Transformers Extra Minutes = bogus/ Highly detailed Imax Robots = awesome

[Rezzo]

Movie Review: Transformers IMAX

In a summer of threequels and big budget tentpoles, Transformers was probably my favorite movie of the bunch (blockbuster tentpoles). And now the film is being rereleased on the IMAX screen with a few more minutes of footage, and a hell of a lot more screen space. For the most part, the IMAX version is not much different from the theatrical release from July. The extra added footage is also human centered. There is no new footage of big robots to be found.

I was able to count 6 extended sequences in the film which includes:

* An extra segment where Sam arrives with his new car at his friend Mile’s house before they go cruising for the lake party.
* The police show Sam the “This is your brain on drugs” advertisement before letting him leave the police station with his father.
* John Turturro’s character submits Sam to a eye lie detection test in the car before Optimus shows up.
* There is a short but funny exchange about Area 51 before they enter the Hoover Dam.
* There is a briefly added introduction to the Allspark sequence.
* Lennox is shown pleading with the owner of a pawn shop to give him some short-wave radios.

As you can see, there isn’t much of added value content in this IMAX extended edition. That’s not to say it isn’t worth watching, especially if you haven’t seen the film yet. Transformers is without a doubt a movie you MUST SEE on the big screen. And there is no screen bigger than the IMAX screen. I also found the film’s climax fight sequence to be a lot easier to understand, where I was quite confused by all the action during the theatrical screening. I’m not sure if this is a result of the excess screen space, or if the IMAX print was re-mastered for ultimate clarity.

Yea it´s definitely a good thing that I didn´t waste my money on this crap

 

[tviceman]

Yes, but the movie made $600+ Million, so they could have easily have used that money to finish off some unfinished scenes.

So you think they'd call back all the actors, camera crews, and recreate set pieces for the sake of "finishing off" a scene? And then, when they were done, they'd have ILM animate more robot footage? That would be equal to making a $50 million dollar charity donation to men with breasts.

 

[Prognosticator]

The imax TF sounds underwhelming. i may not make it out to see it now.

 

[SpideyZERO]

One word

LAME

 

[Bumblebee1983]

Here's what I don't understand:

Did they (Bay, the print guys) go back and put this on another print for IMAX? I went to see it in IMAX the first time, but it wasn't on the correct print to have it in the IMAX format. It's a bigger film print or something like that.

So are there two formats of this movie: regular and IMAX?

If so, put the IMAX version on HD!!

I'd be interested to see any other thoughts on this.

 

[TheShadowCat]

Ok, I saw it on IMAX this morning (barely made it back in time to pick up my kid from Kindergarten, but I did make it). If you are planning on only see this for the 2 minutes of extra footage, don't. Go to see it because you want bigger than life, in your face alien robots. That's the reason I went and I wasn't disappointed.

Someone listed a bunch of scenes that were added back in and I can tell you that most of them aren't there. What is there is

Spoiler

- Sam picking up Miles from his house and Miles commenting on the fact that the car is yellow,

- the scene in the SUV after the Sector 7 guys pick up Sam and Mikaela (before Optimus stops them) is much longer,

- and the scene where they're on their way to view Megatron for the first time has 3 lines added.

Like others, I wasn't impressed with the new stuff they added, but man, to see Optimus Prime at his full hight is well worth the drive and the $14 for admission.

>^..^<

 

[fallenAngel]

Here's what I don't understand:

Did they (Bay, the print guys) go back and put this on another print for IMAX? I went to see it in IMAX the first time, but it wasn't on the correct print to have it in the IMAX format. It's a bigger film print or something like that.

So are there two formats of this movie: regular and IMAX?

If so, put the IMAX version on HD!!

I'd be interested to see any other thoughts on this.

Well when it first came out at the theater I work at we put a regular print in the IMAX and advertised it as the 'GIANT SCREEN' and basically conned a bunch of people into buying a crappy quality version of the movie for more money.

And this was mainly because Spider Man 3 had been playing for two months by that point and we didn't have an actual IMAX movie to replace it with until Harry Potter. Don't ask me, I thought it was stupid.

 

[TNC9852002]

I'm still on the fence on if I want to go catch it at the IMAX...

It's just that I've put myself on a budget right now.

It all depends on if I get a callback from an interview I had a week ago..

-TNC

 

[Bumblebee1983]

Well when it first came out at the theater I work at we put a regular print in the IMAX and advertised it as the 'GIANT SCREEN' and basically conned a bunch of people into buying a crappy quality version of the movie for more money.

And this was mainly because Spider Man 3 had been playing for two months by that point and we didn't have an actual IMAX movie to replace it with until Harry Potter. Don't ask me, I thought it was stupid.

Yup. That's exactly what I saw: on the giant IMAX screen, but not in the IMAX format (meaning no big sound system, no big graphics, etc.) It didn't take up the entire screen and was somewhat stretched and distorted.

Yes, I agree fallenangel, that was STUPID.

I saw 300 on IMAX and that was incredible.

However, I would love to see giant robot action on the IMAX screen....sooo maybe.....next weekend, if it's still in IMAX...

 

[TheShadowCat]

Forgot a few scenes because they were so forgetable.

