Transformers Lack of meaning - What's this movie about?

[Headless Knight]

I know some of ya'll will complain about me starting a new thread... but after seeing this in today's news:

Calif. sues carmakers over global warming
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060920/bs_nm/environment_autos_dc_13

I thought a discussion about some of the topics the original Transformers touched upon and how this movie completely ignores them in a day and age where they seem MORE relevant (considering what's going on in the Middle East, the energy crisis, etc.) would be nice.

I know Transformers was not Capt Planet... but it can't be denied that the overriding theme of the original cartoon was Earth as a source of energy and Decepticons pillaging it (thus destroying it)... not the Quest for The Holy Grail.

Anyone else besides me think that Transformers the movie should... I dunno... be a bit more about something?

Apparently your obsession with the "natural resources" thing is blinding you from the fact that the "Holy Grail" you mention holds the key to the survival of a species. It's like, Decepticons get the Allspark = the Autobots are no more. The End. Finito. Kaputt.

That's as much "something" as the quest for energy in the cartoon was. It's two opposing forces fighting each other, where one wants to coexist and the other wants to dominate.

It's obviously simplistic, as in real wars you always have good guys and bad guys on both sides, but that's where the differences in appearance between the two factions kinda make sense: it's like they're from two different species. That we never had in our wars, because there’s only one intelligent species on Earth.

I know it says on the script they were all part of the same bunch who lived happy and dandy on Cybertron and then the Decepticons decided to become evil and rule the Universe (or something), but if you believe in evolution that makes sense also. Maybe the lack of energy developed the Decepticon's behavior as a way to control the growth of the population (or something).

I know, I'm pushing here. But you know the subtext you are asking for would never happen in a Bay movie (or in any Hollywood summer action vehicle, for that matter). When it comes to ravaging natural resources for fuel, the USA* are the Decepticons of the world, and the guys pulling the strings surely don't want people thinking about that kind of stuff while they're sipping their cokes and munching on their popcorns and etc.


*I said the USA, not the American people, so don't take offense.

 

[Headless Knight]

Apparently your obsession with the "natural resources" thing is blinding you from the fact that the "Holy Grail" you mention holds the key to the survival of a species. It's like, Decepticons get the Allspark = the Autobots are no more. The End. Finito. Kaputt.

That's as much "something" as the quest for energy in the cartoon was. It's two opposing forces fighting each other, where one wants to coexist and the other wants to dominate.

It's obviously simplistic, as in real wars you always have good guys and bad guys on both sides, but that's where the differences in appearance between the two factions kinda make sense: it's like they're from two different species. That we never had in our wars, because there’s only one intelligent species on Earth.

I know it says on the script they were all part of the same bunch who lived happy and dandy on Cybertron and then the Decepticons decided to become evil and rule the Universe (or something), but if you believe in evolution that makes sense also. Maybe the lack of energy developed the Decepticon's behavior as a way to control the growth of the population (or something).

Btw, you don't even have to stretch things that far -- we may not have more than one intelligent species on our planet, but, you know, we had several occasions where a given group of people wanted to exterminate another (e.g. the nazis).

 

[Headless Knight]

Btw, I also think the script sucks.

 

[big D Evil]

So who should I believe...the guys who are writing this movie or some dude on this message board who seems to have a grudge against Bay

Who should you beleive? The writers who are out to turn a buck off something we care for or some dude on a message board who wants nothing more than the movie to be good?
I would probably say the person who doesnt have an agenda would be more honest with you but maybe your right. Maybe they re-wrote the entire script and re-designed the decepticons. Maybe bay will direct this well and it will end up being a great movie with some depth and substance and then you can come on here and say "I told ya so!"
I honestly hope your right but don't hold your breath.

 

[roach]

I spent a whole year praying that the X3 script would have significant changes made to it and look how that ended up. Tom Rothman and everyone else involved with the production of X3 lied about the numerous changes made to the leaked script when in reality they barely changed a thing. Therefore, I doubt any significant changes will be made to the transformers script. I still have faith that Speilberg will save this movie.

so because the X3 people lied that means everyone else that is making a movie is lying too???

 

[roach]

Who should you beleive? The writers who are out to turn a buck off something we care for or some dude on a message board who wants nothing more than the movie to be good?
I would probably say the person who doesnt have an agenda would be more honest with you but maybe your right. Maybe they re-wrote the entire script and re-designed the decepticons. Maybe bay will direct this well and it will end up being a great movie with some depth and substance and then you can come on here and say "I told ya so!"
I honestly hope your right but don't hold your breath.

everyone has an agenda. everyone in Hollywood is trying to make a buck.
my points:
1) The screenwriters and other people have said that script is old. Who knows what was changed. Can movies be rewritten as they are filmed...Yes.
2) Is it possible that the designs that everyone is upset about arent the final designs???? I was watching the making of Episode 3 and they were going over the process of how they designed General Grievous. They presented to Lucas about 8 to 10 different looking designs and he chose one. Is it possible that the leaked Decepticon designs could be the rejected designs...Yes

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

I know some of ya'll will complain about me starting a new thread... but after seeing this in today's news:

Calif. sues carmakers over global warming
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060920/bs_nm/environment_autos_dc_13

I thought a discussion about some of the topics the original Transformers touched upon and how this movie completely ignores them in a day and age where they seem MORE relevant (considering what's going on in the Middle East, the energy crisis, etc.) would be nice.

I know Transformers was not Capt Planet... but it can't be denied that the overriding theme of the original cartoon was Earth as a source of energy and Decepticons pillaging it (thus destroying it)... not the Quest for The Holy Grail.

