Transformers I have no idea how I feel about this...

[Joker]

I was never a huge transformers fan when I was a kid...I watched the show sometimes and had a few of the toys, but nothing major...the trailer looks alright, for a serious attempt at doing this in live action anyway...and Michael Bay totally sucks...I dont know how I feel about this movie as a whole...the trailer seemed to be more of an alien invasion where the aliens happen to be robots thing than "there is a secret war going on between our cars" type thing...

 

[y2jversion1]

I'm kind of disappointed at the 'Bionicle' look when instead if they went with the Alternators toyline as a foundation, the robots would've looked much better and pretty much like their cartoon counterparts.

 

[Nathan]

I can put at ease about the Mars Storyline. According to Bay non of it is going to be in the Movie.

http://www.slashfilm.com/article.php/20060705215536329

"Bay assures fans that the Mars storyline, launch footage and rover footage is not going to be in the movie. It was just something that Bay shot (yes, he shot the rover footage) specifically for the teaser trailer."

But I have to agree about the looks of the Transformers. I hate the Bionicles look. I want to have have some big, solid, robots and not Exosceleton like bots that look like they'll fall apart at the first sign of impact.

 

[hell killer]

i disagree with all the bionicle complaints, i think the cartoons were okay for a childrens cartoon, but if translated to reality they would look boxy and ******ed. you guys were seduced as nine year olds by a toy and you give it more props than it deserves, but in 2006, the rest of the world does not feel some boxy 1983 childrens cartoon designs are all that amazing.

 

[terry78]

Exactly, look at Beast Wars. That was probably the first ever attempt to make them look photorealistic, and while they don't look Bionicle like, they're not big and clunky looking either. The designers knew that wouldn't fly in a 3D environment.

 

[y2jversion1]

i disagree with all the bionicle complaints, i think the cartoons were okay for a childrens cartoon, but if translated to reality they would look boxy and ******ed. you guys were seduced as nine year olds by a toy and you give it more props than it deserves, but in 2006, the rest of the world does not feel some boxy 1983 childrens cartoon designs are all that amazing.

This: http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/default.cfm?page=Products/Catalog&subbrand=167

http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/default.cfm?page=Products/Catalog&subbrand=167&pg=2

http://www.hasbro.com/transformers/default.cfm?page=Products/Catalog&subbrand=167&pg=3

does not scream "..boxy 1983 childrens cartoon designs"

 

[CFlash]

i disagree with all the bionicle complaints, i think the cartoons were okay for a childrens cartoon, but if translated to reality they would look boxy and ******ed. you guys were seduced as nine year olds by a toy and you give it more props than it deserves, but in 2006, the rest of the world does not feel some boxy 1983 childrens cartoon designs are all that amazing.

A bunch of realistic fan-made CGI's have shown that the solid (non-creepy-skeletal) look can look pretty cool. Here's one: http://youtube.com/watch?v=KGL0nrse8Vo&mode=related&search=
Several others exist.

 

[ragdus]

I don't mind the more skeletal look, and I also have a hard time believing the robot with that mass could fold up into that bug AND be roomy enough for passengers...

That said, knowing I can suspend some of my disbelief given the types of characters we're dealing with, if they had the transformers functioning like that fan made one that'd be pretty sweet.

 

[xwolverine2]

michael bay is my only prob...

when i think of cgi from him i think of that horrible chase sequence in the island with those flying things....

this movie has potential....michael bay doesnt

i hope michael bay will make me eat my words really bad!

 

[CFlash]

I don't mind the more skeletal look, and I also have a hard time believing the robot with that mass could fold up into that bug AND be roomy enough for passengers...

That said, knowing I can suspend some of my disbelief given the types of characters we're dealing with, if they had the transformers functioning like that fan made one that'd be pretty sweet.

I tend to agree. My only fear is that the skeletal look will come off as creepy and menacing (think Terminator... or even Red Planet) regardless of whether the character is actually friendly or not.

But, this is something I'm open to. It could be cool....
...though I think they have to have some touches that make them recongnizable (I dunno... like Prime's chest, Megs arm cannon, StarScream's wings, etc etc..... something!).

 

[undraftedpacker]

Micheal Bay didnt seem to have a problem with CGI in Pearl Harbor, and dont get me started on beast wars, they took something cool with transformers and completely fu**ed it up. Robots that turn into animals, please.

 

[skorponok]

Some of the "Robots in Disguise" figures from 2000-2001 had a "skeletal" look and they were pretty cool.

 

[Oerwinde]

Based on all the reports, whats the point in calling the movie Transformers if your robots don't look or act like the characters in the source material?

 

[xwolverine2]

Micheal Bay didnt seem to have a problem with CGI in Pearl Harbor, and dont get me started on beast wars, they took something cool with transformers and completely fu**ed it up. Robots that turn into animals, please.

the cgi in the island was completely aweful!!!

especial that ugly falling off the building on the bilboard while crashing through a helicopter....YUK!

 

[nosebleed.]

the cgi in the island was completely aweful!!!

especial that ugly falling off the building on the bilboard while crashing through a helicopter....YUK!

Well I doubt that he'll mess up the CGI in TFormers. Most of the bad CGI effects in the past were human-doubles. All of the mechanical CGI in movies have looked pretty realistic, so I have faith that Bay will try and pay a little bit more attention to Transformers than an "ugly falling off the building on the bilboard while crashing through a helicopter".

