Can a Transformers’ film based on just the machines exist? I believe it is possible. The origin of the robots in disguise must adjust for the film world but, a very different film can happen.
I see these Michael Bay films and commend what they represent. The films are brave, creative, and breakdown the walls, with every technology opportunity.These movies are also one man’s vision of what a Transformers’ movies can achieve.
If you visit a site like Rotten Tomatoes, at http://www.rottentomatoes.com/, look up the first Transformer’s film, and at the ratings’ differences between the audience and the most popular critics. Their views are very different. When you see the disparity between audience members’ reviews, there is even more diversity. Moviegoers will have different opinions. It does continue a tradition.
This show thrives today as it did many years ago. This program continues to change and adapt for children and adults. The Transformers had a strong animated television program, in the past, and now presents a lighter show to entertain today’s generations.
In my personal belief, a different kind of cinematic experience can make the Transformers’ movies closer to their past-animated counterparts. It would be a different kind of movie, but a blockbuster.
The key is the direction to take with the new film, or films. In the end, like a Johnny Five, from the movie Short Circuit, or Chappie, from the movie Chappie, we all have to believe a robot exist that has emotion, personality, and purpose. They can advance into the future and a new existence.
Before I continue, what brought this on? Literally, the other day, I watched a show from 1985. It was an episode from Season 2 of the Transformers animated show. In the episode Sea Change, Sea Spray and the Autobots visit an alien world and prevent the Decepticons from taking over the planet. In the episode, Sea Spray falls for an alien, but human-like woman. It is so clear that a mutual love develops and an opportunity arises for the Transformer to enter a special lagoon and transform into a combination of an organic creature and robot. It comes down to a way he and this alien female can be together. The episode was insane. The idea that you can build a film with just the machines taking the lead seems very possible if their intent is to grow and change in the audiences’ eyes.
Where do you start? The Transformers are alien. The story can start in California. Why not follow a Bumblebee, or Optimus Prime as they lead the Autobots after they have crashed to Earth? They explore the planet, and run into humans that they keep at a distance. The Transformers can be clumsy and not so careful. A small group of people realizes Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, and so many other hidden Autobots, that cannot transform yet, exist.
This becomes an issue and local risk, at first, and these people see the robots as aliens invading, and on, Earth. Their voices can go unheard.
The audience sees these hidden robots, Autobots, adapt, and take the form of vehicles and devices that hide within human society. Optimus Prime or Bumblebee can be individuals in search of finding security for their family, or the close-knit group, of Autobots. They can search for a way to construct a shuttle to get back to their planet, or consider simply finding their new lives on Earth. However, these Autobots forget why they crashed. They are just happy in their new existence, find solace in secrecy, and the possibility of getting home.
One day, on a road, an Optimus Prime or Bumblebee, embraces the beauty of Earth. They realize this planet could be a good place for them to live and a place where they can coexist with humanity. No Autobot understands how they crashed on Earth.
Suddenly, a flying vehicle takes an interest in them, in their automotive form. This other vehicle can get to close to, and eventually assault them. This starts a small altercation, the introduction of the Decepticons, and the reality of their crash to this planet. The Autobots meet the Decepticons and only transform into robots in a secret place away from human eyes. Optimus Prime, or Bumblebee, understands a battle in space, between the Autobots and Decepticons, led them all to crash to Earth together. This is an extension of a civil war on their common planet of Cybertron.
At this point, Autobots and Decepticons engage in small battles in the public eye and get the reaction of more people. Hearsay and the media expose the Transformers. A few people, a small group, that remembered the Transformers before, follow these battles and must decide between two sides.
Some see Megatron, and his Decepticons pillage human society of their natural energy. They can realize Transformers, overall, are not good. Others may not see all of these machines as threats. These people find the side they can best relate. The public as a whole warns the United States military. The humans, willing to listen, with the Autobots can discover the Decepticons are robbing the planet of its resources.
These people can use their knowledge of the planet and natural energy to help the Autobots battle the Decepticons, and prevent their thievery.
A terrified public can lead the United States military into a direct confrontation with all the Transformers. The Autobots and Decepticons engage in a massive battle in the eye of the public. There can be plenty of human casualties. The Autobots become aware of this and disengage from battle before it becomes too big, and ruthless. At this point, the United States military attacks everyone and drives all of these robots to retreat. The Autobots go into hiding in their discovered, damaged, ship. The Decepticons hide for the moment, but Megatron, leader of the Decepticons, devises a plan for the Decepticons to get what they want from humanity.
These Decepticons take the form of machines with war bound intentions. Megatron introduces himself to the United States military. Megatron paints a picture for them of the Autobots as nuisances from another planet. He determines the Decepticons are a group that advances societies wherever they travel. Megatron knows not to allow humans to get a hold of Transformer technology.
He does offer to help advance their weapons, in his way, come to the aid of only the United States military in any battle they need against other countries, and promises to advance the popular technology in the country.
In return, Megatron wants to be able to have access to various natural resource sites all over the planet. He wants to establish factories; poison to humans and that only Decepticons can use, to develop advances in human technology.
In reality, the factories are a front to steal resources from the planet. The Decepticons plan to work in the shadows and establish silent, backdoor treaties with other countries and societies in order to put humans against other humans with this new weapons’ technology.They want to take energy from planet Earth so they can return to Cybertron, and leave the planet Earth in ruins. The military, the government, and so many other countries strike a deal with the Decepticons and start this path to destruction. A Bumblebee, or Optimus Prime can see all these things happening, in the background, but realize that if the Autobots engage the Decepticons this can only lead to more human lives ending. Unaware of the Decpeticons final purpose, they take a passive stance and decide to wait to see if the Decepticons’ plans will cause real harm. They will only use brute force if it is necessary. The Autobots have a last-ditch plan to end the Decpticons before they can cause real harm.
This is how the film would end. Is it good? Eh.
There is one critical question though.
Would these Decepticons be evil?
Early on in this film, a narration explains different Transformer creators developed the Autobots and Decepticons as balance keepers of the universe. One unknown creator made a group of transforming robots with the purpose of bringing peace and balance wherever they travel. Another creator developed Decepticons to use force, by any means necessary, to establish a peaceful universe. This can have implications. The Decepticons creator developed machines that were too intelligent and powerful. These Decepticons try to kill their creator. This Decpeticon creator left his machines to survive on their own. He escaped, and looked for a way to destroy the Decepticons, Autobots, and possibly more. These same free Decepticons traveled and encountered other alien races in the universe. While friendly, at first, these other races turned against the Decepticons because of their power and intelligence.
These Decepticons, without any creator’s guidance, and only Megatron’s experience, grew cold. They came to believe that in the end life destroys itself. They believe all creations that come to life will destroy one another, based on their encounters with their creator and other species. Therefore, all life must die. They play the role of destroying life before it has a chance to go bad. This establishes peace. In the end, they know to destroy themselves, but not before they take out everything else.
I do not know if any of the above is good. I know I wanted something very different from a Transformers’ film. These robots in disguise can lead; truly have humanity, and true purpose.
Wr Opinion 