DVD Review: Transformers

by Erik Davis Oct 16th 2007 // 9:02AM

Filed under: Action, Sci-Fi & Fantasy, Paramount, DVD Reviews, Fandom, Dreamworks, Home Entertainment, Comic/Superhero/Geek

That, right there, is probably the only reason why some will head out to purchase the brand new Transformers DVD today. Megan Fox. I've seen a lot of films in which the young, teenage geek saves the day and, in turn, wins over the cute girl. However, Megan Fox isn't just cute -- she's every teenager's wet dream. She is what the girl next door looks like in 2007, and she is what makes Transformers so damn delicious. Of course, throw in some giant f**king robots to spice up the sexual tension, and you have the recipe for one of this year's highest grossing films. There's not much I can write here that you don't already know: Transformers was HUGE. If you could look up "Summer Popcorn Fluff" in the dictionary, that picture of Megan Fox would rest alongside the definition; a definition that would simply read: "See: Michael Bay."

I couldn't think of a man better suited to bring a live-action Transformers to the big screen than Michael Bay. When he was born, his first words were probably, "Why the f*ck am I so small?! Make me bigger! Make me larger! And give me a semi-automatic weapon so I can blast the f*ck out of that guy in the white coat!" Whereas other directors may have opted to hide the robots in dark corners, whilst giving them lines like, "You think I'm big -- well take a look at George Bush's bank account!," Bay dumbed his film wayyy down, took some "aww, shucks" cues from producer Steven Spielberg and served us a film everyone can enjoy on different levels. If you were a big fan of the Transformers toy line growing up, then it was nice to see those badass boys back in action. If you were a fan of explosive, over-the-top fight sequences, then this was an all-you-can-eat buffet of them. And, if you were simply a fan of hot girls in skimpy attire, then let me introduce you to Megan Fox. She's foxy .. and she likes long walks on the beach, french vanilla ice cream and guys that play with big toys.


Plot? Who the f*ck needs a plot? This is Transformers baby! The good robots are named the Autobots, the bad robots are named the Decepticons, and both arrive on earth in search of something called the Allspark, a mystical square object that grants ultimate powers to whomever possesses it. Long ago, there was a great battle, and the Allspark was lost in space. However, when Megatron (the evil, unstoppable leader of the Decepticons) went in search of it, he wound up buried deep in the Arctic Ocean, on the planet earth, where the Allspark eventually lay buried and where Megatron stayed frozen for years. That was until Captain Archibald Witwicky found him, and carted him off to wherever. Ah, but Megatron managed to engrave a map to the Allspark on Witwicky's glasses which -- a century later -- wound up in the hands of his dorky great great grandson Sam (Shia LaBeouf), who intends to sell the glasses on eBay, along with his great great grandfather's other belongings. After Sam purchases his first car and learns that it's the Autobot Bumblebee, he soon realizes that he's part of something massive. And when he learns that other Decepticons have arrived on earth in search of their fearless leader and the Allspark, Sam will need Bumblebee to protect him (and the hot chick tagging along) if they both want to survive.

But you know the movie, you've probably seen it already, so let's get to the DVD. There's a lot of juicy stuff to devour in this two-disc special edition. The first disc features the film, in Dolby surround 5.1, and a commentary track from Michael Bay. We can toss out Bay jokes all day long, but when you get right down to it the guy is damn fascinating. Watching him operate and listening to him talk was more fun that the movie itself (so sue me -- I get a major kick out of his wild, in-your-face antics), and the commentary is worth a listen. On the second disk, we get a lot more of Bay: There's Bay in the desert, Bay in Los Angeles, Bay at the Hoover Dam, Bay in lots, Bay on sets, Bay in your face. And each and everytime we see Bay, the guy is more amped up than you or I will ever be. Among the stuff featured on disc 2 are two fairly long behind-the-scenes featurettes; one focuses more on shooting (alongside interviews with Steven Spielberg, writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman, Michael Bay, Shia LeBeouf and, yes, even Megan Fox gets her own little piece), while the other focuses on the robots (the more entertaining of the two, in my opinion). Then you have an entire feature on the desert attack scene, and some trailers. I would've liked to see a few deleted scenes, which they tease throughout the featurettes, but never get around to. Bogus, in my opinion, and makes me think there'll be an Ultimate Transformers DVD set arriving next year.

The film looks pretty spectacular, and the surround sound came bursting out of my speakers. I must say I did enjoy Transformers more on this, my second look. There's something to be said for seeing the film first in a packed theater, but I tend to enjoy things more in the comfort of my own living room. For those that experienced Transformers in a crowded theater the first go-round, and didn't like it, give it another chance on DVD. The plot's still cheesy as all hell, but it makes for a good night-time watch. Put the kids to sleep, throw on a little microwave popcorn, shut off all the lights and pump that player up to its highest levels. This puppy screams. Granted, it's not the most intellectual, and it's not the cleanest scream, but it packs some serious punch and it'll keep you plugged in for two hours ... no doubt.

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