Rating: 3.7 of 5

The fate of all humanity is threatened as alien robot beings battle for the key to their very existence. On one side, the heroic Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. On the other the ruthless Megatron, who leads the Decepticons, and who will let nothing prevent him from possessing the All Spark. Teenager Sam Witwicky is thrust into an unlikely role, as he is unaware that he holds the clue that both sides have been so desperately searching for. He must help the Autobots find the All Spark before the Decepticons can use it to wipe out all traces of human life.

Transformers DVD Review

What do you do when you buy your first car and it turns out to be giant alien robot? Director Michael Bay asks that question with the big screen version of the popular 1980’s cartoon. After opening with an attack on an army base, director Michael Bay introduces the main characters such as Sam Witwicky and the Autobot Bumblebee.

Fans of the original story had been clamoring for a live action version for years. The movie takes advantage of cutting edge CGI and realistic engineering to produce impressive renditions of the popular characters based on the Hasbro toy line. The story serves up enough action, comedy, intrigue and a bit of romance to suit just about everyone. However, anyone expecting to see a film dominated by the warring robots will be disappointed. Bay attempts to tell the story mostly from the perspective of the human characters, so the story features a smaller cast of robots than most fans would have liked to see.

The movie does lag a bit when it focuses on the human characters, but Bay manages to achieve a reasonable balance, and it builds good momentum until the final climactic battle. And as usual, here, Bay is in his element.

The action sequences are fast paced and benefit from the director’s quick cut style. The final battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons is nothing short of spectacular. Some viewers may find the action a bit confusing at first. The movie could probably have benefited from more full frame shots of the robots transforming, and some fans of the original series may not be too happy with some changes made to pivotal characters.

This is a great pick for anyone who loves action, and appreciates dazzling effects and high quality CGI work. Parents may want to avoid letting young children see this due to some relatively violent scenes, albeit mostly involving robot characters.

Thank you to Jessica M. for this “Transformers DVD” article/review.

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