User reviews

I'm biased. There's no two ways about it. They could have gotten two six years olds to draw the cels, a troop of monkeys to write the dialogue and then printed the film upside down and full of static and I'd still have loved it (if anybody out there says 'Didn't they do that anyway?', I'll thump them.) I am one of a dying but suprisingly populous breed: the Tranformers fan, and to me this film is like the Holy grail.

If you think I'm going to get all gooey and teary-eyed then go into nostalgia overload then forget it because I'm not. I say this with a straight face and a critic's eyes: this is a good film. It may be a two hour toy commercial. It may have made zip at the box offce. It may get bad press from idiotic fossils that just aren't prepared to make the effort to tap into the universe the film is set in. But the fact remains that to anybody that's grown up with Transformers, this film is marvelous. Why? Because it does it right! The characters act right. The style is right. It's all done so perfectly that no right minded Transfan could possibly complain. How many Batman fans (and I mean real Batman fans) can honestly say the same thing about their film franchise.

It's easy to get preachy about the violence in a film aimed at kids. It gives the moral majority something to do other than examine each Disney film for subliminal messages. I found it refreshing to actually see this kind of film refuse to pull its punches. It's an action film without tapping into the over-sentimental gushy stuff that usually turns kids off anyway. This is a war. Death and violence are part of it. Will it effect the children that watch it. Maybe, but I don't know which way. I saw first saw the film when I was 7. I saw all of my favourites get blown apart. I saw my absolute, total, complete and utter hero, the person that personified all that was good and noble to me (you know who I mean) get killed saving his friends in an ultimate display of bravery and courage. I cried. My mum cried. I still do. I think that one moment made me more afraid and ashamed of death and destruction than a dozen Private Ryans.

The animation is top notch, there's an amazing soundtrack and the voice talent is good too. Not perfect, but Nimoy's portrayal of Galvatron is incredible. Espicially when you consider that it was probably done as a 'For the money not the art' job. The script isn't bad either. It has a host of sharp, quotable one-liners that would put Bruce Willis to shame ("I've got better things to do tonight than die.") The story is a rip off of Star Wars but what isn't and who cares? It's cool. The animation is superb. I said that earlier but I really do believe that it's better than Disney at some points. Certainly better than the average output at the time. It doesn't compare with today's graphics but it hasn't aged badly at all. The sountrack can sound a little too cheesy at times but the energy and verve of the film is there and it backs up the visuals with ease.

In the end it won't matter. This film won't mean a thing to anybody that doesn't know who Jazz, Bumblebee and Soundwave were to begin with. They won't watch it. They won't like it. And you know what? We don't care. Those of us that can name all five mebers of the Stunticons know better. They gave us what we wanted. And we remain eternally grateful.

Transformers the movie is a retro 80's cult classic that not only took the original series forward in the animation department but also took the story forward in to the future with the next generation of Transformers. The plot is a recreation of the King Arthur legend of a young man trying to find his way with out knowing that he is destine to rule his tribe one day. All the fan favorites are here with new ones to be cherishing, and the soundtrack to this movie is probably one of the best sounding albums to come out of the 80's. This movie still holds up as one of the best TV to Movie translations of all time, and it still kicks major league butt as well. The only drawback that it has that they did not make a sequel to this classic in animation.

a must own for all animation fans.

The Transformers, the animated cartoon from the 1980's, was a typical cartoon: cheesy and childish, things we would not recognize until we were grown. But when Transformers: The Movie was released in 1986, when I was 11, the movie scared the hell out of me. But so did Superman and Star Wars, which was exactly its intention.

As when Batman came to the big screen in 1989, the filmmakers took something old and made it new again. In the case of the Transformers, the movie was dark, loud, and very adult considering the fact that it springs from what was another silly fad the children of the 80's latched onto.

I don't know how people older and younger than I will perceive it, but the film is Shakespearean in its beauty. The 1980's soundtrack works surprisingly well, even now, unlike other 80's attempts, like, say Heavy Metal.

The movie picks up in 2005, or about 20 years after the cartoon supposedly took place. Young Spike is now older and has a child of his own, and all the Autobots and Decepticons are back, with some new faces. In the opening moments, Unicron (Orson Welles), destroyer of worlds, eats a planet of peace-loving people (supposdely robots, but still eerily reminiscent of our Earth populi), killing millions. Decepticons don't just plot against the Autobots-- they murder them in cold blood (er, oil?)

