The Transformers: The Movie

**A film that only interests those who know the animated series, but which marks the end of Orson Welles' work.** I saw this film by mere chance. Later, I was surprised to see how well regarded and highly rated it is. It is based on “Transformers”, an animated series for children and teenagers that was quite successful in the 80s and 90s, but which I have to confess I never saw. Recently, Marve...

"Unicron" is determined to get hold of the matrix of leadership so it can fulfill a desire for galactic domination. What's stopping it are the "Autobots" and their boss "Optimus Prime" who are in constant conflict with the evil "Decepticons" and their leader "Megatron". After a battle sees the latter come off worst - but only just - "Megatron" finds itself in need of some urgent maintenance and th...

The Transformers: The Movie is simultaneously an unabashed feature-length toy commercial and a surprisingly ambitious, occasionally brutal piece of 1980s animation. Nelson Shin wastes little time raising the stakes, delivering major character deaths, planetary destruction, and a genuine sense that nobody is particularly safe. The breakneck pacing can make the story feel more like a succession of s...