Spoiler

- The scene in the police station is extended,

- Simmons giving a little speach before they see the All Spark for the first time,

- Lennox talking to a reluctant pawn shop owner to get the walkie talkies.

>^..^<

 

[Bumblebee1983]

Forgot a few scenes because they were so forgetable.

Spoiler

- The scene in the police station is extended,

- Simmons giving a little speach before they see the All Spark for the first time,

- Lennox talking to a reluctant pawn shop owner to get the walkie talkies.

>^..^<

I'm going for the fight scenes...IN IMAX FORMAT!!

So, how long's it going to be in IMAX? I'm hoping I can go tomorrow, finally persuaded fiance to see it in IMAX format.

 

[TheShadowCat]

I'm going for the fight scenes...IN IMAX FORMAT!!

So, how long's it going to be in IMAX? I'm hoping I can go tomorrow, finally persuaded fiance to see it in IMAX format.

The movie's only 2 minutes longer in IMAX, but the fights are in your face and seeing the robots that big is definately worth the money.

>^..^<

 

[Killing Joke926]

Killing Joke926 want more Starscream and Megatron.

 

[Dr Lee]

So... they still kept out the Fig death sequence on the flight back to the US.....

Maybe they did a Barricade with him and removed his death cuz they want him in TF2?

What was the pawnshop bit like? if you read the leaked script b4 the movie was it anything like that?

 

[Bumblebee1983]

The movie's only 2 minutes longer in IMAX, but the fights are in your face and seeing the robots that big is definately worth the money.

>^..^<

Yup. That's why I'm going. The in-your-face effects.

Got my tickets for tomorrow!!! WHAHOOO!!!! 12:30 showing!!!!
Gotta love Fandango...

 

[sauronthegreat]

Maybe they did a Barricade with him and removed his death cuz they want him in TF2?

You think Transformers 2 will be without Megatron?
I think they will find a way to return all of them. And I still have hope that we can expect a real extended edition for the dvd, just before Transformers 2.

 

[Chris B]

I saw it on Friday, and while the extra footage may've not been much, it was still nice to see the film in the IMAX format.

 

[TheShadowCat]

You think Transformers 2 will be without Megatron?

What could happen is that the Autobots face some other threat like Starscream coming back with more Decepticons and then during the ending credits we see Megatron crawl out of the ocean, setting it up quite nicely for Transformers 3.

>^..^<

 

[FatA$$]

new footage totally blew...but it looked amazing. i thought it was cool that inthe scene when sam picks up miles that the song playing in the car is the transformers song from the sector 7 site

 

[Dr Lee]

Really?

Should have been something from the original cartoon movie IMHO

 

[Golgo-13]

I can't believe all you guys are crying about no more bot stuff, or suprised that it wasn't in the IMAX movie. Most of us have been saying it for weeks now; they're not gonna leave shots that take 36 hours per frame to render on the cutting room floor. With the budget TF had it would have just been too expensive.

No more bot action? I'm not suprised at all.

 

[A Dark Knight]

Watched this yesterday, great to see it and hear it in IMAX, the extra footage was crap and I am glad that it was cut from the 1st release and that we won't see it on the DVD.

It is to bad that even though this movie has made $700 million WW at the box office, that they could not put a little time and effort in to the adding of or the finishing of or whatever they had to do to show us some more bots.....It would have been nice. Ah well, not long until I have this on DVD.

 

[Bumblebee1983]

I can't believe all you guys are crying about no more bot stuff, or suprised that it wasn't in the IMAX movie. Most of us have been saying it for weeks now; they're not gonna leave shots that take 36 hours per frame to render on the cutting room floor. With the budget TF had it would have just been too expensive.

No more bot action? I'm not suprised at all.

Well then...the answer is simple: let's get a petition begun for a director's cut edition of TF.

It worked for the score soundtrack! Who's game?

 

[Shmoil]

I'm planning on seeing it this weekend, but I'm wondering. For you guys with IMAX theaters, are the screens true IMAX? I mean, are they as big as those IMAX documentaries like "Everest" and that Nascar one? Like the screens in museums? Because the IMAX screen in my hometown is very disappointing. While it's still bigger than most screens, I wouldn't classify it as an IMAX screen. But everything in my hometown is disappointing, so is this playing on a real IMAX screen, too? Because when I see it this weekend it'll be in a bigger city, and I'm really hoping that it will be true IMAX.

 

[Bumblebee1983]

I'm planning on seeing it this weekend, but I'm wondering. For you guys with IMAX theaters, are the screens true IMAX? I mean, are they as big as those IMAX documentaries like "Everest" and that Nascar one? Like the screens in museums? Because the IMAX screen in my hometown is very disappointing. While it's still bigger than most screens, I wouldn't classify it as an IMAX screen. But everything in my hometown is disappointing, so is this playing on a real IMAX screen, too? Because when I see it this weekend it'll be in a bigger city, and I'm really hoping that it will be true IMAX.

Yes, the one at Opry Mills is a true IMAX screen.

As for the one at the Chattanooga aquarium, I don't know. I haven't seen anything in that one...but the one at Opry Mills is well worth it.