The New Transformers Has Gone Downhill, So Have Its Cars

I am a robot and car enthusiast, but I do not have high expectations of the new Transformers. As such, I did not spend money on its ticket. Instead, I watched it as soon as it was made available on streaming platforms.

Unfortunately, the new installment was a huge disappointment. After Michael Bay left the Transformers franchise, I had hoped that the new directors and actors could breathe new life into it, but once again, I was let down.

Not only is the combat prowess of Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots, significantly reduced, but he is also easily defeated by the antagonists multiple times. Even Bumblebee, who had shown promise in the previous standalone film, has very limited screen time.

What is even more difficult for me to accept is that the cars featured in the new Transformers movie are drastically simplified.

Simplified Cars

The only thing in the new Transformers movie that left an impression on me is Phantom, whose car form is the Porsche 911 Carrera RS.

This car belongs to the 964-Generation Porsche 911, and its model is Carrera RS 3.8. Although the movie is set in North America, the RS 3.8 is exclusive only to Europe with just 55 units being produced, hence making it extremely rare. It is equipped with a 3.8L M64 turbocharged six-cylinder engine, a wide body like the Turbo model, and a double-layer rear wing.

This rare model was not used for filming. Instead, five regular 911s were modified for special shots, car jumps, and quick reversing scenes. In fact, in the original 1984 version of the Transformers animated series, Phantom was a Ligier JS11 Formula 1 race car. However, it was replaced with 911 as it would be too conspicuous on the roads.

Besides Phantom, Bumblebee was changed from the Beetle in the previous movie to a 1977 Chevrolet Camaro, which is indeed a classic model. Such a move serves a greater purpose of evoking a sense of nostalgia. What I mean is, seeing a vintage car in the movie makes you feel the passage of time, but it does not necessarily make you want to own it.

Classic Car Models in Transformers (2007)

Compared with the new Transformers, the introduction of various Autobots and Decepticons in the original movie from 16 years ago left a strong impression on me. Even now, when I revisit this classic film, I still find the featured cars very cool and would love to own all of them.

Dear readers, if you have made it thus far, it is evident that you must be a Transformers fan. However, you may not remember all the details from the movie released 16 years ago. To complete this article, I revisited the older film and found that it still manages to move me deeply even till today. Here is the list of car models from the movie that have attracted me:

1.08 Chevrolet Camaro
First and foremost, the protagonist Sam (portrayed by Shia LaBeouf) has a good friend named Bumblebee, which takes the form of a '08 Chevrolet Camaro. Bumblebee develops a strong bond with Sam in the movie. Despite its small size, the former has a big heart and mischievous personality. The film's successful portrayal of Bumblebee's character contributed to the immense popularity of this car model back in those days.

2.Mustang Saleen S281

The antagonist, Barricade, is a ruthless killer. Its car form resembles the Ford Mustang Saleen S281 used by the police. Despite being just a minor character in the Decepticon camp, it can be intimidating due to its similarity to a police car in terms of appearance. Soon after its appearance, Barricade gets defeated by Bumblebee.

3.Pontiac Solstice Killer 3

When Optimus Prime calls the Autobots to Earth, their grand entrance which is accompanied by epic music creates a historical feel and becomes the climax of the first half of the movie. Among the Autobots who arrived during this period, my favorite character is Jazz. Perhaps because I am a sports car enthusiast, Jazz's sleek and stylish car form of Pontiac Solstice Killer 3 appeals to me the most.
To be honest, Jazz's car model was not very popular back then. The century-old Pontiac was a brand under America’s General Motors. It was discontinued and restructured a few years ago due to various reasons. Despite the car model's low popularity, Jazz's cool demeanor and agility when transformed into the Pontiac Solstice still capture the hearts of many Transformers fans, especially those who share a passion for sports cars.

In the movie, Jazz's fate is tragic. He makes a brave sacrifice and gets torn in half by Megatron.

At that time, many people thought that this car was too small (no wonder it can be easily torn apart by Megatron) and did not fit the rugged style of Americans. Overall, its body had a very rounded appearance with soft and smooth edges. However, as time passed, people's aesthetic tastes changed, and the car's weaknesses gradually became its strengths. This shift in perception made this car model highly sought-after in the second-hand market.

4. Peterbilt 389

As for the Autobot leader, Optimus Prime, his car form is a Peterbilt 389. To be honest, although I am a car enthusiast, I have never had the opportunity to drive a truck, so I do not have much knowledge about this particular model. Nevertheless, the first transformation of Optimus Prime is undeniably one of the most awe-inspiring cinematic experiences in my life.

According to Industrial Light & Magic (ILM), the company responsible for the special effects in Transformers, the transformation of Optimus Prime is the most challenging scene in the movie. Optimus Prime consists of thousands of components. Some of which are instantly recognizable, like those found under the hood of a regular car. After the animation process, lighting and texture rendering were added to better blend them in with the background. External effects like smoke, dust, and sparks were also incorporated to make the "Transformers" harmonize better with the real environment and appear more realistic.

