Official Script Discussion

[CFlash]

Isn't that all that matters? Yet so many put so much emphasis on how they look. The character is what is important. Batman never wore a rubber suit that was somehow bulletproof in the comics, yet I believe you said you loved Tim Burton's Batman. It was the character that came through the rubber suit that mattered. Sure, you can argue about BumbleBee's height but Michael Keaton was not Batman's height either. I'm confused and I just want to understand.

I think what will make this movie a success (if it will be a success) in the end is the characters that are within the bots. I mean, in the end, isn't that what we love about the bots in the cartoon? It's not that BumbleBee had the split hood of a VW bug for feet. It's his personality and his relationship with Spike and other humans.

I can understand logic like this to a point. And I agree to a point. I guess it's a matter of what is "iconic." Sure Batman didn't wear a bulletproof rubber suit... but Burton made sure all the "visually iconic" elements of the character were spot-on. I think they did the same with Optimus. But, big Bumblebee with big-ass cannon for an arm??? Not so much.

Also, the height example you bring up is a ******ed argument when involving cameras and human actors. Dicaprio, and Tom Cruise never look as short in film as they are in real life. And they're chosen for their acting abilities. The problem with Bumblebee in the movie is that he is PURPOSELY and on-paper SPECS tall (much taller than Jazz for instance). That's wrong.

P.S. I couldn't care less that Bumblebee is not a VW. I just don't personally think he should be a HOT-ROD or a giant. Simple as that.

 

[samsnee]

So after reading the script, I decided to count the number of cliches...

1. Geek kid gets hot girl
2. Hot girl dates jock who's a jerk
3. Hot girl falls for geek
4. Geek saves day
5. Military guy just trying to get home and see his family
6. Scientist is a hot sarcastic female who's broken the rules but b/c she's broken said rules, gov't knows she's actually smart

Anyone care to add?

As for cliches I'd like to see put into the final movie

1. Stripper with a heart of gold, possibly single mom
2. Older army officer who is one day from retirement and getting "too old for this *****"
3. Scene with the President who must weigh the lives of the many against the lives of the few
4. Scene where geek kid's new special friend (ie Bumblebee) helps him take on bullies

Anyone care to add?

 

[Superman79]

that's very true. they could use more dialogue though, mostly between Megatron and Starscream.

if you watch the video clips on the Transformers movie website, the writers talk about how the "relationship between Megs and SS is still there in force" like they'll have insult and such...so maybe a bit of a rewrite was done since the script we got leaked...

check out the video interviews, I thought they were very enlightening...

 

[Golgo-13]

Isn't that all that matters? Yet so many put so much emphasis on how they look. The character is what is important.

You made this comment in the context that the Autobots are the ones that are spot on in the script, and that's all that matters.

Well i disagree.

The name of this movie is 'The Transformers', NOT 'The Autobots'. I used to hate seeing the TF logo up on a billboards or what have you, and it would always have the logo in red, accompanied by the Autobot symbol; and by the looks of the trailer, Bay is doing the same thing. Flashing the Autobot log up there, and not the Decepticon logo. The Decepticon deserve equal billing, i've alway felt they weren't adapted enough. Just look at the G1 cartoon, season 1. Only a handful of Decepticon crashed landed on earth and what seemed like dozens of Autobots.

This is the same thinking that Sony had with Spiderman 1. So long as the hero is done right, short cuts can be taken with the villans. Thus, why we got a faithful spidey costume and a crappy goblin one. This was a horrid mistake with SM, and will be a bigger mistake if the Decepticons are treated the same way.

And to CFlash: I think the Decepticons seem like animals because of the lack of dialogue. I think the autobots would come off as pretty drone like (minus Prime) if they too had no dialogue.

 

[Boiiinng]

You made this comment in the context that the Autobots are the ones that are spot on in the script, and that's all that matters.

Well i disagree.

The name of this movie is 'The Transformers', NOT 'The Autobots'. I used to hate seeing the TF logo up on a billboards or what have you, and it would always have the logo in red, accompanied by the Autobot symbol; and by the looks of the trailer, Bay is doing the same thing. Flashing the Autobot log up there, and not the Decepticon logo. The Decepticon deserve equal billing, i've alway felt they weren't adapted enough. Just look at the G1 cartoon, season 1. Only a handful of Decepticon crashed landed on earth and what seemed like dozens of Autobots.

