Transformers (12A)

Film

Science fiction

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Time Out rating:

<strong>Rating: </strong>2/5

User ratings:

<strong>Rating: </strong>4/5
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Time Out says

Tue Jul 24 2007

The cars – are they here to help us or destroy us? Not an idle question in these carbon-conscious times, and Michael Bay’s ’splosiongasmic ’botfest could, at a stretch, be parsed as a grand-scale id-fantasy of America’s doomed infatuation with the internal combustion engine: both goodies and baddies look sexy as hell, and both leave destruction in their wake. You could even tease an oil-anxiety subtext out of the film’s overseas settings: a spot of blowback in the Middle East and a salutary warning against exploratory polar digging.

As in the ’80s cartoon series/corporate promotional tool on which the movie is based, Earth is the battlefield for two tribes of ancient alien robots who can shape-shift into items of our technology. (They also seem to have developed a kind of robo-parkour.) The evil, spiky Decepticons and the friendly but, in this version, equally spiky Autobots are slugging it out for control of a magic Rubik’s Cube; caught in the middle is high-school kid Sam (Shia LaBeouf), who inadvertently picks up a battered Autobot at a secondhand car lot and develops an even bigger crush on it than he has on the girl from history class (Megan Fox).

Sprawling, hardware-heavy, gung-ho with a streak of cruel humour, ‘Transformers’ is a Michael Bay movie, all right. It’s also about as nimble as a 30-foot behemoth with fried navigation circuits, lunging and lumbering from misfiring comic set-piece to messy pitched battle, landing the occasional bullseye along the way. John Turturro is good value as a sleazy spook but you’ll search in vain for anything like characterisation elsewhere, especially among the robots themselves. Less than meets… you know.

99+

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Release details

Rated:

12A

UK release:

Fri Jul 27, 2007

Duration:

144 mins

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Comments & ratings

Rated as: 4/5 (147 ratings)
  • Excellent film. funny, entertaining, action packed and amzing special effects. story was ok. but lets face it. when you go to see a film called 'TRANSFORMERS' your not exactly there to watch the acting are you!! really looking forward to Transformers II

    JD Thu Jul 26 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • Classy build up towards a metal crunching finally, the film special effects couldent have been anymore detailed, allthough confusing during battle scenes; what can you expect from a millitary/robot vs robot shootout.! Definately worth worth watching

    Times Film Critic Thu Jul 26 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • 2 stars is this a joke this is one of the best movies of the years i love it and every1 i know who has seen it love it. the only people who wouldnt like it is some old hag y dont u rate old people movies your a joke . Overall great movie hope u fire this old bag of a reviewer

    Timmi Thu Jul 26 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • i just read ben walters review from time outm london and thought i shud take the time to say that someone needs to go pull his head out of his ass! this film just looks like the entire cast have worked their asses off, and a dam good job theyve done in making perhaps the best comic book to big screen movies. As for ripping into michael bay for the way the film was made i think he's forgetting that steven spielberg was the executive producer of this film and wouldnt have approved its release if he thought michael bat hadnt done a good enough job. As if that wasnt enough, they also had hugo weaving as the voice of megatron which shows the kind of star power this films capable of pulling! Transformers has indefinetely raised the bar for all future films and i hope there is a sequel as long as its done as well as this was. Ben Walters and time out london can kiss my ass!

    andrew Wed Jul 25 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • this is the best film ever. it makes you jump out of your seat when you see the characters that you loved from childhood. anyone who says this is rubbish needs to stick to watching soap operas. it is fantastic. a MUST watch film. hope for a transformers 2.

    thedust666 Wed Jul 25 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • This film is the best you'll ever see. Amazing fight scenes, immense CGI, funny, witty, entertaining. This film has it all

    Robbo Wed Jul 25 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • I was expecting a lot after seeing the trailers and the film did not disappoint. Obviously the CGi was great, but it wasn't all about that. The main characters were also part of the film and the interaction between the actors and robots seemed well put together. I would easily recommend this film.

    Jonny Wed Jul 25 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • This film was everything I hoped it would be. Great action sequences, unprecedented CG effects, some great humour, and a real feel- good factor. In fact, it's one of the only films of recent times that I have come out of without being disappointed. To the critics that rate this film lowly- What exactly were you expecting from a film that has the task of introducing alien transforming robots that knock seven bells out of each other? Again, one of the best films I've seen recently...

    Jonah B Wed Jul 25 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
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  • went to see the transformers on the opening night and i must admit i really enjoyed the film. althought the storyline was a bit corny, it was comical and the special effects+graphics were awesome 4/5

    ameo Tue Jul 24 2007
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  • Best film i have seen in my life! more than met my expectations, graphics were awesome! cant wait to see it again and again not to mention the sequels....fingers crossed they are good as the first!

    foreverminxy Tue Jul 24 2007
    Rated as: 5/5
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