more than meets the eye

 it was a fantasy come true and i could very well say that the wait was really worth it.  to finally see my favorite cartoon series immortalized on the big hollywood screen, the feeling is indescribable.  good thing i didn't expect too much or rather, i came into the movie house with an open mind as to what to expect since being an avid fan of the cartoon series, everything is still fresh in my mind–from the very first episode, to the animated movie, and to the resurrection of optimus prime and the show of respect by galvatron to optimus prime himself–i thought there might be some changes to the real-life potrayal of these amazing robots.  for sure, the generation that grew up not watching the animated series will definitely like this one.

of course, i cannot avoid having comparisons to the animated series.  and there are some noticeable differences.  not just how the robots look like, but some other facets of the whole transformers saga.  like, where did the "all spark" came from?  that's the first i heard of it.  and, if i'm not mistaken, not one mention of their homeworld of cybertron.  what was shown was a desolate planet compared to a highly technological one in the series.  i was also looking (listening) to the transforming sound used in the animated series, but it was used sparingly in the movie.  also, what i really found disturbing was optimus prime saying "my bad" after apologizing when he accidentally stepped on a garden ornament.  i always found him to be the proper type, being a leader and all.  but mind you, i had goose bumps when the two lead characters saw a semi barrelling down the alley, then stopping, then finally transforming into the robot form.  whoo!  ultimate coolness.  also noticeable about optimus prime is his voice.  yes, it's unmistakeably that it's peter cullen, the one who actually voiced prime in the animated series, but he already sounded a bit old.  or maybe the producers added a little distortion to it to make it… cooler, perhaps?  and i was waiting for him to say his most famous line–"autobots, transform and roll out!"–but he didn't!  damn!  major omission!  well, technically he did say it, but without the transform.  as for the other autobots, i would very well say that ratchet is the more good-looking one other than optimus prime, jazz is a pushover, ironhide kicks ass and bumblebee, well, he's so quiet.

now, to really criticize the movie itself coming from a avid fan of the animated series, one of the things i didn't quite agree with the movie was the scene where there was a "bashing" of a volkswagen on the used car lot, the car being bumblebee's original form in the series.  i just wished the producers used the new beetle as his car form.  although i don't see anything uncool about his car form in the movie, sticking with the original would've provided more recognition to the fans and a more human interaction with the lead character, i guess.  speaking of forms, why the hell is megatron a spacecraft and not at least a cannon (a gun wouldn't be possible with his size) of some sort?  i was actually wondering through all the trailers before the movie was shown what would megatron transform into.  sad to say, the producers didn't follow or at least try to choose a better alternative without going too far off the series.  and a tank being devastator?  what?!  yes, bonecrusher (one of the constructicons) was there, but i would've agreed if the tank was named blitzwing (the triple-changer in the series where it transforms to a tank and an aircraft), but to use the name devastator outside of the constructicons is not right, at least not for me.

yet despite these changes and omissions, i give the movie a four out of five.  i'll still wait for the dvd release and add it to my collection.  michael bay still lives up to his reputation of having kick-ass action/suspense movies with wall-to-wall action and deafening gunfights.  the only hint of a sequel is starscream flying out into space after the decepticons were defeated–maybe to rally the other decepticons under his leadership (and to have his coronation, just like in the animated movie where he goes, "who dares interrupt my coronation?" before being blasted to smithereens by a newly re-formed galvatron) and attack the autobots anew–and optimus prime calling out to the other autobots to seek refuge on earth, their new home (where's teletran one when you need him?)  in any case, it's still a very good movie.  as i have said, the newer generation will definitely enjoy this one.  and for those who haven't seen it and are avid fans of the animated series, i suggest you leave your brains outside the theater and criticize it after you have seen it so as not to spoil your time inside.  in closing, the movie itself is more than meets the eye.