This is the equivalent of the X-Files movie getting made, and Cigarette Smoking Man getting to use dirty words. It is a true expansion to the big screen, an intelligent version of the TV show, made not to pander to their audience, but to elevate it.

This movie is impossible to find in the States, but if you ever watched the TV show, it will bring you to a new level. If you've never heard of the TV show... it's still a great Anime-yarn, and a helluva lot better than that X-Files flick.

Transformers the movie is a brilliant animation with an epic storyline, great cast and great characters. War is shown as it is with death, despair and hope. Some memorable quotes and decent soundtrack. Transformers is indeed a great film, but under rated unfairly by many due to it's toy connections. Those that watch the cartoon series will appreciate it more as characters are well developed in the series, although the film is of much better quality. The fact it is still on sale today, shows clearly, that class will eventually come through in the end, as it's box office record was surprisingly poor. Well worth a watch.

Because this movie is simply dazzling! It's fun to watch! It's fun to look at! And it's just a grand old time in your tv! This movie was hated by every sinlge critic in the world, but you know what? Screw Them! They don't know doodly squat about what a classic is! And beside's, all you stupid critic's take note! This is the last film with Orsen Welle's!!!!!! Mr. Citizine Kane! There greatest movie! I can't even remember th first time I saw this movie it was so long ago! But I loved it then, and I love it now! Get the Special Edition DVD! IT put's back the infamous "Oh ****! What are we going to do know!?" line back in! How's that for a PG-rated kid film! And no! Optimous Prime doe's not turn to dust and blow away!

Dig: I have just seen this movie for the first time tonight, at the age of 23. Yessum, I'm an old man....too old to watch this kind of smeg. I'll tell y'all, this blew my hair back. I don't know why I loved this so, but the six pack of Mickey's certainly didn't hurt. I picked up the DVD version, unedited, as a comparison to Bride of Frankenstein in a paper I'm writing. I was expected some sort of cheesy mid-eighties esoteric nostalgia circle jerk. I actually found this to be a great time. Fun conceit, entertaining pop music, brilliant catchphrases, and even wonderful animation. Now I'm not into sci-fi, the thought of robots battling each other does not really warm me over. But, my God, every second of this movie made me happy. I'll be damned if that isn't all that matters. If you care I gave it a 10/10.

If you love techno-anime, certainly you need to see Transformers the movie, this classic is a epic tale of death, the eternal battle of good and evil, an many things more tell in a bombastic way. If you are a fan of the character-construction of Superheroes (Marvel-Dc) you need to see Transformers. The mix of American storytellers and Japanese animators in the original 80's Transformers series turned out to be one of the most successful and remembered cartoons of that era. And the colossal movie that worked as introduction to a whole new cast of characters is a magic piece of cinema. Many will ask if these words are true, after all we are talking about a piece of animation. Yes, this is a cartoon conceived for kids, but it has all the drama and solid storytelling that is vital to all good movies.

The movie starts with a roll-down resume of the entire story (a la Star Wars) and seconds later, the well-known tunes the title song of this robots pounds the air. But this time is different, this is a heavy-metal version that song. It is not only fitting the mix of Heavy Metal and Transformers, these songs are used adequately as a composer uses his variations to call the attentions on certain moments. The unfairly forgotten composer is the responsible for the rest of the soundtrack he used all kind of synthesizers to create a futuristic and emotional score.

Every sequence is a masterpiece by itself. There are no weak points, even comic relief moments like the introduction of the junk-ions is something big and great. If there were not enough reasons to give T: The Movie a chance, think about the famous actors that are part of this mega-event using their voices to give life to some of the new robots (besides the cast of voices of the original series).

This has got to be one of the best animated movies ever made, it has all the hallmarks of great movies (STAR WARS, LORD OF THE RINGS) it has the ultimate battle between good and evil, and a story about how we must join together at any hard times in life. This Film amazed me when i saw it, it made me laugh, it made me cry and got me on the edge of my seat with the action. Not to mention the Soundtrack which is superb with two tracks that amaze u (the touch & dare) with out doubt this is my favorite movie and if you get a chance watch it....

