Transformers: One - New Animated Prequel coming September 20th, 2024 - New Toy Official Images!
- Thread starter Undead Scottsman
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I'd probably put 2007 at the top and Bumblebee either tied with it (both good, in different ways) or second. The former is still only partly held down by Bayhem as it's early days yet, and has a handful of indelible moments of spectacle that actually have weight. And it's a full cast on both sides. The latter's smaller scale makes it a great personal story, but it doesn't feel as fully "Autobots vs. Decepticons" for that reason.
TF One is a very solid movie, and generally the most "complete" one, but even then I don't know if I'd put it up against those. It doesn't have the impact or spectacle if 2007 or the emotional warmth of Bumblebee. But just on quality and avoiding crassness or slow moments i wouldn't disagree with higher rankings for it.
1986 wouldn't rank that high outside of a nostalgia boost, as narratively it's not really that good. After Autobot City it's seemingly random hijinks as the heroes just react to things until the Matrix magically fixes everything because we're out of time. Character growth, same thing. Looks and sounds amazing, though.
Then it's probably DOTM, and the rest are tied for last. After the massive letdown that ROTF was, the live-action movies became more useful as opportunities for Jablonsky to release more awesome music (one of the few bright spots from say AOE) and as a junkyard from which to cherry-pick lore bits and characters to repurpose.
TF One is a very solid movie, and generally the most "complete" one, but even then I don't know if I'd put it up against those. It doesn't have the impact or spectacle if 2007 or the emotional warmth of Bumblebee. But just on quality and avoiding crassness or slow moments i wouldn't disagree with higher rankings for it.
1986 wouldn't rank that high outside of a nostalgia boost, as narratively it's not really that good. After Autobot City it's seemingly random hijinks as the heroes just react to things until the Matrix magically fixes everything because we're out of time. Character growth, same thing. Looks and sounds amazing, though.
Then it's probably DOTM, and the rest are tied for last. After the massive letdown that ROTF was, the live-action movies became more useful as opportunities for Jablonsky to release more awesome music (one of the few bright spots from say AOE) and as a junkyard from which to cherry-pick lore bits and characters to repurpose.
The problems I have with the first movie:
1. The Transformers aren't characters. Bumblebee is limited by the radio gimmick, the Autobots are basically two dimensional and the Decepticons aren't even that.
2. Way too juvenile: Bumblebee pissing on a dude, the "Sam's happy time" conversation and WHY is the camera leering at this underage girl? (Thank god the actress was at least an adult)
3. I know the way Simmons acts was apparently based on Michael Bay, but the dude just feels like he's from a different film entirely and just messes with the flow of the movie at every step.
4. Too. Many. Characters. The entire hacker subplot could be excised from the movie and it'd be better for it. Same with Sam's weirdo friend who is SUCH an unnecessary character that they have Sam literally abandon him.
Those things hold the film back from any "best of" list in my opinion.
The movie is fine and I enjoyed it at the time, but even then I had a lot of issues with it.
The problem is RotF came out and doubled down on so many of those problems that it made the first movie look even better.
EDIT: Also, I'm just going to say it. Shia LeBeouf/Sam is not good in these films. He's better than Walberg by a mile, but what a actor and character to focus most of your time on. Yikes.
1. The Transformers aren't characters. Bumblebee is limited by the radio gimmick, the Autobots are basically two dimensional and the Decepticons aren't even that.
2. Way too juvenile: Bumblebee pissing on a dude, the "Sam's happy time" conversation and WHY is the camera leering at this underage girl? (Thank god the actress was at least an adult)
3. I know the way Simmons acts was apparently based on Michael Bay, but the dude just feels like he's from a different film entirely and just messes with the flow of the movie at every step.
4. Too. Many. Characters. The entire hacker subplot could be excised from the movie and it'd be better for it. Same with Sam's weirdo friend who is SUCH an unnecessary character that they have Sam literally abandon him.
Those things hold the film back from any "best of" list in my opinion.
The movie is fine and I enjoyed it at the time, but even then I had a lot of issues with it.
The problem is RotF came out and doubled down on so many of those problems that it made the first movie look even better.
EDIT: Also, I'm just going to say it. Shia LeBeouf/Sam is not good in these films. He's better than Walberg by a mile, but what a actor and character to focus most of your time on. Yikes.
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