DVD Review: Transformers is the Best DVD Release of 2007

There’s more than meets the eye in the Michael Bay, adapted from cartoon to live action movie, Transformers. I grew up watching the 1980s cartoon, Transformers. Optimus Prime was my dawg. I had my own Transformers toys and I never missed episodes of the show, if I could help it. I was curious to see how Bay was going to pull off the meshing of humans with gigantic robotic figures. The Transformers have technology that is far superior to anything on Earth and that had to be portrayed in this film. Luckily, the Armageddon, Bad Boys, and Pearl Harbor director pulled it off with flying colors.

Transformers is made up of multiple storylines that are all interwoven into one big plot. At the start of the film, we are introduced to a group of American soldiers stationed in Qatar. The soldiers, including Captain Lennox (Josh Duhamel) and USAF Tech Sergeant Epps (Tyrese Gibson) are going about their duties and day as normal. We learn Lennox has a wife and daughter he has never seen. He’s busy talking to them via a computer camera and microphone when he loses contact with them. An unidentified helicopter has entered the Base’s air space and is brought to the Base to find out who the helicopter is owned by and why they are flying unauthorized through this air space.

Before anyone can find out, the helicopter has transformed into a massive robot that blows up the entire base though the officers manage to get the computer the helicopter is trying to access shut down, preventing it from receiving personal and classified information from the defense department. When word gets back to the United States of the attack, analysts are brought in to decode the hacking attempt by the Transformer (Starscream) and discover what country has this type of technology. It is also believed by the U.S. Defense Secretary, John Keller (Jon Voight), that there are no survivors in Qatar.

At the same time, 11th grader, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf), is willing to do anything to get his first car. While giving a report on his family genealogy, he even tries to sell his famous great-great-grandfather’s stuff. His great-great-grandfather was a famous explorer who made treks to the Arctic and some interesting discoveries before “going nuts” and dying in a mental hospital, where he insisted that he had discovered some rare, Arctic monster.

After managing to convince his teacher to give him an A, which was a part of the deal he made with his dad in order to get a new car (3 A’s and $2000 were required), Sam was off to get his first new car at the dealership of Bobby Bolivia (Bernie Mac). Though most of the cars are old and not very fun for a teenage boy to own, a mysterious, 77’ yellow Camaro has appeared on the lot. Sam wants this one, but Bobby wants $1000 more then Sam’s dad is willing to pay…that is until the car seems to cause problems for the other cars in Bobby’s lot.

It isn’t long before Sam is getting chased by his car, is chasing it, and he happens to see it transform into a gigantic yellow robot thing. Add this to the fact that Sam is getting chased by a police car (with no driver in it) and attacked (with his pants stolen) by a mini-con type of Transformer (Frenzy) and Sam really isn’t having the best of days. Of course, this all has to happen in front of the “cool girl from school” who he likes, Mikaela (Megan Fox).

Back in Qatar, the few survivors (Lennox, Epps & their crew) of the Base attack manage to get to a telephone and let the U.S. government know they are alive. Unfortunately, they are also being attacked by a sand hopping Transformer, so the government sends in the jets, finally finding something that doesn’t necessarily destroy these massive machines, but definitely breaks them up.

In Washington, analysts are trying to figure out what country is attacking the U.S. so we can retaliate. Of course, one analyst has a theory it isn’t a country at all but a genetically mutated robot doing the damage. Maggie Madsen (Rachael Taylor) is almost positive her guess is right, but Keller won’t believe her without hard facts proving her theory. She is left with no choice but to take a copy of her work disc to her friend at his house, Glen Whitman (Anthony Anderson). Glen is a computer genius who is just starting to crack the code, when the FBI busts in. All they find out on the disc is the “enemy” wants information on a Captain Witwicky and something called Sector Seven.

From there, the stories mesh together nicely, and the Transformers come to life. It is Sam’s eBay page, selling his great-great-grandfather’s wares, which attract the Transformers to him, both Autobots and Decepticons. Within them, he has information on the All-Spark, which could destroy all of humanity if the Decepticons (and Megatron) were to get a hold of it. Of course, Sam can’t just hand over what the Autobots need because the government has to complicate things with their non-existent Sector Seven, led by Agent Simmons (John Turturro), who sees all the Transformers as aliens and is willing to do anything to capture and destroy all of them.