I saw this in the theaters in '86 at the wondrous age of 9. I can't even convey the experience to you, so I won't bother. It's been a long time coming for a DVD version, and now that I have it (ALL swearing intact, at long last!), I can deposit my faded, scratchy-sounding VHS copy on the shelf to rest in peace. Watching anything 92+ times will do that (next to wither is my copy of 'Aliens: Special Edition'). VHS just doesn't hold up the way DVD does (sans scratches). This is a great movie for all, though mostly Gen X-ers (born 1965-1980) will like this more than the older or younger crowds. My new joy beyond simply watching it is tormenting my girlfriend by speaking every line of the movie aloud as it is spoken on-screen. Get a big-screen, Dolby 5.1, a tub o' the buttery stuff, and prepare for both a nostagic episode and some of the finest Japanese animation to NOT be dubbed (it's all originally in English!). "Until that day, till all are one..."

I'm a fan of The Transformers! Yes, I was stunned when Optimus Prime died in the film. I blew up! Of course I didn't see it in the theater. I would be too emotional back then. But he wasn't the only Autobot that was the casualties of the war. Prowl, my second favorite Autobot as well. After Megatron was in disposal by the treacherous Starscream, several other Decepticons were victims of the battle as well. As a fan of the show, I enjoyed the movie very well. Despite of the violence, there's comedy that lessen the tension. I always like the Dinobots. Only Snarl wasn't there. Don't matter. The plot was great in the movie. It is a cult classic. It is also a fan favorite. Only the non-favorites should not watch it. It was Orson Welles final film as Unicron. Two Star Trek stars, Leonard Nimoy and Roger Carmel play as Decepticons. And a lot of other voice actors and actresses have put together a fine cartoon film. So there's no reason for bashing the film just because of the violence. Of course when it's your favorite character that dies in the film is upsetting.

Transformers: The Movie, More than more than meets the eye!

5 stars!

I have gone back to revisit childhood movies and TV shows many times, Transformers :The Movie is one of the very few that legitimately hold up. In fact, I have been going back to revisit this one regularly. The plot may be a little similar to Empire, but it's good enough to stand on its own. The cast of voices is legendary (Orson Wells, Lenard Nemoy, Judd Nelson to name a few). The story is well told. The dialogue is surprisingly "real". I can honestly say that this is the best film in the franchise. "I've got better things to do tonight than die". One of the greatest lines of all time. It's pretty intense, they don't make cartoon feature films like this... not before, and never since... I'm sure there's a reason for that, but just because the people behind this film misjudged the market, doesn't mean they missed the mark. This is a great movie.

...at least according to my ratings. To date I've rated 974 movies: only 12 of them bag a maximum 10/10. Transformers: The Movie shares that alongside recognised greats like 2001, Apocalypse Now, Oldboy, It's A Wonderful Life & Empire Strikes Back.

I don't care much for the animated Transformers series, even less for the modern CGI movies. I don't care about the toys. But something magic happened when all the cast & crew came together to make The Movie:

• the incredible opening ignites the senses and fires the imagination. What the hell is that immense thing eating actual moons?

• breathless pace! That doesn't always mean a positive: the dire 2/10 Advent Children anime also barely let up. However Transformers: The Movie gives us one memorable scene after the other. Everything is a keeper, there's not a single superfluous moment. And every section could be imagined into its own expanded story, there's so much fascinating mythology packed into every act.

• what a story! Split into several acts full of exciting twists & turns. Even if you're not familiar with who the characters are you'll get a taste for what they represent due to the great story-telling. There's some rips off Star Wars (not a bad thing if done well and with its own unique take). From a science-fiction perspective we have to accept a healthy dose of disbelief-suspension: a lot of the space-action makes no gravitational sense, and Unicron's perceived size is all over the place. Fortunately, this chaos is charming rather than offputting.

• the tone is perfectly balanced: humour, darkness, epicness is all present, bouncing off each other like best friends.

• animation is fine, some may find it slightly jerky (due to modest frames-per-second movement of the action). I like how it fits stylistically. Imaginative designs everywhere you look. Bright bold primary colours abound. A generous amount of screenshot-friendly scenes (my favourite might be Unicron dropping Galvatron into his mouth haha).

