Transformers
Transformers is a 2007 live action film based on the Transformers franchise, directed by Michael Bay and executive produced by Steven Spielberg. It stars Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox as teenagers Sam Witwicky and Mikaela Banes, who become embroiled in the war between the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons. Sam has the map to the Allspark, which grants the bearer power over mechanical life. The film also stars Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Jon Voight and John Turturro, as well as Peter Cullen as the voice of Optimus Prime and Hugo Weaving as the voice of Megatron. Cullen voiced Optimus in the 1980s cartoon, and returned by fan demand.
Producers Don Murphy and Tom DeSanto developed the film, and Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman wrote the script, all aiming for a realistic interpretation of the characters. Though not a fan, Michael Bay was convinced by Steven Spielberg to direct as his first family film. His direction led to a new intricate design aesthetic for the computer-generated Transformers. Armed with an enormous marketing campaign including comics, toys and tie-in deals, Transformers opened in the United States on July 2, 2007, and broke the box office record for the highest-grossing opening week for a non-sequel. It recieved praise for its special effects, though it was accused of favoring action over characterization. Two sequels are currently in development.
Plot
The film begins with the history of Cybertron’s destruction at the hands of Megatron, and his quest to attain the Allspark. Megatron discovers the Allspark on Earth, but crash lands in the Arctic Circle, becoming frozen in the ice. Captain Archibald Witwicky, and his crew of explorers, stumbles upon Megatron’s body in the late 19th century. Megatron’s navigational system is turned on, and Archibald’s eye glasses are imprinted with coordinates to the location of the Allspark. The United States discovers the Allspark and builds the Hoover Dam around it to mask the energy signal. The still-frozen Megatron is moved into this facility, and is used to further advance human technology.
In present day, the rest of the Decepticons — Blackout, Scorponok, Frenzy, Barricade, Starscream, Bonecrusher, and Devastator — have already landed on Earth and assumed the disguise of Earth vehicles. Blackout and Scorponok attack a US military base in Qatar, in an effort to use the military database to discover Megatron’s location and the location of the Allspark, but they do not succeed.
The Autonomous Robotic Life Form (shortened to Autobot) known as Bumblebee is also on Earth, and looking for Sam Witwicky, the great-great-grandson of Captain Archibald Witwicky. As soon as he locates Sam, the two quickly begin to bond as Bumblebee helps Sam try and woo Mikaela Banes; Sam is unaware of the fact that Bumblebee is an alien, until he witnesses Bumblebee transform and send out a homing signal for the rest of the Autobots. After Blackout’s failure, Frenzy boards Air Force One and discovers Sam is in possession of a map that will lead the Decepticons to the Allspark. Frenzy and Barricade begin tracking Sam’s location.
Barricade confronts Sam, demanding Sam’s grandfather’s glasses. Bumblebee, who was following Sam, transforms and battles Barricade. Mikaela, who was also following Sam, is caught in the middle of the action, and leaves with Sam and Bumblebee to go meet the rest of the Autobots. The Autobots — Optimus Prime, Jazz, Ironhide, and Ratchet — land on Earth and take on the forms of several Earth vehicles. Sam, Mikaela, and the Autobots return to Sam’s home to retrieve the eye glasses with the map to the Allspark. A top-secret government agency, called Sector 7, arrives to take Sam and Mikaela into custody. Bumblebee is also apprehended, against the pleas of Sam who assures the government agents that he is not going to hurt anyone.
Frenzy secretly accompanies the group to the Hoover Dam, and releases Megatron from suspended animation. Locating the Allspark, Frenzy sends out an alert to the rest of the Decepticons. With Megatron released, Sam convinces the Sector 7 agents to release Bumblebee, so that he can get the Allspark to Optimus Prime. The Decepticons chase the Autobots, who now posses the Allspark, into a neighboring city. An ensuing battle causes casualties for both sides, with Sam destroying Megatron and the Allspark when he plugs the Allspark into Megatron’s chest. The remains of the Decepticons are dropped into the Laurentian Abyss. The Autobots decide to stay on Earth, and Optimus sends out a signal across space in an effort to locate any surviving Autobots. Starscream, one of the Decepticons that survived the battle, leaves Earth.