Transformers is a 2007 American science fiction action film based on Hasbro's toy line of the same name. It is the first installment in the Transformers live-action film series. The film is directed by Michael Bay from a screenplay by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman. It stars Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky, a teenager who gets caught up in a war between the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, two factions of alien robots who can disguise themselves by transforming into everyday machinery, primarily vehicles. The Autobots intend to retrieve and use the AllSpark, the powerful artifact that created their robotic race that is on Earth, to rebuild their home planet Cybertron and end the war, while the Decepticons have the intention of using it to build an army by giving life to the machines of Earth. Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Anderson, Megan Fox, Rachael Taylor, John Turturro and Jon Voight also star, while Peter Cullen and Hugo Weaving voice Optimus Prime and Megatron, respectively. The film also marks the final appearance of Bernie Mac before his death in 2008.
Don Murphy was initially interested in developing a G.I. Joe film, but then decided to develop a Transformers film after the United States went to war against Iraq in 2003. Murphy and Tom DeSanto developed the project in 2003, and DeSanto wrote a treatment. Steven Spielberg came on board as executive producer the following year, hiring Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman to write the screenplay. The U.S. Armed Forces and General Motors loaned vehicles and aircraft during filming, which saved money for the production and added realism to the battle scenes. Hasbro's promotional campaign for the film included deals with various companies; advertising included a viral marketing campaign, coordinated releases of prequel comic books, toys, and books, as well as product placement deals with companies such as General Motors, Burger King, and eBay.
Transformers premiered on June 10, 2007, at the N Seoul Tower in Seoul, and was released on July 3 in the United States, by Paramount Pictures. The film became the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2007, grossing over $709 million worldwide, with an estimated 46 million tickets sold in the United States. It received mixed to positive reviews from critics, who praised the film for the action sequences, visual effects, sound design, LaBeouf's performance, and Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime, but criticized the screen time for certain characters, and use of product placement and they were divided over the Transformer redesigns. The film won four awards from the Visual Effects Society and was nominated for Best Sound Editing, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Visual Effects at the 80th Academy Awards.
The film was followed by four sequels: Revenge of the Fallen (2009), Dark of the Moon (2011), Age of Extinction (2014), and The Last Knight (2017). Two spin-off prequels, Bumblebee and Rise of the Beasts, were released in 2018 and 2023, respectively.
Storyline[]
The fate of humanity is at stake when two races of robots, the heroic Autobots and the villainous Decepticons, bring their war to Earth. The robots have the ability to change into different mechanical objects as they seek the key to ultimate power. Only a human youth, Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) can save the world from total destruction.
Also See[]
- Bumblebee (2018)
- Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)
- Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)
- Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)
- Transformers: The Last Knight (2017)
- Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
Sound Effects Used[]
- Hollywoodedge, Bottle Rocket 2 Picco PE098501
- Hollywoodedge, Bullet Bounces Off Fr PE114801
- Hollywoodedge, Bullet Impacts Metal FS013304
- Hollywoodedge, Claymore Anti Mine PE230101
- Hollywoodedge, Explosion Rock Debr EXP027101
- Hollywoodedge, Glass Breaks Medium FS024804
- Hollywoodedge, High Voltage Electri PE200401
- Hollywoodedge, Machine Gun Silence PE1010701
- Hollywoodedge, Machine Gun Silence PE1103601
- Hollywoodedge, Metal Hit WwhistleW CRT032001
- Hollywoodedge, Metal Shovel Hits Lon PE355001 (Heard when Megatron punches a roof.)
- Hollywoodedge, Metal Wronks Heavy FS016802 (Heard once shifting in volume when Ironhide and Bumblebee lift up a Furby delivery truck as a shield against the missiles that were fired by Starscream.)
- Hollywoodedge, Ice Cracking Large Cr PE353601
- Hollywoodedge, School Bell Long Ring PE193201
- Hollywoodedge, Screams 4 Man Gutwren PE134501
- Hollywoodedge, Single Bullet Impact PE236401
- Hollywoodedge, Sword Clanks Heavy Si FS031103 (Used when Bumblebee finish transforming.)
- Hollywoodedge, Winchester Rifle Coc PE090901/SoundBible, Shotgun Reload Old
- Jurassic Park, Velociraptor - Roar (Used once to accentuate an explosion.)