Anyone else besides me think that Transformers the movie should... I dunno... be a bit more about something?

You know, I was actuaslly thinking about the underlying ecological message of the pre-movie cartoons today, which at the time just went right over my head. It does seem kinda strange they're making this first movie into a search for a McGuffin, but then again there's always a sequel should the filmmakers actually make a worthwhile product alot of people will see. I can rtattle off a few episodes of the cartoon whose elements would make a good, not very preachy ecological themed storyline.

 

[Orion Pax]

Both factions needed Energon. The Decepticons took it while the Autobots were given it by the governments around the world. Spike writes about it in his journal in the original series. If the issue is about environmentalism, both are committing the same sin against the environment. They just sin in different ways.

 

[big D Evil]

everyone has an agenda. everyone in Hollywood is trying to make a buck.
my points:
1) The screenwriters and other people have said that script is old. Who knows what was changed. Can movies be rewritten as they are filmed...Yes.
2) Is it possible that the designs that everyone is upset about arent the final designs???? I was watching the making of Episode 3 and they were going over the process of how they designed General Grievous. They presented to Lucas about 8 to 10 different looking designs and he chose one. Is it possible that the leaked Decepticon designs could be the rejected designs...Yes

Correct! everyone is trying to make a buck but some choose to use thier skill and technique and create a meaningful piece of work (Jackson,Raimi) while others lack those skills and have to resort to blowing things up and overusing camera tricks and special FX to get thier point across (Bay).

The script is old but as I have said a bunch of times now the scenes from the script are the same scenes that are being filmed as reported by numerous people in the media. Put 2 and 2 together...

Bumblebee IS a final design. They wouldnt make a full scale FAKE!
The FX shot that had all the TF's on the street with cutouts used the BB design we have all seen numerous times and it also had the crappy Starscream and Megs designs right next to BB.
You must be delusional if you think that all the designs have been completely re-worked.

 

[Orion Pax]

Bumblebee IS a final design. They wouldnt make a full scale FAKE!
The FX shot that had all the TF's on the street with cutouts used the BB design we have all seen numerous times and it also had the crappy Starscream and Megs designs right next to BB.
You must be delusional if you think that all the designs have been completely re-worked.

So far I've seen two designs for StarScream's head. Which one is the final one?

 

[Avangarde]

So far I've seen two designs for StarScream's head. Which one is the final one?

Probably the one in the scene mock-up

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

Both factions needed Energon. The Decepticons took it while the Autobots were given it by the US government. Spike writes about it in his journal in the original series. If the issue is about environmentalism, both are committing the same sin against the environment. They just sin in different ways.

How do you know the Autobots weren't given energon using safer, more ecological methods than those the Decepticons were using?

 

[Orion Pax]

How do you know the Autobots weren't given energon using safer, more ecological methods than those the Decepticons were using?

My point is they're both gas guzzlers which isn't environment friendly.

 

[Orion Pax]

Probably the one in the scene mock-up

But no one really knows yet. It just goes to show that anything can still change.

 

[Boiiinng]

You're the one who said you have a problem with speilberg movies despite the fact that he is considered to be one of the best directors/producers of all time. If you don't understand my point by now then there is no reason to continue this conversation.

Your point used the word blockbuster, to which I replied because blockbuster means $ and $ has no relation to the quality of a film.

 

[ragdus]

I'm not so sure why people hate on War of the Worlds. What were people expecting, an ID4 ending?

 

[big D Evil]

So far I've seen two designs for StarScream's head. Which one is the final one?

The toy SS looked like a bug with a beard and for the street mockup one his head looked like a lightbulb. Either way the starscream fans are screwed!

 

[GhostPoet]

Yes. Unless you firmly believe that they REWROTE the whole thing and changed the ENTIRE PLOT. And, if you do, let us know how you know that.

[edit]
And don't make it sound like the script is years old. You know its not.

That's not really that uncommon.

 

[roach]

That's not really that uncommon.

Jaws was completely rewritten as they filmed

 

[CFlash]

Jaws was completely rewritten as they filmed

They didn't change the basic plot did they? I mean, in the original script a nuclear Nimitz class submarine didn't come and kill the shark did it?

 

[bunk]

I'm not so sure why people hate on War of the Worlds. What were people expecting, an ID4 ending?

Did anyone read the book, how does the story compare to the movie?

 

[Theweepeople]

so because the X3 people lied that means everyone else that is making a movie is lying too???

I never said this. I merely stated an example of a company lying to the public about changes made to the script of a movie. The production of Godzilla 98 is another perfect example of how a film company decided to lie to fans about what was going to be in the film. This does not mean that all movie companies lie to fans about revisions made to scripts. However, since I have been lied to by movie companies before I don't see any reason why I should trust any public statements made by the transformers production team about script revisions.

 

[Theweepeople]

Your point used the word blockbuster, to which I replied because blockbuster means $ and $ has no relation to the quality of a film.

Sorry for not mentioning the word quality in my post. The reason I didn't mention the word is because 90% of Speilberg's movies have quality. Or are you a Speilberg hater?

 

[Boiiinng]

Sorry for not mentioning the word quality in my post. The reason I didn't mention the word is because 90% of Speilberg's movies have quality. Or are you a Speilberg hater?

No, I'm not, I just think he's been pretty hit or miss since Amistad...but he's not directing is he? He's putting money up, and it's probably at the request of one of his male children, too. I mean, we wouldn't have had Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn if it wasn't for his boy.

 

[Destructicus]

I'm sitting back with Roach on this one. I still say it is too soon to believe anything we see, hear, or read about this film this early in filming. I say we just sit back and wait.