This was some of the most amazing CGI animation I’ve ever seen. The action sequences were awesome, and though it took some time to get started, were well worth the wait. Every single part, even the most minute, moves during the transformation were developed by this amazing team of animators, and when you hear that voice, the voice of Optimus Prime for the first time in over 20 years (portrayed by the original Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen) you are taken back to your childhood. Well, at least I know I was.

The acting was great. I like both Shia LaBoeuf and Josh Duhamel in what I’ve seen them in. John Turturro and Jon Voight, as always are both excellent in their roles. I really wanted to beat the crap out of Turturro’s character, which means he did a great job at portraying Agent Simmons true to character. Anthony Anderson is his usual hilarious self. Even the women are decent in their roles. Both Fox and Taylor are necessary to the story, and though Fox has the weakest acting in the film, it’s hardly a distraction with such an engaging and entertaining storyline.

I loved this movie so much, I watched it twice, when I first popped it in my DVD player. I wanted my girlfriend to watch it with me the second time, and she loved it, too. I have heard some people complain about this film, but in all honesty, no one could have done the cartoon as much justice as Bay does to this adaptation. You are reminded of why you love the Tranformers so much and why they were such an integral part of your childhood, as they were mine.

Transformers is being released to DVD by Paramount on October 16, 2007. It comes in a single disc, and a two disc special edition. It’s also available in HD for those with HD players. I received the two-disc special edition for review. If you can purchase this version, I highly recommend you do so as opposed to the solo disc version of the movie. The main difference between the two is the fact that the single disc version is only the same as disc one in the two-disc version. Disc two has multiple extras and bonus features, perfect for avid Transformers fans, like me.

Special features for Transformers include audio commentary available on the first disc (and in the single disc edition of the DVD). The DVD commentary is by Michael Bay, the director of the film and lasts the length of the movie. The second disc has a lot more to offer including a massive, nearly 50 minutes long, featurette entitled “Our World”. It is split up into various parts so you can watch it as one feature or in groups. The sections are called “The Story of Sparks”, “Human Allies”, “I Fight Giant Robots”, and “Battleground”. This featurette discusses everything from Michael Bay’s vision for the film (from early development to finished product) to information on how the most intense action scenes were filmed and a tour of their location. Cast and crew interviews are also included in “Our World”.

“The War” is the second, big featurette on the second disc. This one is over an hour long. It has four parts, all of which discuss the Transformers. This featurette explores the original Transformers, the merchandise from Hasbro, and the many loyal fans who follow the Transformers series. It also discusses both the Autobots and Decepticons with information on how what they transformed into (vehicle-wise) was determined and why some changes were made (i.e. Bumblebee was a Bug who became a Camaro for this film). Sections for this featurette include “Rise of the Robots”, “Autobots Roll Out”, “Decepticons Strike” and “Inside the All-Spark”.

The Third area on this disc is called “More than Meets the Eye”. In it you will find “From Script to Sand: The Skorponok Desert Attack” (an in depth look at the sand attack scene and how it was created), a “Concepts” reel (exploring the concept and concept art of Transformers), and a gallery for trailers of this movie and other Paramount films. There are some hidden features on this disc, too, but I won’t tell you about those. You need to find them for yourself.

The picture quality for Transformers was amazing. It was transferred in anamorphic widescreen at an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. I have absolutely no complaints having watched this on both a 27” and an HD, big screen, television. The film looks stunning either way. The audio quality is also superb as it is Dolby Digital 5.1 Stereo Surround Sound. The dramatic music just adds to the intensity of this amazing film.

Bottom Line: Transformers Rocked. I LOVED the film. I highly recommend it. You need to buy this film and watch it, because if you’re like me, you won’t be disappointed. This film is not a kid’s film though. It is rated PG-13, so please keep this in mind when letting your children view Transformers. It contains some adult language and plenty of violence, as well as a few “sexually tense” moments and innuendos.

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Technorati Tags: Transformers, Optimus Prime, Michael Bay, DVD Review, Movie, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Live Action, Cartoon, 80s, Autobots, Decepticons, Robots

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Written by Dominick - Visit Website
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Dominick Evans is in his late 20's. He spends his days working as a full time writer/editor and a part time musician/composer. His passions in life include music, directing films, watching movies, reading books, watching sports, wheelchair football, politics and spending time with his family (fiancée Ashtyn, son Robert, and shih-tzu Oliver). Other interests include being an advocate for the disability and GLBT communities.