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ARTICLE
Movie Review: Transformers
by Scott Juba Published: July 2, 2007
Rating: Country: USA Release Date: July 3, 2007 Distributor: DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures Director: · Michael Bay Cast: · Shia LaBeouf · Megan Fox · Josh Duhamel · Tyrese Gibson Grade: A
Optimus Prime in DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures' "Transformers"
In the wrong hands, “Transformers” could have been the dumbest, most pointless movie of the summer. Thankfully, DreamWorks and Paramount decided to make this movie the right way. The studios hired a great action director in Michael Bay to helm the project and got one of the best screenwriting duos in Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci to pen the script. Snagging rising stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox as two of the main on-screen stars didn’t hurt matters either. The end result is a truly exhilarating and entertaining movie-going experience.
While everyone will undoubtedly be in awe at the phenomenal special effects, “Transformers” ultimately succeeds because of its well-plotted story. The battle between the Autobots and the Decepticons rests on a clue that Sam Witwicky (LaBeouf), an ordinary suburban teenager, unknowingly possesses. His attempts to woo his high-school crush, Mikaela Banes (Fox), take an unexpected detour when he and Mikaela find themselves in the midst of this epic battle.
Making such a premise seem even remotely believable may seem like a stretch, but Kurtzman and Orci pull it off with ease. They obviously understand that the key to making any premise believable lies not in the premise itself but in how the characters react to the situation. Also, the script contains enough humor to show that the filmmakers aren’t taking themselves too seriously.
And of course, when it comes to directing spectacular action sequences, nobody does it better than Michael Bay. While the action scenes are larger-than-life, they supplement the story rather than dominate it. Bay’s ability to intertwine explosive action scenes in a way that coherently meshes with the progression of the story enhances his credibility as a director. He also manages to get the most out of his actors. The connection between LaBeouf and Fox seems genuine, and Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson perform plausibility as Air Force sergeants.
The brilliance of “Transformers” is that it does the ordinary in an unordinary way. While it’s content to be little more than summer fluff, it accepts this common role in a rather extraordinary way. The script is cleverer than most you’d find in this genre, the special effects exceed the hype and the actors seem to relish their roles. In almost every way, “Transformers” will transform your notion of what a great summer action movie should be.
