Transformers means a lot to me. I can’t help but feel the need to point this out. Below is the original Mach 5 car from the Speed Racer cartoon.
And here is the Mach5 From the live action Speed Racer movie that just came out.
There is almost no difference between the two.
Now please look at this. Below is an image of Optimus Prime from the Transformers cartoon show.
And here is Optimus Prime from the live action Transformers movie.
Now, what the hell happened? How can one movie try so hard to preserve the original aesthetics of what made the show so great, and another movie go out of its way to visually rape their fans of what they have known and loved for so many years. What the hell went through the mind of director Micheal Bay when he was mangling the characters of Transformers?
To quote Kevin Smith.
In Hollywood you just fail upwards
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And yet, Speed Racer (which I absolutely loved) is considered an excessive, overblown flop while Transformers (which I reluctantly accepted) just about blew everything out of the water this time last year. Go figure.
I thought they did a decent job on the Transformers movie and like Robert says the new Speed Racers has been said to be horrible.
Sometimes you have to change the characters a bit to bring new life to the series.
Robert and Ditech, As an action movie they did just fine. As a transformers movie they missed the mark. They have messed up a great mythology and great story. Its very disappointing in that respects.
I do hope that with these Transformers movies an awareness is being made. One that will make people look into the origins of the Transformers story and their universe. Maybe in the future will get someone to make a Transformers movie that is more inline with the mythology. Much like what has happened with Batman, Superman, and even the Ninja Turtles.
I think you are takeing it to seriuosly! it a movie! the transformers are not real! its a great movie! and it was a great cartoon! thats it! who cares about the story! there trnsformers!
i didnt see anything wrong with the transformers movie, (speed racer did suck)as for mangling the characters, naw i think they did a dang good job. atleast they used a peterbilt and not a freigtliner.
I am guessing that the reason you didn’t see anything wrong with the Transformers movie that Micheal Bay made, is because you where not a fan.
As for the Speed Racer movie, I did not see it. I was just pointing out how one team of people could make a movie and not screw up the look and the feel of the vehicles (Speed Racer), and in another movie, can change them to the point where they are not even recognizable from the originals (Transformers).
I am glad you think they did a good job. I am glad you enjoyed the movie I hated. Because in the long run, you and millions of others will look more and more into Transformers mythology and learn about the history, and the original story line, and see how truly messed up Micheal Bay’s vision for the Transformers really is. Hopefully this will cause someone in the future to reboot Transformers movie franchise correctly. Telling the story how it should have been told. Not messing up the vehicles and changes character names.
The Transformers movie had everything in it to make money, bombs, boobs and giant robots. But it had absolutely nothing that makes a good movie (except John Turtutto and the guy who played Aaron in 24) Kick ass pixelization and Megan Fox may be wonderful eye candy but mean nothing as far as story or plot or even sticking to a fanbase. Explosions don’t make an action movie, Michael Bay.
On the other hand, Speedracer flopped like all other great art in its time. It was brilliant, colorful, loud audacious and inventive but stuck tight to the original and invented new ways to bring it into the 21 century. For those who haven’t seen it, see it soon. I had to rent it because it didn’t even stay in the theaters very long but its a DVD on my “To Buy” list. Hollywood sucks. Only Michael Bay knows how it works and makes money so they let him make crap. Speedracer was just a brilliant piece of fun
I think that was a good move not only because of the above comments that suggest “it makes money” but also because it shows the true character of prime. Optimus prime is a great charismatic leader who is supposed to instill terror in the hearts of decepticons. When I imagine that cartoon version translated on the big screen, I see giant lego-style boxes alongside humans. Hardly terrifying. Hardly charismatic.
What you are saying about Transformers, is exactly what hard-core fans of Batman comics said about Dark Knight series. Yet, Dark Knight not only made money, but gave us all a more realistic and three dimensional Batman to idealize. I bet there were some crazy fans who even suggested that Dark Knight should have had those signature cartoonish “Pow!” and “Kaboom!” moments.
I am a huge fan of transformers, and as a fan I should tell you that I liked Optimus originally because of what he stood for, not the red boxes he was composed of. The movie version very accurately recreated the character for me and I’ve found new appreciation for one of the greatest leaders in the comic universe. If you can’t understand that, then I doubt you understood the cartoons.
I understand what your saying very clearly. Like I have said before, I hope all these kids who enjoy the movie will go back and learn about the mythology from the Transformers. With a little luck one of them will make it in the movie biz and create a new Transformers movie that is not an embarrassment to fans.
I don’t wan to take anything away from people who saw the movie and loved. But when you ask me my thoughts your going to get a hear full.
Are you guys going nuts?
