Pop Culture Reviews

Transformers the Movie – DVD Review

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Distributor: Madman Entertainment  Released : 1986  Genre: Animation Credits: Director: Nelson Shin Writer: Ron Friedman Starring: Peter Cullen (voice of Optimus Prime)  Rating: PG

This DVD was supplied by Madman Entertainment New Zealand for review

Transformers the Movie (1986) is the animated movie release and is not to be confused with the Transformers movie released in 2007.

This story of the Transformers takes place 20 years after the events of the TV series’ second season and was also produced by Nelson Shin who produced the television animated series of the Transformers.

The story focuses on Unicron, the planet eating menace and the Decepticons who have now taken over the Transfomers’ homeworld of Cybertron. The Autobots are now preparing to wage war against the evil Decepticons. The theme of conflict between the Autobots and the Decepticons (essentially good versus evil) is central to the Transformers story and is carried over into the recent 2007 and 2009 movie releases directed by Michael Bay.

The main human characters in the animated version of the Transformers are Daniel Witwicky and his father Spike who have formed bonds with the Autobots and are well aware of the conflict between the two and about the evil Decepticons’ plan to invade Earth.

War ensues and many Autobots are killed (including some of the main characters). A crucial step to replace the leader of the fallen Autobots finds Hot Rod reborn as Rodimus Prime.

I’m a huge fan of animated movies and the Transformers has to be one of the best storylines out there. Although the fight between good and evil is nothing new and has been told and retold in so many different ways, there is something endearing about the Autobots and their valiant and heroic efforts in the name of preserving human life on earth. And this is essentially why the story has endured and has been retold in all its cinematic, CG glory today.

If you’re a fan of the Transformers, you really shouldn’t miss out on some of the original epic battles and story plots. There is alot of Transformer history to be discovered whilst watching the animated movie and television series and I think if you’re a true fan, you’ll definitely want that experience.