“Transformers,” Michael Bay’s latest mega-box office buster, which hit the shelves last Tuesday, has set the bar for the next round of Hollywood “blow ’em ups.” Although the film is completely void of plot and character development and runs 30 minutes too long, it manages to satisfy in all the ways that matter.
Bay (“Pearl Harbor”) reincarnates the Transformers cartoon series of the 80s into a CGI fest of epic proportions. The basic story, although mostly frivolous, centers on Sam Witwicky, played by the up-and-coming Shia LaBeouf (“Disturbia”), and two teams of giant robots fighting it out in a battle over Planet Earth. The Autobots (the “good guys”) are trying to stop the evil Desepticons (subtle, isn’t it?) from destroying the Earth. Throw in a government conspiracy and an awkward romance, and you have something akin to the first draft of a script that a freshman would write in Film 101. Although it’s not perfect, the film somehow manages to stick together into a somewhat cohesive experience.
LaBeouf, typecast once again as the funny yet charming teenager, plays the part well and is the highlight of the film. The rest of the cast is comprised of B-list soldier actors who appear in every other action movie and insultingly mindless eye-candy actresses like Megan Fox (“Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen”) and Rachael Taylor (“See No Evil”). Bernie Mac (“Ocean’s Thirteen”) makes an appearance as a funny, yet unsettling used car dealer who makes the overdrawn first hour livable. Overall, Bay doesn’t have the ability to make his characters any more human than the robots, but, then again, characters just get in the way of blowing things up, right?
Caveats about the first half of the film aside, the second half is fresh and exciting. With “Transformers,” it quickly becomes clear that computer graphics are representative of a director’s free reign over their universe. Imagine an explosive scene where two giant robots wrestle on a street, while rockets and fighter jets fly through the air, a minivan careens by and anything that can be on fire is aflame. Add some more fire and a couple more explosions and you have just one of many action sequences in “Transformers.” The sheer amount of action in each scene, paired with the first-person, street-level perspective of the camera, boggles the mind and makes audiences feel like they are part of the action. The video and audio quality is also top notch and makes surround sound a must for the whole experience.
“Transformers,” however, is riddled with cliched sunsets, a mushy score, tried heroic phrases and an ending that cries sequel worse than a Peter Jackson film. Overall, “Transformers” is a film connoisseur’s worst nightmare and a raw action seeker’s field day. Regardless of the two perspectives, the film succeeds where it was meant to succeed with true vibrato but fails where it falls short with a resounding thud.
Last week’s DVD release also leaves consumers with several options. First off, if you aren’t an action movie junkie or a sci-fi enthusiast, renting or Netflixing “Transformers” is your best option. The film pleases everyone with a love story and more than enough action to keep the chick flick haters busy. If you’ve decided to take the plunge, there are some decisions to make. The standard one-disk DVD set — void of all special features — costs about $15. Two options are then available for the hardcore collectors. Available at Wal-Mart is a two-disk set for $20 that includes a prequel movie that promises to give depth to the actions in the main feature, along with some other special features. Besides that — and my personal favorite — is the standard 2-disk set available online and at Target for $23. It comes with the behind-the-scenes and a making-of disk that come standard in most collectors’ libraries today. But the real clincher is the DVD case, which itself transforms into a robot that will stand on your shelf. Although it can’t shoot lasers or take over the world, the sheer geekiness behind a DVD case that transforms into a robot must not be passed up.
“Transformers” is not, nor will it ever be, a classic, but if you’re looking for a movie that allows you to sit back and enjoy the beauty of fire and melted steel, this is your film. For lovers of sci-fi, action and things that go boom, this is a must for your DVD collection.
2 stars out of 5