This is the same thinking that Sony had with Spiderman 1. So long as the hero is done right, short cuts can be taken with the villans. Thus, why we got a faithful spidey costume and a crappy goblin one. This was a horrid mistake with SM, and will be a bigger mistake if the Decepticons are treated the same way.

And to CFlash: I think the Decepticons seem like animals because of the lack of dialogue. I think the autobots would come off as pretty drone like (minus Prime) if they too had no dialogue.

Maybe because the Autobot insignia IS the Transformer insignia. They are one in the same. The Decepticons are not another race, they are a faction. But they are originally Autobots, which is the race, like "humans." Transformers is just the description of what kind of creatures they are, not the name of their race.

 

[cryptic name]

Maybe because the Autobot insignia IS the Transformer insignia. They are one in the same. The Decepticons are not another race, they are a faction. But they are originally Autobots, which is the race, like "humans." Transformers is just the description of what kind of creatures they are, not the name of their race.

no no no, the "race" is Transformers. the Autobots and Decepticons are both factions.

 

[Superman79]

no no no, the "race" is Transformers. the Autobots and Decepticons are both factions.

Quick primer in 70's Irish Style:

Transformers = The Irish

Autobots = Catholics

Decepticons = Protestants

Junkicons = Branch Davidians..

 

[CFlash]

Maybe because the Autobot insignia IS the Transformer insignia. They are one in the same. The Decepticons are not another race, they are a faction. But they are originally Autobots, which is the race, like "humans." Transformers is just the description of what kind of creatures they are, not the name of their race.

I have never heard Transformers characterized in this way.

 

[Golgo-13]

Boiinng, i have no other way to say this, so i'll just say it:

Your explaination makes no sense. Maybe your a new fan. Any long time fan would know that the race of these 'Transformers' is Cybertronians. Like Superman79 said, the term Autobot and Decepticon represents their different beliefs just like religion.

According to your reasoning, one group would be known as human beings, and another group of humans who didn't believe in the same thing as the first group wouldn't also be referred to as humans ?

Bottomline: The Autobot insignia is NOT the Transformers insignia.

They are both Transformers. This is not like a superhero movie, Hulk for example, where he is the title character and his villans don't share front billing as well. It's different in this instance. TRANSFORMERS describes both Autobots and Decepticons, equally.

 

[terry78]

I figured the trailer would actually flip the insignia to Decepticon at the end, but they kept it at Autobot for some reason. Maybe the full trailer will feature the Decepticons with the upper hand and showcase their insignia at the end.

 

[Spade]

I don't think an Autobot/ Decepticon symbol-shared trailer is what I need. I think I need a trailer that shows me what "revisions" they've done that they proclaim are so drastic, before I start chalking this up to be yet another "Last Stand" scenario.

 

[cryptic name]

Quick primer in 70's Irish Style:

Transformers = The Irish

Autobots = Catholics

Decepticons = Protestants

Junkicons = Branch Davidians..

lmao. that's perfect.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Maybe because the Autobot insignia IS the Transformer insignia. They are one in the same. The Decepticons are not another race, they are a faction. But they are originally Autobots, which is the race, like "humans." Transformers is just the description of what kind of creatures they are, not the name of their race.

In the comic Primus created the race equally and named them "Transformers". A war due to different beliefs broke them into Autobots and Decepticons...there has never to my knowledge been a Transformer symbol. In the cartoon the Autobots were consumer goods and service robots manufactured by the Quintessons who also manufactured a line of military hardware who would become the Decepticons. It's arguable that in the cartoon the Decepticons and Autobots were different races loosely knit together because of a common homeworld and ability.

However the Transformers are the inhabitants of Cybertron. period. Encompassing both Autobot and Decepticon. Frequently the comic and cartoon both would do stories prominently featuring or sometimes exclusively featuring Decepticons or Decepticon stories. Starscream, Shockwave, Megatron, Galvatron, Cyclonus and Scorponok to name a few were all characters who were mainstays in the comic/cartoon and Starscream, Shockwave (comics) and Megatron certainly rivaled Prime and Prowl (in the comics) and Rodimus as the "top billed" characters. Prime and Megatron arguably are the main characters while everyone else is supporting more or less, each with equal focus.

There are only a few characters with Transformation ability such as Orbilus and Kranix, the Micromasters (in Victory and Zone), Unicron, and the Sharkicons and Gatorcons on Quintessa whose connection to the Transformers are questionable.

 

[Theweepeople]

I'm gald they weren't written they way they were in the G1 cartoon which was as incompitant, stmbling ,bubbling fools.

