The Transformers: The Movie

**A film that only interests those who know the animated series, but which marks the end of Orson Welles' work.**

I saw this film by mere chance. Later, I was surprised to see how well regarded and highly rated it is. It is based on “Transformers”, an animated series for children and teenagers that was quite successful in the 80s and 90s, but which I have to confess I never saw. Recently, Marvel invested millions in live-action films and revived this universe. I haven't seen them in full yet, but this is where I get to know the characters better. What did I expect from this movie? A bit of easy entertainment, assuming the movie would at least do the work of better introducing the characters and story. That's not what I found.

In fact, this is an “inward-facing” film, that is, it is aimed almost exclusively at an audience that already knows the animated series and the characters. Therefore, there are no explanations or introductions, anyone who wants to understand something should go and see the series. Three points down, I thought: I don't feel obligated to watch the series to understand the movie, I can just watch something else and send this movie to the trash can, where it belongs.

Despite everything, I saw the film, and after reading a little about the animated series on the Internet, I understood that the film kills a lot of characters that, until then, were central to the plot, and that the film was released between two seasons, introducing characters who would play a relevant role later. Not being an expert, I wonder to what extent the film was not a kind of publicity move, either for the new season or for the merchandising that is usually associated with this type of television material.

I won't waste my time describing the script, which involves a giant robot that devours planets and the war between the Decepticons and the Autobots, robotic races of alien origin that fight each other. What I can say is that, in addition to being an uninteresting film that will not captivate those who don't know the series, it has a very confusing and far-fetched plot.

The graphics and animations have that kind of quality you find in a lot of animated material from the late 80's, and it made me think about possible influences of Japanese and Korean "anime" on American production. Moreover, just a word to salute the effort that Orson Welles must have made to give voice to one of the creatures, at a stage when he was practically at death's door. The distinguished actor would die days after having recorded the material that was used in this film.

"Unicron" is determined to get hold of the matrix of leadership so it can fulfill a desire for galactic domination. What's stopping it are the "Autobots" and their boss "Optimus Prime" who are in constant conflict with the evil "Decepticons" and their leader "Megatron". After a battle sees the latter come off worst - but only just - "Megatron" finds itself in need of some urgent maintenance and that's where "Unicron" comes in: find and destroy the matrix and the rewards will be unlimited. Now newly empowered, it looks like the Autobots have their work cut out for them, and with "Optimus" now less prime machine and more prime cut, it falls to "Ultra Magnus" to fight a courageous rearguard action against the odds and hopefully thwart "Unicron" before it's too late... Ok, so time hasn't been very kind to this. The two-dimensional animations; the episodic development of the plot - complete with regular fades to back - and the often repeated faux-rock score that's a sort of Bon Jovi meets Queen hybrid don't really do it many favours either - especially as it isn't always that clear who is who as the combat increases and the wreckage mounts up. That said, though, this is still one of those more genuine cult films that built on something many adored in the 1980s and it tried to act as a bridge between the television series' and the next step for this, admittedly very lucrative at the time, toy selling franchise. Quite surprisingly, it also boasts a fairly formidable cast list behind the drawings - and to have coaxed Orson Welles and Leonard Nimoy into the voice-over booth is quite an achievement for Nelson Shin and his imaginative production crew - particularly as the quality of the dialogue is limited. I was already too old when this was on telly, so am probably not of a loyal enough demographic to see it through the necessary rose-tinted glasses to fully appreciate this film, but it's not terrible - just a bit repetitious, cheap and cheerful.

The Transformers: The Movie is simultaneously an unabashed feature-length toy commercial and a surprisingly ambitious, occasionally brutal piece of 1980s animation. Nelson Shin wastes little time raising the stakes, delivering major character deaths, planetary destruction, and a genuine sense that nobody is particularly safe. The breakneck pacing can make the story feel more like a succession of spectacular set pieces than a fully developed narrative, but there is rarely a dull moment.

The animation remains vibrant and wonderfully expressive, while the voice cast is absurdly impressive: Peter Cullen gives Optimus Prime tremendous dignity, Leonard Nimoy makes Galvatron appropriately menacing, and Orson Welles lends Unicron an enormous, almost mythological presence. Then there is the gloriously excessive rock-and-synth soundtrack, which could scarcely be more 1986 if it tried.

Messy, loud, shamelessly commercial, and undeniably entertaining. What was designed to sell another generation of toys somehow became a strangely emotional piece of Transformers history.