at least you get to see more expression so when bumble bee gets injured you genuinely sympathise with him and hope he's ok by the end of the film, which reminds me of another film short circuit that you hope the character No 5 is ok. So what if there is some comedy with the bots it makes for some light relief as I always thought the cartoon and original movie was abit too serious at times so the scene with iron hide and the dog is a great laugh which is what a film should try and do every once in a while as well as the action. Its nice to see some references from the past being used which should keep the fans not panning the new bot designs mostly happy with the internal decepticon power struggle between megatron/starscream and with bumble bee being parked next to his old vehicle design abit like a passing of the torch! the people behind the move most of thought the orignal movie was good as they borrow a couple lines from that. I thought the actual story of the film was good with the geek whose car helps pull the chick with some cheesy music selectionand then continuing with the whole secret government agency plot. Have no real complaints with the actors chosen or acting ability as i got the impression they were really those characters so they sold me there. The only critiscism I have is that megatron could have been given more screen time with him being the main bad guy. last of all the film has to appeal for those of all ages not just kids or affecionados and I think the film gets it mostly right and for all those saying what about the sequels could with out megatron he could always be rebuilt/upgraded to galvatron and more autobots and decepticons included maybe do a prequel with the war on cybertron prime introduces at the beginning of the film but at least they are making sequels for the films which fanboys may be alittle happy about.

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PredatorUK said...

Posted on Aug 04 2007 05:37 First - if you are going to make a vague reference to a car ad, get the name right - its Citroen you clown..
No film will ever copy exactly the original comic book and some of the comic book detail wouldnt work on screen. This is not a drama or emotional rollercoaster, and anyone who expected it to be needs to get out more. This an awesome film, great CGI - only slight criticism is there is too much going on sometimes to see what is happening to whom. But in the real world the chaos would be exactly that. Long prolonged transforming sequences, whils tmaking the sad anoraks who still have their transformer toys in on the shelf, would make the film dull. I for one had a great idea how they transformed and a lot is left to the imagination which makes it even more fun. It's great breathless action and once again, the geeks want to bring it down because of sutpid technicalities. Some things dont need to be in the film and some compromise has to be made. Is Spiderman true to the books - most say yes - and what a pile of crap 3 turned out to be!

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Mo said...

Posted on Aug 01 2007 09:34 What a Crock Of Shite, It was almost as bad as Batman & Robin. I hope they don't make anymore Transformer films if they insist on making them that badly. Why didn't they just buy the glasses off ebay? and since when does ebay hold photo's of it's members? what a crock of shite I say again!!

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