It's with a heavy heart that resign myself to the fact that the Transformers movie is going to sorta suck. I mean, I don't want to believe that, of course, because I fucking love the Transformers. Beast Wars was really what stole my heart. I fucking cried at the end of that series. So brilliant. So much heart.
But with Michael Bay at the helm of the movie, the last thing it'll have is heart. Come on, you know what it's going to be: a CG over-produced flashy nightmare. Explosions. Chase scenes. That's what Bay does. He tells stories in chase scenes and explosions. No real characters to speak of. In Beast Wars and, later, Beast Machines, the development of the characters was sheer genius. From Optimus Primal's ego-driven projects to Rattrap's betrayal and redemption to Cheetor's coming of age (with his mutation as a metaphor for hitting puberty) to Megatron's maniacal "I am the Alpha and the Omega" pronouncements to the Romeo/Juliet love between Black Arachnia and Silverbolt...the show completely blew my mind.
Well, but I'm a sucker for Transformers, I'll probably see it anyway. But someday I would love to see a Beast Wars movie with the entire original cast, with Paul Dini writing it, maybe.
In the meantime, I've always said that if there's one thing we've learned from science fiction, it's that robots will eventually rise up against us. So you should prepare youself.
Yeah, but will there be Bumblebee?
Posted by: Tallest | 02/14/2006 at 04:22 AM
Nothing beats the original Transformers movie. Oh the cheesy 80s music! Oh a pink Transformer! You know that one is a girl robot, because the robot is pink!
Posted by: Brinstar | 02/14/2006 at 05:57 AM
The day is only drawing nearer...
Posted by: tycho11 | 02/14/2006 at 09:57 AM
If Bay took cues from the new Transformers: Generation 1 comic book series which appeared several years back, it's possible that it could turn into something awesome.
...unfortunately, I don't see that happening.
Posted by: applekid | 02/17/2006 at 05:32 AM
A little FYI, Beast Wars: The Gathering Issue #1 just came out this month. It's a pretty good start to a promising comic book series.
Posted by: Disponi | 02/17/2006 at 06:56 PM
I'm worried and excited about this film at the same time. On the one hand, I've got a little voice in my head going "OH MY GOD, THEY'RE MAKING A TRANSFORMERS MOVIE!!!" On the other hand, I'm mortified that it'll get ruined in the translation.
I guess I'll just have to wait and see.
Posted by: nilcypher | 02/18/2006 at 04:01 PM
Shit, I've been a transformers fan since 1987, it kills me that these properties can't get decent writers and directors attatched. You know micheal bay doesn't care about the property, he just wants to cash out.
Of course the only thing worse than a Bay film without characters is a Bay film that tries to have characters. Just wait for the robotic love triangle.
Posted by: Patrick Dugan | 02/19/2006 at 01:36 PM
Do your remember who wrote "Code of Hero" because that was freakin awesome. If he wrote a Beast Wars movie or one of the guys, whose names escape me, that wrote most of season 2 and season 3 were on board, that would be fantastic, revamped graphics, real fur effects, water that doesn't suck, more Dinobot with more shakespeare. Enough to bring a grown man to his knees and sob tears of joy.
What is a warrior without a weapon?
A warrior still!
Posted by: timthe1st | 02/19/2006 at 06:31 PM
When I was a child I had all sorts of Transformer toys. I never got to see the movie until last year. I purchased the movie via dvd and now I can watch it at any time.
I am mildly curious about the movie however, I don't have a burning need to see it. The plot of it is also weird I heard. I shows the transformers being some sort of god figures or something. It's a bit hazy from what I read from the director.
I do think that this film will be a different style for Bay. Why do I think that?
Well for one the movie can't be expected to do well so this is the perfect time for him to try something new. You might be surprised on this one.
As far as robots rising up, I don't think that will happen. Remember that machines and robots are just an extension of our input and that is all they will ever be. So if machines do rise up it is because the extension we presented was malicious. I don't know about you but I'm more concerned with people than machines.
Man's doom will not be from biblical or space but from within our own dark hearts.
That's the premise I'm using in a video game design I'm working on.
Posted by: undercoverrabbit | 02/22/2006 at 08:37 AM
give me a break ...
I was a Transformers fan in the 80s. Transformers have their roots in children's cartoons, just like it's kin , G.I. Joe.
I'm unaware of the "heart" that Beast Wars had, but I don't really view that as a staple of Transformers as an entity.
I'll see it and try to enjoy it, even if it is mindless drek. Hopefully it won't be too much of a mess, but hey ... it's Hollywood.
Posted by: ArsonIsFun | 02/22/2006 at 04:46 PM
actually, i'm not so much worried about bay's directorial skills as i am about the writing.
remember the island? goonies 2? catwoman? yeah, these are the same guys.
not that the writing on the original show was shakespeare to begin with. in fact the more i think about it, the more i think that these guys are the perfect team to bring the transformers to life...pearl harbor read just like a saturday morning cartoon.
there will be cool explosions, if anyone's consoled by that.
Posted by: psyfi | 03/13/2006 at 12:42 AM