Genre: Sci-Fi Adventure / Action / Animation
Directed By: Michael Bay
Based on the originial 1984 Television Series and the Hasbro toy line.
Official Website: http://www.transformersmovie.com
IMDB Details: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0418279/

I was born in 1980 and was weaned by television in my youth on some of the more legendary action-figure toy driven animated television shows. You might remember them, names such as He-Man and ThunderCats... Therefore it was required that I go to see the live-action, CGI, explosions extravaganza paying homage to the series "Transfomers".  

Though the original 1984 animated TV series had numerous spinoffs, mostly the original Transformers cast is present. Of course Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots and Megatron, leader of the Decepticons are present. Other Autobots appearing are Ironside, Rachett, Bumblebee, and Jazz. Filling out the Decepticons are Starscream, Blackout, Barricade, Bonecrusher, Devastator, Frenzy (similar to Soundwave in purpose), and the animal-like Scorponok. Also, instead of Spike Witwicky this time it's Sam Witwicky as our young human lead.

Since this is 2007 the Transformers got a visual update with the latest CGI from Industrial Light and Magic, as well as new "bodies" mostly courtesy of a GM tie-in deal for this movie and some of the coolest new military hardware. For example the autobots Jazz and Bumblebee are a Pontiac Solstice and the new Concept Camaro respectively. The other autobots, besides Optimus Prime are various forms of heavy GMC vehicles, Optimus remains a Peterbilt truck however.  Most of the other vehicles in the film are GM as well, the last time there were this many GM vehicles exploding was in "Matrix: Reloaded". As for the Decepticons,  Starscream became an F-22 Raptor (as opposed to an F-15 Eagle as in the original TV Show and Movie), Blackout is a Sikorsky MH53 Pave Low III helo, Bonecrusher resembles an M1-A1 Abrams tank, and Barricade is a Saleen S281 Extreme Ford Mustang. Of course Barricade and Bumblebee have a car chase, because you know the whole Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro thing...

Two notable details are the classic "transformation" sound and the voice talent for Optimus Prime. The transformation sound from the '84 TV show is mixed in to the sound of some of the Transformers transforming in the movie. If you don't quite remember it you will when you see the movie. Probably the most satisfying is Optimus Prime's voice, from the talent of Peter Cullen. It is instantly recognizable, having that dusky, electro-filtered voice with the John Wayne swagger Mr. Cullen used for the original Transformers show really made the Optimus character in my opinion.

As expected, in typical Michael Bay summer action blockbuster form this movie delivered the goods. If you're expecting a deep story line and lots of character exposition, forget it. This is a straight up action flick CGI extravaganza. Go into it with that mind set, and if you're familiar with the Transformers television shows and movies at all, you'll enjoy this. 

Like other Michael Bay action movies, this has a cheezy romance line to it. Sam has the typical improbable teen romance (nerdy guy meets hottie) with the female lead role, played by Megan Fox. So be prepared for that, and of course the upside for you men with a pulse is that you will get to see Miss Fox looking rather fine in a number of scenes. Bumblebee's Camaro character livens up these scenes,  by playing appropriate Top 40 music from his dashboard radio, which almost becomes a self depreciating take on the whole action film romance in general. My only real complaint is that this part of the film almost fills too much of the first act, and tends to drag on. I mean, I showed up to see big robots beat the hell out of eachother.

Interestingly this movie feels like some of the more recent "global disaster" type action movies of the last 10 years. Most notably Bay's "Armageddeon" about an impending asteroid disaster. It suits the film since it is something of a disaster story only this time the asteroids hit, get up, turn into mecha-robots and have at eachother. Were Transformers orginaly a Japanese concept? If they weren't they should have been, I mean Megatron could have dug up Godzilla and you would have believed it in the context of the movie.

Also, the actual action sequences on a military base in Qatar and a remote village in Qatar are rather well done. One of my favorite scenes was of two A-10 Warthogs opening up on Scorponok with their 30mm cannons, and then a C-130 Gunship comes in with Sabo rounds on target. All I have to say is: Kick Ass! And be glad you aren't a Decepticon (or an Iraqi insurgent)! I also liked seeing the V-22 Ospry at the beginning of the film. The Ospry has Rolls Royce Aircraft Engines, formerly from GM's Allison Engine Company. My father works at one of the Rolls Royce plants in Indianapolis, and I had seen early prototype images of the Ospry going back to the middle 1980's. Seeing the current experimental craft in the movie was really cool.

There isn't much else to say other than it was an entertaining romp, with a bit of childhood nostalgia thrown in for some of us. However as movies go I'd have to say 2-1/2 stars. Worth the price of admission, and a sentimental must for 80's kids. 

One other thing, be prepared for at least one more sequal and most probably a trilogy of films. There are hints on the IMDb page for this movie about a sequal already.