Optimus Prime's transformation lasts almost a minute. If you revisit the old Transformers film, you will notice that its director, Michael Bay, laid ample emotional groundwork for every appearance of the robots and cars. These emotionally engaging moments are likely crucial to the film's success.

The key lies in how Michael Bay made the cars look cooler but not in the cars themselves.

What makes the older version of Transformers so good?

It is not just about the movie's duration. Transformers (2007) runs for 144 minutes, while Transformers (2023) is 127 minutes long. Despite only a 17-minute difference, the actual viewing experiences are vastly distinct. Transformers (2007) boasts excellent pace and features both intense battles and emotional connections between humans and Autobots. On the other hand, Transformers (2023) feels rushed by attempting to tell many stories but viewers end up not understanding any of them.

It is also not about the comedy and action scenes. Transformers (2023) features large quantities of comedic elements and grand action sequences, and with more advanced technologies as compared to in 2007, it will undoubtedly have better visual effects. Moreover, modern screenwriters will also find it easier to meet the laughter threshold of their audience. Therefore, the problem does not lie in these aspects.

After comparing the two movies, it is evident that the older version had put much more effort into portraying the relationship between humans and the Transformers. In Transformers (2007), the emotional connections between humans and the cars, as well as between humans and the Transformers, were handled much better than in this year's new film.

For instance, in the opening scene of the original movie, Sam’s father wants to buy him a car. He plays a joke on Sam by driving past a Porsche dealership in his car with his son before stopping at a second-hand car shop, taking Sam through a whirlwind of emotions from excitement to disappointment. Finally, they settle on an old Chevrolet Camaro (which is actually a Transformer). This storytelling setup is effective because beneath the comedic surface, it introduces robots into the story and conveys a lot of information to the audience. We see that the father drives a beautiful convertible but cannot afford a Porsche, which implies that they are a middle-class family with a passion for cars. We can also see Sam's love for cars shining through.

In the next scene, Sam meets Mikaela, the female lead portrayed by Megan Fox. Suddenly, his car breaks down, and Mikaela skillfully opens the hood in an attempt to repair the car. This scene is also effective because it not only showcases Mikaela's character and sets her apart from other typical girls, but it also reveals her love for cars. Did you notice something? In the first two scenes of the movie, both the male and female leads are portrayed as car enthusiasts. This highlights one of the movie's themes—cars.

If I were the screenwriter, I might have arranged for Bumblebee’s transformation next. However, the director was very patient with the movie’s developments and allowed for interactions between Sam and Mikaela while occasionally featuring the Chevrolet Camaro, which strengthened their emotional connection. It is only after nearly an hour into the movie that one of the movie’s main characters, Bumblebee, finally makes its debut after transforming from the Chevrolet Camaro.

Do note that after Bumblebee's transformation, the focus returns to Sam and Mikaela. This approach allows the audience to observe the developments from a human perspective, thereby enhancing their sense of immersion. It also underscores the director's consistent effort of keeping humans as the center of the story.

It is worth mentioning that the involvement of the military is also a highlight of Transformers (2007). It not only intensifies the battles but also makes them more realistic and further emphasizes the role of humans.

In comparison, Transformers (2023) lacks a strong emotional connection between humans and the cars. The male protagonist encounters the robots only to steal cars for financial gains. The female lead is a historian who has no interest in cars. Furthermore, the role of humans are significantly diminished, with both main characters having little presence. Additionally, there are numerous plot holes. For instance, it is highly illogical for the warring factions’ military forces to be absent in the final major battle that takes place on Earth and concerns the safety of human race.

The Decline of Hollywood

In recent years, high-quality Hollywood movies are becoming increasingly rare. It appears that Hollywood has lost interest in depicting stories about the lives of ordinary people.

In Transformers (2023), the powerful Transformers themselves become the real protagonists, while humans are only briefly accounted for and even the emotional connections between the Transformers are downplayed. Similar issues exist in other Hollywood movies from the past couple of years, such as Ant-Man 3, Black Panther 2, and The Flash.

In Ant-Man 3, each member of Ant-Man's family possesses superpowers. They are the main opposing force and other characters are rendered insignificant. In Black Panther 2, the new Black Panther leads dozens of heroes to end the war between the two nations on a large ship, leaving no room for ordinary citizens to play any role. The protagonists in these superhero movies have incredible superpowers and their battles against villains become the highlight. As such, the emotional bonds between characters and logic in the storytelling are neglected.

This is probably the result of the synergy between movie producers and the audiences. High-level executives of movie production companies may possibly think, "Since the movie is titled Transformers, why include so many human characters?" These companies may also conduct surveys with the audience, who might express their preference for the stories to be focused on the Transformers or superheroes. Given this vicious cycle, movie studios gradually begin to believe that simpler stories are more appealing, while well-thought-out ones are time-consuming and do not significantly contribute to box office successes.

In the current age of data fragmentation, people are becoming increasingly impatient, and this is likely a major trend that is unavoidable. However, I remain optimistic and hope that Hollywood will someday value storytelling once again.

As acclaimed Hollywood director Quentin Tarantino has repeatedly emphasized, movies are all about "story, story, story". Only with a good story can a movie truly touch and captivate the hearts of its audiences.