The Marvel Comics book was never like this!

Rating: 10/10 (4 July 2007)

That's right, folks. In between the toy line and the Saturday morning cartoons, there was a comic book. Similar to the one inspired by the GI JOE mini-figures, only better.
Well, I never thought a live-action movie adaptation would do the Transformers any justice. But, Steven Spielberg has a habit of proving even the worst critics wrong. And, to quote Jon Voight's character from a certain Disney movie, with Nicholas Cage:
"I've never been so happy to be proved wrong."
The storyline is pretty simple. Both races of Transformers have come to Earth seeking the All-spark. The mysterious object that gave their planet mechanical life (sort of a Rubix cube version of the pylon from 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY).
Scorponok the Decepticon attacks an American military base in the oil sheikdom of Qatar, in order to scan the Internet. When he fails, Frenzy--a Decepticon shaped like a portable radio--takes over aboard Air Force One.
In the meantime, L.A. high school student Sam Witwicky gets a vintage Camaro as a present for improving his grades. And, he and his new girlfriend (sexy tomboy Michaela) find out the Camaro is really Bumblebee of the Autobots! Apparently, as the descendant of a 19th-century Arctic explorer named Archibald Witwicky, Sam is the only one on Earth who might have the co-ordinates to the location of the All-spark...and Decepticon leader Megatron.
It's at this point that the two sub-plots, which kept interweaving throughout the first third of the movie, finally dove-tail. And, in an action-packed way that also pays homage to other sci-fi classics, such as WAR OF THE WORLDS (1953 version), THE ARRIVAL, MEN IN BLACK, and THE TERMINATOR.
How the Good Guys triumph over the Bad Guys is as thrilling as it is poignant. And, the pyrotechnics--both CGI and genuine--are awesome. In short: I enjoyed this film from beginning to end. With the two-and-a-half hour running time elapsing as if it were nothing.
But, then again; when it comes to science fiction, I'm usually pretty easy to please. With Spielberg, in particular, rarely disappointing me (can you say, "1941?").