• a soundtrack which has become cult. At first, you'll be forgiven for feeling some of those 80's poodle-hair rockers seem out of place in a sci-fi about warring robots. But after a few watches you're all in. Those heroism-summoning cheesy anthems fit after all! A whiskey or two helps, admittedly. Soundtrack also has a few eccentric numbers (even an Al Jankovic track) and some stirring synth-driven instrumentals.

• sound effects are crunchy & effective. Sound mix is fine.

• a ridiculously high-end cast for what Hasbro chiefs intended to be merely an extended promo for new toy lines. They give it their all, even Orson Welles (pitch-corrected analysis of his lines prove it was really him, despite his failing health). The large cast of characters are thus instantly memorable, and very individual (unlike a lot of animes where many characters blend into each other as they're designed & performed in similar ways).

• the dialogue is functional at times (we are talking about cartoon robots, after all) yet there's also a big helping of quality lines which add so much memorability, and 'character', to the experience. So many to choose from: "Your bargaining posture is highly dubious.", aligned with what we're seeing on the screen at the time, is a classic!

• BAA-WHEEP-GRANA-WHEEP-NINIBONG!

I can't find a single thing wrong with this flick. And it feels weighty & substantial enough to deserve that rare 10.

For reference, other high-scoring cartoon films are the 9/10 Watership Down & Akira. Mayhap they'll bump to a 10 upon next-watch. I rewatch favourites every 5-10 years, so not too often. I think this latest Transformers: The Movie watch is only the third time I've seen it since the turn of the millennium. I had rated it as a 9/10 before, with this latest viewing being totally thrilling and utterly satisfying. Has to be a 10 now.

Bluray note: this was the first time I've seen it in HD, and wide-screen (30th-Anniversary Bluray Release, also has the original full-frame ratio). I was sceptical about the widescreen as it chops off bits at the top & bottom. But it worked well! Intimate angles, cinematic vibes. Only a couple of moments missed the original image, no biggie. Overall picture-quality is great. There's a bunch of nice extras, some legacy interviews pulled from the 2006 DVD release. What comes across is that the producers, writers & cast really saw this as an artistic passion project...and it shows in the end product!

This Outstanding animated movie is an absolute treasure from my childhood. I used to watch this on video over & over again & even now in 2021 its still Absolutely Amazing to me. Truly an animated MASTERPIECE. Transformers boasts a fantastic Rockin' soundtrack that i love.

The impact of this incredibly magical movie to me is deep rooted in my soul!!! I was a little boy & the music (greatest 80's masterpiece soundtrack ever) touched my soul,& the heroic characters & the theme of taking a stand against evil all hit me in the heart. I'm a good person because i had this movie for guidance (as well as Toy Story 1995) as a little one. Today's generation will never know the importance & impact this movie had on us 80's kids.

A big part of my childhood was watching Transformers the movie & Robotix the movie over & over again, both Classic 80's animated films that i adored on video. Of course Transformers was the better movie but Robotix was damn good & similar.

I grew up during those beautiful times when Transformers & Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles & G. I joe & Ghostbusters ruled. I was obsessed with the mighty leader of the Autobots, OPTIMUS PRIME & played with the toys constantly so this beautiful animated movie means alot to me & i have huge Nostalgia love for it.

The animation is beyond belief. Still the greatest animation I've ever seen & a million times better than all the CGI movies of today in my opinion & a million times better than the mega budget crappy "Bayformers" films, those are terrible except for Bumblebee's own movie. This animated Classic has a darkness to it in it's look & mood that makes it standout as the greatest Transformers movie ever made.

The voice work is so perfect & so Nostalgic & so important to us who grew up with this beautiful work of Art. An epic story about Good (Autobots) Vs Bad (Decepticons) & an even bigger threat that's Evil (Unicron) all told in beautiful artwork with a rockin' soundtrack & such memorable moments, Prime vs Magatron, what a fight scene. Springer stands out as a great character with such a great heroic voice. Arcee a strong female robot character that can hold her own. The adventures of young Hotrod & old timer Kup as they get lost accross the galaxy. The optimistic voice work of OPTIMUS PRIME, the heroic nature of the Autobots, the Junk planet, the darkness of Unicron & his iconic voice by Orson Wells, the beautiful Colours of the movie, the striking visuals of everything on screen.