Only a few decepticons of the G1 cartoon were idiots. Below is the perspective I have of some of the decepticon personalities.


Megatron=ruthless, brave, egomaniac, inteligent.
Starscream=sneaky, opportunistic, coward, inteligent.
Soundwave=uncharismatic, loyal, brave, inteligent.
Thundercraker=loyal, brave, average inteligence.
Rumble=loyal, cocky, average inteligence.
Lazerbeak=loyal, coldhearted, brave.
Shockwave=ruthless, brave, loyal, inteligent.
Thrust=loyal, lacks courage, average inteligence.
Swindle=ruthless, sneaky, opportunistic, inteligent.

Now for the idiots.

Dirge=Creepy voice. Most of the dinobots talked faster than this buffoon.
Skywarp=Gullible, cocky, brave, ruthless, moron.
Ramjet=Brave. Gullible. His inteligence was slightly below average.
Blitzwing=Brave, cocky, idiot.
Longhaul=Most of Devastator's very low inteligence tech specs can be attributed to this fool.
Bonecrusher=See above post. Though not as stupid as Longhaul.
Brawl=Bruticuse's low inteligence tech specs are the result of this moron.

The psychopaths.

Wildrider
Dragstrip
Mixmaster
Motormaster

 

[cryptic name]

Rumble: Nobody calls Soundwave uncharismatic!

 

[Golgo-13]

Well i just meant the Decepticons as a whole came off as being disorganized, and somwhat clumsy when thir plans didnt go the way they wanted. In other words, the retreat at the slightest hint of defeat.

The script has the Decepticons fighting to the bitter end, with only 'one justified retreat' on page....

...you can tell by the designs that more effort has gone into getting Prime right, who signifys ALL the Autobots, and Megatrons design has taken a back seat. Like i said in a previous post, Bay has gone the same route as Raimi did in Spiderman with GG design. Giving half ass treatment to the villans design...this will be a mistake......

 

[DOG LIPS]

Rumble: Nobody calls Soundwave uncharismatic!

Didn't he screw up the word with "uncrozzimatic"?

 

[Boiiinng]

There are numerous storylines about the Transformer backstory, yes. Last time I checked we were talking about the live-action movie script which mentions the AUTOBOTS term as meaning nothing more than "AUTOnomous roBOTS." How is that a faction? It clearly states that the evil Autonomous Robots broke off from the pack and were "branded" the name Decepticons.

 

[Spark]

Or it may have been a tag they used when the war started. Maybe we'll find out when the prequel comics arrive.

 

[cryptic name]

There are numerous storylines about the Transformer backstory, yes. Last time I checked we were talking about the live-action movie script which mentions the AUTOBOTS term as meaning nothing more than "AUTOnomous roBOTS." How is that a faction? It clearly states that the evil Autonomous Robots broke off from the pack and were "branded" the name Decepticons.

Barricade referrs to them as Autobots before that whole "Autonimous Robotic Organism" part.

Barricade: Where are your ancestral artifacts?! Where are they?! ... Have the Autobots seen the code?!

that's a good ten pages prior

 

[Boiiinng]

Barricade referrs to them as Autobots before that whole "Autonimous Robotic Organism" part.

Barricade: Where are your ancestral artifacts?! Where are they?! ... Have the Autobots seen the code?!

that's a good ten pages prior

So, we've proven that the script is faulty at best, then. Good. t:

 

[cryptic name]

So, we've proven that the script is faulty at best, then. Good. t:

Word

 

[Avernus]

I'll take a link if it's still available..

 

[cryptic name]

CFlash posted a link at the top of the previous page

 

[TheVileOne]

Well, yah, I do agree...Michael Bay's filming on Miami Vice made it pretty dull...it wasn't filmed like a movie should be filmed...but, hey, with Steven Spielberg helping, it could be different...Spielberg is a genius when it comes to blockbusters, so, I think that will change the whole outcome, so, yah, I do get your point, but I do think it will be a b-a movie in '07...as soon as I got done reading the script, I knew that this was gonna surpass other big-budget movies such as Spider-Man 3, Fantastic Four 2 and Priates Of The Caribbean 2.

Michael Mann directed Miami Vice not Michael Bay.

I say there's no chance in hell of this movie surpassing Spider-man 3 or Pirates of The Carribbean 2.

Not many people would agree that Spielberg was a genius with . . . War of The Worlds.