How can you show a movie just like the cartoon? Just imagine an extremely big tractor beeing transformed into optimus prime just like the cartoon? It would be a lot of Boxes with limited moviments. Is there other better way as Michael Bay did to turn them into completely aliens? They are Living organism, they transform eletrical things to life! And they wouldn’t be able to show that through the cartoon pictures! It would SUX! It’s the same as geting a couple of boxes, puting together, gibing a name and it would be just like Anime Festivals where the cosplays can make theyr own fantasy! Transformers cartoon is primitive, made success and i love it, but it is! They are not like Gundam Wing is, a Robot drived by Humans! As i said before, they are another race, they evolve, transform and change! It’s totally different from become 6 blocks together talking and walking!
You guys are thinking litle and limited!
The Movie is just awsome!
In my opinion, the Mach 5 rendition on Speed Racer looked really off to me. similar i guess, but I have two models of both cars and i still think the older one looks way better. as for Optimus, at least when he transformed he still looked sort of look G1, but Take Iron Hide, he’s Black now, not red. or Ratchet who used to be white. jazz used to be a race car, not some wimpy little Solctice. I do think however that the movie could have definitely been done G1 style. Check out this link. this guy did an amazing job showing which style of Optimus is truly superior. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ay1KVPcv-Ok&feature=related
Saying he still looked sort of look G1 works if you close your eyes and are only listening to the voice. They gave him fucking lips for Christ sakes! The whole fucking movie has been a travesty. Both of them (so far) have been an insult to fans.
As I have always said. Like them if you want. I just hope that this brings some attention to the G1 version of the franchises and that when some director down the road redoes Transformers, perhaps they will stay faithful to the source material.
I have looked at the comparrison photos of modern day Optimus. Yeah, he looks nothing like the old one, but, tell me, where the hell are you going to find a complete cab-over Peterbilt? Plus, have you considered that maybe, just maybe Optimus will get the trailer in the third movie? I mean come on, i know it, you know it, the world knows it, they are coming out with a third movie.
Nick,
They still make flat nosed trucks. I find that hardly a reason to excuse Micheal Bay and his bastardization of the Transformers.
Optimus Prime getting a trailer in the 3rd movie (something he should have had in the first movie) does not makeup for the last two movies.
The facts are Micheal Bay had a wonderful mythology to pull from. instead he shit canned the whole history to make a movie that was more his ideas then the original writers who came up with Transformers.
You know, in the last year I personally went around to walmart, Target and Hot-topic and I asked their employees if they sold more new transformers merchandise (toys, cloths, etc) or G1 merchandise. Every single person I spoke with said hands down they sell more G1 Transformers related merchandise then they do the new Transformers. It makes you think.
I read your comparison of Optimus prime..and as nick menioned the word MODERN in his comment it stood out to me. There is differences because times have changed you can’t expect everything to be exact if they were to make the exact story line it would still be different due to animation changing. As a fan of transformers i have to say the live action Optimus Prime to me looks cooler. I clearly am a younger generation then you and the target audience is probably more to my age then yours.
This is MY opinion.
If a 3rd one comes out i suggest you don’t watch it!
Kim,
I didn’t pay to see the second movie. My friends payed for it to have me go so I could explain to them what was wrong with it. I don’t know if they will do that for the third movie. But I don’t plan to go.
I will say it again. There is nothing wrong with you liking the new movies because it puts focus on the original mythology. It’s my hope that if you truly are interested in transformers you will go back and read some of these old stories and watch some of the old cartoons and see how much Micheal Bay just bastardized the Transformers.
Maybe in a few years someone will come around and remake the film the way it should have been made. I just hope I live long enough.
I have been a Transformers fan for a long time. I loved the original character of Optimus Prime, but you have to realize what the original would do in a live action movie. The cartoon shape would constrict the movement of the character on screen and for marketing purposes (for those people who spent millions on the movies) the original would have killed sales. The movie was directed toward older and younger generations. They preserved the wisdom and personality of Optimus but changed the appearance to also please younger generations. I respect your point of view, but you must also look at it from their point of view. Also remember they gave them the ability to update their appearance in the first movie, so what’s to say they weren’t implying he did also to not stand out like a sore thumb?
We just don’t agree on these view points.
Ok lets be real here folks this is hollywood first and formost, so something being exactly like the orginal is like askin god to physically show u and break bread at ur wedding, lets be real. And dont get it twisted im a purisest in every way; all the x-men, hated it, all spider-mans, hated it, the last air bender, wanted to shoot myself in my popcorn! the twilight series (my girl made me go) fuckin hated it!!!!
we as viewers have a power and unless we move in force to get them to be true to the “blueprints” than we cant say squat….nuff said
its called evolution i hated optimus when i first seen him but now he is awesome as
“At its heart, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is a movie that makes no sense about a bunch of asshole robots and their asshole friend.”
Read More: http://www.comicsalliance.com/2011/07/06/transformers-3-review/#ixzz1RLJpcwEA