Good times for Transformers fans!

Rating: 8/10 (5 July 2007)

When I walked out of the movie theater, I was at first disappointed. Deep down, I wanted Transformers to be a great movie, an epic on the same scale as LOTR or Star Wars. The dumb plot, the classic Michael Bay cheese, the brazen product placement all offended my cinema sensibilities. But the movie did bring back old memories, and made me reflect on why I loved the transformers cartoons (G1) in the first place.
What was the cartoon like? It was a show for kids, and well, the plot and "acting" were accessories to the daily struggles of Autobots vs. Decepticons. It gets worse: The entire show was created so Hasbro could sell toys. Even the greatest moment in Transformer history, Optimus' death, was motivated by Hasbro's desire to sell a new toyline; It was one giant product placement. Toss artistic integrity out the window right there. So why do so many of us love Transformers? Simple: there is nothing cooler than giant transforming robots fighting evil. And that is exactly what Michael Bay gave us. Say what you want, but Bay is one of the finest directors of action sequences. All of the films flaws, all of them, where forgiven the moment Bumblebee transformed. I couldn't help but enjoy myself as I watched old friends fight familiar battles in stunning CG glory.
Thank you Michael Bay, for letting me relive the joy I once experienced as a kid.