This animated sci-fi epic is as much an emotional ride as it is an action-packed adventure.

Yes i cried when Prime got it bad.

I was shocked at all the famous characters getting killed off & it gave a sense of danger & uncertainty to the movie that anything can happen & the stakes are high.

I love the music which is now iconic all the iconic & Classic characters like Arcee, Jazz, Hotrod, Kup , Prime, Ultra Magnus, Grimlock, Soundwave, Unicron, Magatron, Bumblebee, Springer & so many more with their Classic voices. Love this action-packed Sci-fi adventure.

A stroke of genius is this movie & a huge important part of my childhood.

Transformers the movie is one of my all time favourite films & is in my top 5 with Ghostbusters 2, Dragnet, Men In Black & The Fog (1980).

A MASTERPIECE.

I was a huge fan of Transformers as a kid, along with Star Wars and I hate myself for selling all my toys at car-boot sales (yard sales to those who think it means selling car parts) because it severed a conn between the me now and the me then.

This film though makes me feel like an 8 year old again and it does bring a tear to my eye!

I have now got the original 1st series on DVD special edition also and it all is still damned fine!

Great movie with lots of errors both animation, continuity, etc, etc. Even though the movie was great, nobody wants the hero Optimus Prime to die, and be replaced by some punk kid, no matter how pretty he may be in car mode...Classic film that will never be forgotten by all the kids of the eighties.

Transformers The Movie has got to be one of the best movies made. EVER. Sure, as a kid i was obsessed with these giant robots that turned into cars, guns, stereos, etc. But it wasn't till years later that i found an old beaten up version of the movie on VHS that it came to my attention how good this movie is! It's got everything, death, rebirth, love (kinda...), planet sized robots, the works. Oh, and it was Orson Wells' last movie. Bit of trivia there. Yeah, fair enough, it doesn't look as good as some of the new movies like The Incredibles, Toy Story and all that, but when you see the animation of Optimus Prime transforming mid jump and plugging five Decepticons mid fall, you ain't seen ANYTHING!

As a transformers collector, I am a little biased in my opinions, but this is the best 80's animation available. A working, intelligent plot, well placed humor, and good animation set this miles away from any animation of the time. This is one movie I recommend seeing. This movie is about the transformers, a group of intelligent, living machines with the ability to change into other machines by rearanging their external parts. The transformers are divided into two groups, the power hungry decepticons, and the goodwilling autobots. They are both faced with the same problem, a planet sized robot, unicron, appears and threatens their homeworld just as the autobot's leader, Optimus Prime, Is shot to death by the decepticons' leader, megatron. Then, as all hope is lost, the autobot's matrix of leadership surfaces, and is in the control of the famed Ultra Magnus, who is promptly killed. The matrix is passed onto Hot Rod, who is unwilling to use it, even if it means that Cybertron will be destroyed. As all of this is happening, several of the Decepticons are upgraded by unicron, and are much more powerful.

You need to see this movie, just put the fact that its a cartoon and their talking walking robots behind you and just be captivated by the amazing story, cheesy 80's music and brilliant 1 liners.

This is a film that you should not show your children until they're at least 10, its far to violent for youngsters, because this film is made buy adults, adults who really, really want to make a great film that they, and their kids, would want to watch. it has brutal fight scenes, robots dyeing and even swear words.

You can tell the amount of hard work that has gone into making this film, from the detailed fight scenes, the lush scenery to the interrogate 'eating planet' scenes. A brilliantly directed film, please please take in the way its 'animationly' shot, if the live action film thats being made at the moment is half of what this film is, it will be a success and a miracle, i guaranty we will not see a film like this again for a very long time.

watch it!

I just saw this movie for the first time since I was 11 and it's still the best dam 80's cartoon ever. The movie had a killer soundtrack and and very good plot outline. It was good way to introduce the people to the new transformer's that were coming out and another way to say good bye to the old transformers. It star's young Judd Nelson as the voice of Hot Rod. Spock from Star Trek as Galvatron and the late great Orson Wells as Unicron the planet eating robot. Seeing this movie for the first time in 14 years made me realize how much I loved watch the show and the T.V. show. I do recommend watching this movie if your a fan it'll be worth it.

