The Transformers Movie

More then Meets the Eye

The Transformers: The Movie. is an animated feature film based on the popular animated television series The Transformers. It was released in North America on August 8, 1986, and in Japan on August 9, 1989 (although early promotional materials titled Transformers the Movie: Apocalypse! Matrix Forever [1] had promised a Summer 1987 Japanese release).

The film was directed by Nelson Shin, who produced the original Transformers television series, and features the voices of Eric Idle, Judd Nelson, Orson Welles (in his final role), Leonard Nimoy, Casey Kasem, Robert Stack, John Moschitta, Peter Cullen, and Frank Welker. It was also movie and TV legend Scatman Crothers' final role.

The story takes place 20 years subsequent to events of the TV series' second season and serves to bridge into the third season. Set to a hard-driving rock music soundtrack, the movie has a decidedly darker tone than the television series, with detailed visuals in Toei's typical animated feature film styling, and Decepticon villains are more menacing, killing without hesitation. The film features several grand battles in which a handful of major characters meet their end. The film’s tagline was: "Beyond Good. Beyond Evil. Beyond Your Wildest Imagination."
Unicron consumes a planet.

A preliminary scene taking place somewhere in the cosmos presents a space-roaming artificial planet called Unicron emerging from parts unknown, unstoppable in its path, grinding an entire doomed world (known as Lithone) to shrapnel within its terrifying maw to feed an unrelenting appetite for energy. Only one ship managed to escape.

Following the opening sequence, an omniscient narrator indicates the year is 2005, noting the evil Decepticons control the Transformers' homeworld of Cybertron. At a secret refuge on one of the planet's moons, the heroic Autobots ready themselves for an offensive strike against their Decepticon foes, preparing a supply shuttle for launch to Earth while keeping close correspondence with Bumblebee and their human friend, Spike, stationed on a second moon base. Their transmission is intercepted by the Decepticons, who soon move to brutally ambush the shuttle en route to Earth, killing its crew, Ironhide, Prowl, Brawn, and Ratchet, intending to use the ship to infiltrate Autobot City undetected.

The movie next introduces a number of new characters to the Transformers universe (see list below). On Earth, Spike's son, Daniel, and a spirited young Autobot named Hot Rod race to greet the homecoming craft, noticing its damaged exterior from afar and spotting Decepticons aboard prior to its landing. The Decepticon raiders descend for the attack as Autobot City transforms itself to defensive mode, but the outnumbered Autobots fare poorly against the swarming enemy, radioing for assistance from team leader Optimus Prime back at Cybertron's moon base even while the Constructicon giant, Devastator, effects his namesake by laying siege to much of the Autobot stronghold amid mounting casualties.

As dawn breaks over the ravaged city, Optimus Prime and the Dinobot cavalry arrive at last to successfully repel the Decepticon invaders. Optimus faces down Megatron in a final battle that leaves both combatants mortally wounded thanks to Hot Rod's interference. The expelled Decepticons retreat with Megatron and their other war-wounded loaded aboard Astrotrain for transport back to Cybertron.
The Matrix resonates in Hot Rod's hold before being passed to Ultra Magnus.
The Matrix resonates in Hot Rod's hold before being passed to Ultra Magnus.

Later, laying in critical condition in the company of saddened friends and sensing his imminent end, Optimus Prime calls on a trusted compatriot, Ultra Magnus, to assume the mantle of command as bestowed with the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, a metal-shelled radiating orb that Optimus extracts from the heart of his chassis before slipping coldly into death.

Elsewhere, shortage of fuel in the spacefaring Astrotrain prompts the Decepticons to eject the dead weight of their injured — including the protesting Megatron — leaving the remaining Decepticons to bicker among themselves for leadership.

Drifting aimlessly in the abyss of space, the battered Decepticon castoffs are met by the bellowing voice of Unicron, who makes Megatron an offer to repair their broken bodies on condition that they find Ultra Magnus and destroy the threat of the Matrix of Leadership. Forced into accepting, Megatron is remade as Galvatron, with his damaged underlings fashioned anew into Cyclonus, Scourge and a host of Sweeps. Unicron also provides them a craft with which they shortly return to Cybertron to rally the other Decepticons, and Galvatron puts a conclusive end to Starscream's untenable disloyalty.

The Autobots on Earth are alerted as Unicron consumes Cybertron's two moons — and Jazz, Cliffjumper, Bumblebee and Spike along with them. Galvatron is ordered to Earth, leading the Decepticons in another assault on the decimated Autobot City, where the beleaguered Autobots are split into two parties, fleeing for Cybertron aboard twin shuttles. Hot Rod, Kup and the Dinobots are shot down over the planet Quintessa, while Ultra Magnus and company use a decoy manoeuvre to evade their Decepticon pursuers, setting down on the planet of Junk for repairs.
Junkion foes are made friends when welcomed by the Universal Greeting.
Junkion foes are made friends when welcomed by the Universal Greeting.

Captured by Quintessa guardsmen, Hot Rod and Kup are subjected to a twisted trial by Quintesson executioners, rescued only by the arrival of the Dinobots, who shortly "convince" the Sharkticon guards to rebel against their Quintesson oppressors. With help from the Dinobots' new ally, Wheelie, the group locate a ship and depart for the planet of Junk.

Meanwhile, the Autobots sidelined on Junk are found out and hunted by Galvatron. Ultra Magnus tries to awaken the powers of the Matrix but fails, and is then blasted to pieces by Galvatron, who steals away with the Matrix. The remaining Autobots are harassed by hostile Junkion natives, led by Wreck-Gar, until Hot Rod's party touches down to befriend them. The new Junkion allies are able to restore Ultra Magnus to working order and volunteer a vessel to join the fight against Unicron.

With renewed defiance, Galvatron attempts to subjugate Unicron using the Matrix but discovers he is unable to activate its power. Unicron transforms into a planet-sized robot and swallows Galvatron whole before turning his attention violently to Cybertron. Decepticon defenders scramble to counter his wrath even as the Autobot team reaches the scene, crashing their ship through the giant's eye, soon finding themselves separated within the bowels of the world-devouring monster.

Inside, Daniel locates his father, Bumblebee, Clifjumper and Jazz, narrowly saving them from an acid digestion vat. Elsewhere, Hot Rod meets Galvatron in single combat: locked in Galvatron's stranglehold, Hot Rod manages to secure his grip on the Matrix, awakening its power to be reborn as Rodimus Prime, casting Galvatron into the cold reaches of space with ease and unleashing an energy tempest from within the Matrix that tears away at Unicron's mechanized innards. The Autobots race to escape as Unicron is destroyed in a climactic explosion.

Regrouping on Cybertron, the victorious Autobots declare the beginning of a new age of peace. Above, the decapitated head of Unicron swings into orbit to become the planet's ominous new satellite.

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