Transformers The Movie Review | Pandering To The American Military Nearly Ruined The Film
Wow, I went to see this film on Saturday evening, and was blown away. It’s the best film I’ve seen all year, and will probably stay that way. It wasn’t perfect however, and included massive amounts of one of my pet peeves… the American military getting all the credit.
First of all the film. I found it great, with perfect pacing, and a good amount of humour as well as all the action I wanted to see in a Transformers movie. Seeing those childhood cartoons and toys being brought to life like they were, was pretty amazing, and I turned to my girlfriend about half way through utterly speechless at the greatness of what I was seeing on screen.
I liked the way the film was very now, with references to Paypal, eBay, Satellite navigation etc all included. In 10 years this film will look very dated in this respect but for those of us going to the cinema to see it now, it helps connect you with the normal aspects of the plot… apart from the fact that there are huge robotic aliens which can transform in it obviously. I don’t think that’s real life yet.
The incarnations of all our favourite Transformers was altered perfectly, being recognisable but up to date at the same time. I laughed more than I thought I would, especially when the Transformers were hiding from Sam’s parents, which was an inspired and totally unexpected scene. The time flew by, and I didn’t want the film to end. Fortunately, I think the last scene and the success of this one will mean a Transformers 2 will very likely already be on the drawing board.
And so now on to what was wrong with it. Yes, the American military are very brave, full of young men willing to sacrifice themselves for their country, but do we really need such a surge of pro-American war machine in a family film?
I’ve seen it before, with the atrocious Tom Cruise version of War of the Worlds being the worst culprit. In that of course, the might of the military succeed in bringing down the aliens, rather than germs, which is what happens in the original story. I just don’t think this kind of pandering to Americans war efforts was necessary in such huge amounts in this film.
Is it because the American people need reassuring that their soldiers are the good guys while they’re away fighting a pointless war in Iraq? I just don’t get it. And of course, at the end, although Optimus Prime was capable of crushing the puny soldier with his toe, it took that hero soldier on a motorbike to kill one of the decepticons. Hmm ok yeah, if you say so.
A great film, and I’d recommend it to anyone and everyone. I’m off to see it again, and I rarely do that with films. Just be warned, there is some sentimental caressing of Americans heartstrings built in to the plot. See past that, and you’re good to go.
Transformers, Transformers The Movie, UK, Pop Culture, eBay, Paypal, Sat Nav, Optimus Prime, Transformers 2, Tom Cruise, War of the Worlds, America, American, Iraq
August 13th, 2007 at 4:40 pm
Woah there cowboy, the reason the military is played up the way it is… well just who the hell else has a gun big enough to blow up a robot? Or planes that can try to shoot robots down? Its a cheapy action film plot, of course the military guys are going to be the hands down good guys knights in shining armor. If they were jerks, it would be a little hard to cheer them on. I bet you anything that if this were a British film, the British soldiers would be treated just as well as they American soldiers were.
Also, the American military didn’t win in the War of the Worlds Tom Cruise version, it was still the germs. The military managed to take a few aliens down, but only when the aliens got sick were they really successful.
August 13th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
In the original War of the Worlds, the military had NO success with bringing any down, and it was solely the germs which saved humanity. That’s pretty much the point of the story, and HG Wells vision. The Tom Cruise version was still a bastardised version which showed the American military having some success.
Why did the Transformers movie have to have that sentimental claptrap about the soldier and his wife and kid at home? Are you telling me it’s not so that the American people feel better about a military which is fighting unjustified wars around the world?
I’ve got just as much problem with the British military being feted too Paul, but we tend not to make films like this.
August 13th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
First off - Woah! I agree with Paul that the US military are the only ones with enough force to come with some heavy weapons. But I thought the heros were more so the intelligent computer people. I guess you could have played it out as citizens against the Transformers, but that wouldn’t have given the hugeness to the movie. The transformers wouldn’t seem so strong. What do you think a reasonable, believable alternative would have been?
Also, I think most of Hollywood is against the war. I think you did have an interesting point about the American soldier away from home love story. But that’s not an American theme. What about the movie A very long engagement - I think that was French and soo good too.
August 21st, 2007 at 3:23 pm
“In the original War of the Worlds, the military had NO success with bringing any down, and it was solely the germs which saved humanity. That’s pretty much the point of the story, and HG Wells vision. The Tom Cruise version was still a bastardized version which showed the American military having some success.”
Dave, did you ever read the War of the Worlds novel? The HMS Thunder Child (ah hem British ship) took down at least one of the Martian landers, and I think it might have taken two. The newer film replicated that the military had some success, but ultimately lost.
“Why did the Transformers movie have to have that sentimental claptrap about the soldier and his wife and kid at home?”
Because it’s a crappy film that wanted to pull at cheap heartstrings. Why could they bring up that one guy in Aliens vs. Predator had a wife and kids back home? It’s a cheap way to get you to care about the characters. By seeing the wife worried, the filmmakers are hoping that you are worried too.