 

[xwolverine2]

Well I doubt that he'll mess up the CGI in TFormers. Most of the bad CGI effects in the past were human-doubles. All of the mechanical CGI in movies have looked pretty realistic, so I have faith that Bay will try and pay a little bit more attention to Transformers than an "ugly falling off the building on the bilboard while crashing through a helicopter".

lol

but i dont see him as spielberg/lucas/cameron type cgi........bay isnt very good fx wise

i have a feeling the cgi will be no better than the youtube clips

 

[ComicKoryn]

Micheal Bay didnt seem to have a problem with CGI in Pearl Harbor, and dont get me started on beast wars, they took something cool with transformers and completely fu**ed it up. Robots that turn into animals, please.

Beast Wars was an amazingly well done show and if your problem with it was the fact that they transform into animals, then that's kinda sad (don't you remember the dinobots from the G1 series...yeah).

I have no issue with the exoskeleton/bionicle look of the robots, but ONLY if they keep the faces of the transformers looking like the originals. In my opinion, the transformers were best described by their face designs, it's like the transformer trademark (Prime being the standard that all other tranformer faces seem to replicate). Keep the faces, and don't make them creepy looking, then I'll be happy.

 

[bluejake01]

lol

but i dont see him as spielberg/lucas/cameron type cgi........bay isnt very good fx wise

i have a feeling the cgi will be no better than the youtube clips

You forget that Spielberg is the Executive Producer on this film...the f/x will be mind-blowing.

 

[TigerClaw]

The movie is being produced by Paramount and Dreamworks, Its no doubt the FX will be done by ILM.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

I would've loved if James Cameron got a hold of this project. Or better yet, imagine if WETA was brought in for special effects/CGI?

::

I don't like how Spielberg/Bay are pushing to involve more humans into the universe of Transformers. For the sequel remove all humans and have the machines carry the film themselves.

With Spielberg involved though you're guaranteed some great CGI though. Minority Report, Artificial Intelligence, and War of the Worlds are just to name a few classic examples of brilliant CGI use.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

I´m really torn when it comes to this movie.

For one, like Joker, i was never a huge fan of the Transformers, i had some toys and watched some cartoons, but that was it.
But i do know who the Transformers are, so, that alone makes me interested in seeing how it will translate.

Secondly, i can´t imagine how this movie is supposed to work, by being more than a fanboy wet dream.
It´s a movie about gigantic robots, that transform into vehicles, and fight each other on a daily basis.
How can anyone relate to that?
Are the audience supposed to care for which one dies or not?

That´s why they are involving a lot of humans in the story, to make the audicence care for it.
But, when the main characters are the robots......

Now, can anyone tell me, how they are going to bring logic to the fact that gigantic ALIEN robots transform into HUMAN vehicles?

 

[LastSunrise1981]

I´m really torn when it comes to this movie.

For one, like Joker, i was never a huge fan of the Transformers, i had some toys and watched some cartoons, but that was it.
But i do know who the Transformers are, so, that alone makes me interested in seeing how it will translate.

Secondly, i can´t imagine how this movie is supposed to work, by being more than a fanboy wet dream.
It´s a movie about gigantic robots, that transform into vehicles, and fight each other on a daily basis.
How can anyone relate to that?
Are the audience supposed to care for which one dies or not?

That´s why they are involving a lot of humans in the story, to make the audicence care for it.
But, when the main characters are the robots......

Now, can anyone tell me, how they are going to bring logic to the fact that gigantic ALIEN robots transform into HUMAN vehicles?

*sigh* You still don't understand.

Watch Transformers: The Movie and you'll see how the audience can care about the characters. The focus merely on the machines themselves, Spike and Daniel don't get a lot of screentime at all.

When Optimus Prime dies in the film you feel for the characters, you feel for him, and you feel just as they feel losing a leader.

Read the comics, watch the cartoons, and watch the animated movie to see what I'm trying to explain to you. They can make an audience care for the characters with good writing, great voice acting, and a great director who can bring out the necessary emotions.

 

[terry78]

As long as they make them actual characters in the movie and not just fodder for eye candy, then that will be the deciding factor. If you just see them as CG action setpieces that barely speak or have personalities, then yeah, that won't work. They can't just have them fighting and attacking, we need to see them discussing stuff, connecting with the humans, getting angry or jealous, plotting, etc.

 

[LastSunrise1981]

As long as they make them actual characters in the movie and not just fodder for eye candy, then that will be the deciding factor. If you just see them as CG action setpieces that barely speak or have personalities, then yeah, that won't work. They can't just have them fighting and attacking, we need to see them discussing stuff, connecting with the humans, getting angry or jealous, plotting, etc.

That's what I was trying to say. Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

I was never a huge transformers fan when I was a kid...I watched the show sometimes and had a few of the toys, but nothing major...the trailer looks alright, for a serious attempt at doing this in live action anyway...and Michael Bay totally sucks...I dont know how I feel about this movie as a whole...the trailer seemed to be more of an alien invasion where the aliens happen to be robots thing than "there is a secret war going on between our cars" type thing...

Transformers isn't about an alien invasion It's always been that way. The comic and cartoon for example was about a war that had ravaged their home planet so much they needed to invade other planets for fuel sources. While the Autobots are peaceful and the Decepticons are not, they still want the same thing...which is to revive Cybertron. It has never been "there is a secret car war".