The first time I saw this movie it totally blew me away (and I was only 10 at the time) This was for a couple of reasons. 1.) The battle of Autobot City culminating in the death of Optimus Prime and 2.) The introduction of a whole new generation of characters. The producers have done an excellent job of taking the TV series and making a full length feature out of it, and when I say it is inspirational, I mean just that. It's just simple good vs. evil, two absolutes. You're on one side, or the other. The animation is brilliant, and the music just fits in so well its amazing. Vince Dicola's instrumental pieces really capture the feeling of the scene, and Stan Bush's "The Touch" & "Dare" really do inspire.

Back to the movie, and I think the best thing about it, which is also its only downfall, was the death of so many well-known characters - Ironhide, Wheeljack etc. and of course Optimus Prime. This lead the way for a whole new generation, which I personally loved. Suddenly the series got so much darker, more serious and definately more cooler. But it wasn't what people wanted, and the series was cancelled. The movie does an excellent job of integrating the newcomers- Hot Rod, Kup, Ultramagnus, Galvatron, Cyclonus- and the whole thing is just fun besides. I mean the idea of battling a monster planet which transformers into an absolutely monstrous robot is so cool!

Top scenes would include the Battle at Autobot city (5 mins into the film) Galvatron and Hot Rod's battle inside Unicron (when Hot Rod opens the Matrix!) and Hot Rod and Kup before the Quintesson judges.

An excellent movie, and definately one of my all time favourites!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

I'm going to go through the most common criticisms for this film:

1) They killed off the main cast.

This is more something that angered 80's fans. Most people today would call it bold. There's a gravity to it... that later seasons of the cartoon decided to contradict that by bringing them back to like. However, they still managed to respect Optimus' death. Sort of life Gandalf the Grey coming back as Gandalf the White, his death in this movie was a setup for a victorious return.

2) The animation is cheap.

Computer-animating those shots to such detail would have already been a nightmare, so imagine how much manpower was put to bringing them to life by hand?

3) There is no plot.

The purpose of this film isn't to confuse little children with complex twists. The purpose was to expand The Transformers universe with an intergalactic adventure, depicting the fictional societies, politics, and technologies of several alien races, obviously including the titular Transformers.

4) There is no character growth.

Hot Rod was a young, innocent, but impulsive soldier who got Optimus killed. Optimus left the Matrix with Ultra Magnus, whose tactical leadership style is invaluable to the Autobot cause, but he would later find that the Matrix was never his to use. Meanwhile, Starscream usurps the Decepticon leadership from his injured commander, but Megatron is reborn as Galvatron, an almighty warrior who gradually admits to himself that he is only a pathetic slave to Unicron. The prodigy Hot Rod returns as Rodimus Prime and redeems himself by unleashing the light of the Matrix and destroying Unicron. That growth is pretty philosophical.

5) There is no dramatic tone.

If you didn't react when the movie opened with Unicron devouring a planet, when Optimus died, when Galvatron finally executed Starscream, when Daniel thought his father died, when Unicron transformed into a giant robot, when Galvatron failed to use the Matrix to escape Unicron's control, or when Hot Rod became Rodimus Prime and blew up Unicron, you must be no fun to talk to.

Obviously, I'm also going to praise the excellent voice cast, the spunky rock soundtrack, some of the best one-liners I've ever heard, and the overall fun of the movie.

like everybody else in these user comments, i too used too play with transformers action figures. it's too bad they don't make cartoons like they used to. i sometimes see my little cousin (4 years old) watch cartoons and they're so soft nowadays! no action, no humor just educational cartoons... what the hell happened in all those years? ren & stimpy, beavis and butt-head, G.I. JOE, the transformers where have they gone? well anyway... back to this movie. i've watched a lot of movies in my days, but i can tell you... if there is one movie i've watched over and over till the tape freaking caught fire, it's this one. to this day i still watch this movie from time to time (on DVD now of course) but to say i could recommend it to everybody would be out of the question, because for some of us (including me) this movie has a special place in our hearts because we grew up with it. younger people wouldn't understand.

one scene really was burned into my brain... the death of "starscream" my most favorite character in the series. I still get choked up when i watch the movie today. even the person who was behind the voice of starscream has past away. therefore we will never get the REAL starscream back, so when the new movie comes out, they have a lot to live up to!