I admit it. I bought the Comics and the toys, and watched every episode of the original animated series, and saw the original animated movie three times in the theater. I even dusted off and waxed my original Optimus Prime Transformer figure and proudly placed it on the corner of my desk just before leaving for the 10:00 AM showing of this movie. I figured I should get there before all the little rug rats who are now on summer vacation were even awake, yet I still had to fight for seats.  After a 30 second fistfight with a couple of eight year olds (I won), I was able to sit down with a heart attack inducing box of popcorn and a liver killing seven-litre pop to await my childhood heroes first appearance in live action!

We start this one in the Middle East and director Michael Bay gets you real passionate about the film in the first five minutes by watching BLACKOUT change from a military helicopter into a real nasty robot that single-handedly destroys entire American air base – in very cool fashion I might add.  The timing in this movie is a bang on!  There is the exact amount of screen-time required to engage in character development between the action sequences, and when we finally get to the action sequences they never disappoint!  The introduction of the Autobots to our main character Sam Witwicky came at just the right time in the story line, and was done with finesse. The audience even clapped when Optimus Prime spoke for the first time, and we discovered that Peter Cullen of good ol’ Montreal was still the voice of this remarkable character after twenty years of voicing him in the cartoons.  That moment made me remember all of my childhood click-clacking of plastic Transformers in my mother’s garden. Well done boys!

All of the robots in this movie look absolutely stellar.  The transformation scenes of those very same robots is every bit as impressive as any special effect that dazzled you from Star Wars Episode III. They even used the sound effects from the old cartoon when the robots change to and from their vehicle disguises. I can’t imagine a better way to keep all fans of Transformers happy.

If you are expecting this film to follow the original comic book series from more than twenty years ago you are going to be disappointed. The old tale of the transformers crashing on earth prior to the dinosaurs really made no sense to try to recreate now.  With modern filming techniques and a modern special effects being as high quality as they are, wasting time showing a spaceship sitting dormant on the surface of the earth for 4 million years would have done this film a great injustice.  The alterations that were made to the story line are perfect as far as this writer is concerned.  My only complaints about this film are the blatant advertising for Ebay and General Motors.  Yes, the new Camero looks hot, but of course I had to giggle when the car pulls up to the camera and the only thing I see is the GM logo, and the GMC logo that makes its way to the other Autobots’ grill plates. Ah well, I know for fact I would do the same thing as a film producer.  Hey, what’s wrong with a little palm greasing anyway?