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Robots that can transform into vehicles has always seemed to me a concept with limited appeal. So it appeared a strange decision to greenlight a movie based on a cult 80s cartoon and toy range, throw $150 million at it and schedule it as one of the summer tentpoles. Well, the trailers suggested the filmmakers knew what they were doing and the film confirms it: Transformers is a blast.
The plot - as if it matters - involves some nonsense about a mystical alien energy cube that landed on Earth at some point in the past. The Decepticons (the evil robots) want it and the Autobots (the good guys) are trying to stop them and protect the human race. It's all really just an excuse to have some massive 'bot-on-'bot bust-ups and on this front the film well and truly delivers. After an explosive opening there's actually a fairly measured build-up to the real carnage but that's ultimately for the good of the film; this isn't a blockbuster that blows its load in the opening reel and then is constantly trying in vain to outdo itself for the rest of the running time. For the first two thirds the film is divided into three plot threads: one in Qatar, where the Decepticons first attack, one following the Government reaction to the crisis and one following a typical American teenager who unwittingly finds himself at the heart of the conflict.
The one actor who truly manages to hold his own amidst the computer wizardry is Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky. His storyline in the film could come from any teen flick - a nerdy kid who is picked on by the jocks and tries to win the hottest girl in school - but LaBeouf is so entertaining that it's a joy to watch. With this year's Disturbia a surprise hit in America (out in the UK in September), Transformers raking it in and Indiana Jones IV due next May, LaBeouf looks to be on an inevitable path to superstardom. An early lead role in the surprisingly good Holes showed his potential, and in Transformers he brings a perfect everyman charisma to the part, in the vein of a young Tom Hanks. He's also a gifted comedy actor - in the lulls between the action the film is propelled by some great laughs (I laughed far more watching this than The Simpsons Movie) and most of them are down to LaBeouf's endearingly bumbling antics.
Some of the cast have a hard time trying to compete with the spectacle on show. Jon Voight wanders through the film looking a bit lost, and his exposition-heavy plot thread is the least compelling and most excisable. The two main female characters - one a mechanic and the other a computer geek, proving that this film is a complete adolescent male fantasy - manage to distract attention from the robots through their looks alone. Megan Fox's Mikaela provides the love interest and the romance is quite likeable, but Rachael Taylor's Maggie is clearly only included to increase the hottie quotient. When John Turturro shows up in the later stages as a government stooge he injects a good dose of humour and boo-hiss antagonism. Bernie Mac's early cameo as a shifty used car salesman is yet another comedic highlight.
Once the climactic city-based destruction derby begins it quickly becomes apparent that the action outdoes any other blockbuster this year, on a budget that by 2007 standards is fairly modest (Spider-Man 3 and Pirates 3, by some estimates, cost twice as much). Michael Bay seems to have toned down his style for this film; it doesn't look as much like a music video as some of his earlier efforts. Still in evidence though is Bay's famous propensity for shooting at speed, with the images possessing a raw immediacy that adds to the thrills. The director shoots the final showstopping set-piece like Black Hawk Down - the camera puts the audience in the middle of the battle and it really does feel like a warzone. Aiding the enjoyment are some of the best visual effects yet seen, the number of money shots rivalling any blockbuster.
Unfortunately not all of the CGI is flawless; occasionally it's quite clear when a shot changes from one of an animatronic puppet to a completely CG creation. The slight variation in quality is probably due to the fact that the effects were handled by several different companies. Some of the attempts to shoehorn popular culture references come off as forced, such as the Autobots tracking Sam down through eBay and learning Earth's languages from the internet. Occasionally some of the action is backed by soft rock music, which is a little jarring as at other times Steve Jablonsky's electronic/orchestral score does its job well. These, however, are small flaws in a film that practically necessitates being seen on the big screen. It's the best blockbuster of 2007 so far, with Jason Bourne the only remaining candidate with a realistic chance to steal the crown.
The summary
Transformers is just about the ideal blockbuster: spectacular, entertaining, funny and not too taxing. It's no masterpiece, but it's damn good fun.
