Movie reviews: The Transformers (2007) – Part 68

When I was a child, one of the most popular animated series on television was the Transformers. Detailing week after week the battles between Optimus Prime and Megatron, the series was fun to watch, and always exciting.

So, when I heard a couple years back that they were doing a live-action version of the show, I was naturally excited. However, my excitement was tempered with caution. After all, who hasn’t seen a show from their past turned into a crappy movie?

Well, from the opening of the film, I knew I was in for a treat. With the original voice talent of the old show’s Optimus, I got goosebumps.

Like all adaptations, it drags a bit in the first few minutes, as it sets up story lines. But with the first attack on the U.S. military base, the movie’s action is non-stop.

The characters interact well, with the tongue-in-cheek humor inherent in the cartoon. Ironhide is STILL trying to blow everything he can find to smithereens with his huge guns, Bumblebee of course still has to communicate through his in-car stereo, and the Decepticons still fight amongst one another.

Of course, now the computer animation is so sophisticated, that you can actually see the machines transform-not just suddenly appear as robots. The effects are smooth and flawless, and the interaction between CGI and real-world objects is without equal in recent memory.

The acting shines unusually brightly in this film-unusual because its an action-adventure, traditionally NOT known for outstanding performances. The voice acting is perfect, and the humans are good, particularly the two young leads.

The only time, in fact, that the acting level dipped was during the climactic battle between Prime and Megatron, where the two of them trade barbs that seem ripped right out of the old show