Transformers: The Movie(1986)

*SPOILER ALERT*(For people who actually haven't seen this movie yet(for shame).)

Transformers.  What else really needs to be said?  Instead of putting up a trailer as I usually do, I decided to show the first 5 minutes of the original Transformers animated movie from 1986.  Why?  Because the first 5 minutes of the film introduce you to one of the most amazing villains ever to menace the galaxy.  I grew up watching Transformers as a kid, and we had some of the toys, which the show was based on.  But the Transformers became more than just toys and TV shows.  It became a pop culture phenomenon.  Kids all around the world knew what the Transformers were.  It had awesome characters like Optimus Prime, Megatron, Starscream, Ironhide, Ratchet, and some of my personal favorites: The Dinobots.  A movie was released in 1986 as a bridge between seasons two and three.  Oh, what an impression it made.

In the year 2005, the Autobots are continuing their long struggle against the oppressive Decepticons who have conquered Cybertron, the Autobots home planet.  But the leader of the Decepticons, Megatron, gets word of the Autobots' plans to go to earth to get more energon, the Transformers' main energy source.  The ship is intercepted and Megatron plans to infiltrate earth's warning systems and attempt to destroy Autobot City.  As soon as the city is under attack, the Autobots send a distress signal to Optimus Prime(Peter Cullen) who shows up in the nick of time to save the day.  He does so, but at a very high cost.  In his battle with Megatron(Frank Welker), Prime is mortally wounded and eventually dies, but not before relinquishing the Matrix of Leadership to his second-in-command: Ultra Magnus(Robert Stack).  Megatron is also gravely wounded but is abandoned by HIS minion, Starscream.  Soon, Megatron is discovered by a monstrous planet devouring.....planet, Unicron(Orson Welles).  Unicron gives Megatron new life as Galvatron(Leonard Nimoy)and is tasked with destroying the Matrix of Leadership.

Here's something funny for you: This movie takes place NINE years ago.  Where was I when all this was taking place?  I don't remember laser guns or giant talking machines that could turn into cars.  In all seriousness, though, this movie is an absolute blast.  At nearly 30 years old, it definitely stands the test of time, unlike some other animated movies based on cartoons.  Why?  Giant robots that could turn into vehicles or guns and stuff like that, that's why.  You had some of the most iconic characters ever.  Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots could turn into a big rig.  Bumble-bee turned into a Voltswagen Beetle, while Ironhide became....a minivan.  Megatron could change into a hand gun, while Starscream could soar as a jet.  It was amazing stuff to witness as a kid.  There was fantastic animation and incredible action.  That was the just the series.  The movie took it to a whole different level.  Oddly enough, this movie wasn't without it's controversy when it was released.  The filmmakers had the audacity to kill off several of the main characters including the beloved Optimus Prime.  That particular one pissed a lot of people off, mainly the parents of children who nearly inconsolable after witnessing the death of their hero.  Very understandable, Optimus Prime became something the kids could look up to as a hero.  Parents literally complained to the filmmakers about the whole thing, and the guys who made the movie were genuinely taken aback at the backlash.  Here's the thing, though.  It was a risky decision and probably a business decision too.  Mattel wanted to sell new toys, so they had a hand in making some changes.  Story-wise, this film took a pretty a dark turn, especially when it introduced the main villain of the story, Unicron.  This is a creature that munched on planets for energy and was generally not a nice guy.  But it definitely had an impact on how the Autobots responded to the situation.  So, not only did they have to deal with the Decepticons, they had a planet-sized menace to fight.  It was a very solid story and while it was darker than the series, it still had that sense of wonder and adventure throughout.

The film introduced many new characters to the franchise: Blur played by John Moschitta, abd Ultra Magnus who was voiced by Unsolved Mysteries host: Robert Stack.  The reborn leader of the Decepticons was played by legendary Star Trek actor, Leonard Nimoy in one of his most recognized roles.  Susan Blu played the first female Transformer, Arcee.  But perhaps the biggest casting surprise was the legendary Orson Welles as Unicron.  The man's voice really gave Unicron a very frightening tone and behavior the likes of which we hadn't seen since Darth Vader.  Sadly, Welles died before Transformers was released, but after he had completed his work, so he didn't get to see the fruits of his labor.  Each of the robots in the film had their own unique personality and quirks that made them unique.  Hot Rod, played by Judd Nelson, was an impulsive and risk-taking new Autobot who had the potential to become something greater.  Kup, an elderly, but experienced Autobot was voiced by Lionel Stander.  Each of these characters were given their moment to shine and they shined brightly.

One of the most unique aspects of this film was its soundtrack.  It was decided to give Transformers a hard-rock soundtrack so it would energize the picture.  Boy, did it ever.  Besides the awesome score by Vince DiCola, we got a bad-ass soundtrack that included Stan Bush, Spectre General, N.R.G, and some music from Weird Al Yankovic.  Music can be extremely important in a film, but with Transformers it really elevated the entire project.  Here's a music video from Stan Bush(Warning: Extremely Cheesy):


Michael Bay: THIS is how you make a Transformers movie.  Make it about Transformers.  Yeah, the new movies have great whiz-bang special effects, but they lack heart.  All the effort was put into making the machines look awesome(which they do), but the story and the characters just don't match up with the rest of it.  The 1986 film is easily the best of the bunch.  If there are any downsides to the film, it's that they killed Optimus Prime.  It was definitely a brave decision, but....it's OPTIMUS PRIME, dammit!  So, yeah: Transformers The Movie is easily the best Transformers film ever.  Anyone who says otherwise, hasn't seen this one.  10/10 is what I'm giving this one.  This is a must-own for any fan of Transformers, young or old.  It holds up nearly 30 years after its release.  Take it away Optimus: