Rejuvinating a cult classic

Rating: 10/10 (5 July 2007)

When I spent two years anticipating, it led me to study more of where the writers were going. It was truly stressful because I and most certainly other fans of the 1984 Transformer G1 series were worried that it will be an inevitable screw up. Film adaptations or recreations of successful television series/cartoons most notably end up humiliating the success and popularity of something that has grown into history. Transformers was in my lifetime and it was an honor to experience its growth as I grew up. In fact, I notice that many cartoons back in the day were more intelligent and creative than the cartoons they have in this present day. I feel I was lucky to witness great amazing cartoons back in the day compared to what the future generations have to work with. All in all, Transformers was a dear childhood memory for me. HELL it even improved my vocabulary when I was young, so you can say an important part of my life.
I looked at any detail to this film in development to post-production and I have to say I had my minor doubts. When I saw the concept sketches I protested immediately. I was heartbroken to hear that Optimus had a G2 paint job with its flames over the Peterbuilt truck. It was not a flat nose, instead a bloody long nose. No trailer provided. I certainly was being naive about thinking that they could pull it off regardless of the odd misplacement of the trailer every time Optimus Transformed. Yet I realized, in order to make a live action film, you need to compensate for the things that cartoons can get away with. Live action film must reveal something an audience can relate and believe in. That means regardless of our childhood memories, Megatron can't shape shift into some small pistol, it's too inconsistent and mindless. So realistically, this film pulled it off quite well. We have to realize that with some sacrifices made on some appearances to the robots, we have what looks like a believable look.
Finally, I started to build my trust on a good product, or what looked like it at the time. The trailers did not show too much. It was enough for me to salivate over. Every time I was in the theater watching another film, the trailer would make me yell out in excitement and cheer for the Transformer feature.
When I saw it, I was awestruck on how they brought it all in. Now, here is where I get to appreciate my past a little. A film pays a proper homage to the classic series as well to its entire history. The characters were pulled off well aside from some quirks. After this film I began to actually appreciate more of my times as a kid, watching the original G1 series. It reincarnated the franchise and opened a new door which would push transformers into a new future which looks positive for where the films trilogy is going. Now that I have seen this, I await more impatiently for the second film, hoping to see SOUNDWAVE and hoping to see Jazz come back to life. (I almost cried when they said he did no survive) JAZZ can't die; he's an important character in the roster. So we know there is an opening for the series clearly. Scorponok did not die in the film; he disappeared in fact throughout the film. Barricade did not fight in the end battle so he must have been alive; unless they killed those two in the adaptations. Star Scream however is evidently going to roundup some decepticons for the sequel since he flew off out of the earth into space. Megatron is dumped into the ocean....if anyone is a G1 fan they would know that's where Megatron makes his base of operations. If we remember, when the decepticons were cast(Crashing into the ocean from there blown ship) into the ocean by the Autobots, they hid in the ocean until they created a base where they could then make a comeback and continue there evil plans. So there is a major opening for the sequel and I sure as hell want to see it. So, it's rejuvenating to see a live action Transformers film compliment an old cartoon classic into a new mean lean trilogy.