- Pro Sound Effects, Ship Horn, Giant, Low End Blast, Phat/TECHNICOLOR TUG BOAT HORN 01
- SKYWALKER, ALARM - KYLN BLARE
- SKYWALKER, ANIMAL - DILOPHOSAURUS CROAKING, SCREAMING
- SKYWALKER BULLET RICOCHET 03
- SKYWALKER, CAR - LIGHTNING MCQUEEN REVERTING V8 ENGINE (These sounds or very similar sounds are used for Barricade revving his engine when he's in car form before he transforms in front of Sam.)
- SKYWALKER, CAR - TIRES SQUEALING 01
- SKYWALKER, CAR - TRUCK TIRES SQUEALING
- SKYWALKER, CAR - VARIOUS TIRE SCREECHING
- SKYWALKER, CAR - VEHICLE HORN, 4 TIMES
- SKYWALKER, COMPUTER - KEYBOARD TYPING, OFFICE
- SKYWALKER, CRACK - ROCK OR EARTH CRACKING
- SKYWALKER, CRICKET - QUIET CRICKETS CHIRPING AT NIGHT
- SKYWALKER, DOOR - WOODEN DOOR; OPEN & CLOSE; CREAKING; VARIOUS
- SKYWALKER ELECTRICAL POP SOUND
- SKYWALKER, ELECTRICITY - BIG VARIOUS SPARKINGS
- SKYWALKER, ELECTRICITY - FORCE FIELD IMPACT
- SKYWALKER EXPLOSION 07 (A processed variant of this sound is used several times for the projectiles being fired by Scorponok during his attack on a town in Qatar.)
- SKYWALKER, EXPLOSION - BIG CRUNCH
- SKYWALKER, FOOTSTEP - OMNIDROID FOOTSTEPS
- SKYWALKER, JET - ARTOO'S ROCKET THRUSTERS
- SKYWALKER, JET - FAST PASS BY 01
- SKYWALKER, METAL - ABRUPT JERKING CLANK
- SKYWALKER, METAL - HEAVY, ECHOEY CLANG
- SKYWALKER, METAL - LOW-PITCHED, HOLLOW GROANING (Used once when Scorponok knocks over a metal tower before attacking a group of soldiers in Qatar.)
- SKYWALKER, METAL - MEDIUM-PITCHED GROANS, VARIOUS
- SKYWALKER, METAL - MEDIUM SIZE DOUBLE CLANK 01
- SKYWALKER, METAL - MEDIUM SIZE DOUBLE CLANK 03
- SKYWALKER, METAL - METAL CLANG OR HIT
- SKYWALKER, METAL - QUICK DOUBLE SQUEAK 01
- SKYWALKER, METAL - RAPID, SQUEAKY RATTLE
- SKYWALKER, METAL - SHORT, HEAVY METALLIC GROAN 01
- SKYWALKER, METAL - SHORT HEAVY RATTLING, RESONANT
- SKYWALKER, METAL - SHORT HOLLOW CLUNK
- SKYWALKER, METAL - SODA CAN CLATTERING
- SKYWALKER, METAL - TRAIN MECHANICS SCRAPING
- SKYWALKER, METAL - TRANSFORMER CLANGING
- SKYWALKER, METAL - VEHICLE UNDERCARRIAGE CLUNK (Heard once when Bumblebee's back wheels hit the ground after he drives through a window in a warehouse during the chase with Barricade.)
- SKYWALKER, MOTOR - ROBOT PROBE HYDRAULIC
- SKYWALKER POWERLINE SNAPPING SOUND
- SKYWALKER, SCI-FI - DREAMWORKS LOGO SEQUENCE 01
- SKYWALKER, SCI-FI - EVE'S GUN TELEMETRY (A slightly edited variant is used once sped-up in tempo for Barricade's headlights as they protrude out before he transforms in front of Sam.)
- SKYWALKER, SCI-FI - PARAMOUNT LOGO SEQUENCE 01
- SKYWALKER, SCI-FI - ROBOT PROBE'S EYE SENSOR
- SKYWALKER, SCI-FI GUN - MEGATRON'S FUSION CANNON SHOT (Debut.)
- SKYWALKER, SCI-FI GUN - POWERFUL SHOT
- SKYWALKER, SIREN - POLICE YELPER SIREN
- SKYWALKER SMALL POPPING SOUND
- SKYWALKER, TOY - FIRE TRUCK WAILING
- SKYWALKER, TRAIN - CONTROL LEVERS BEING ENGAGED (Heard once on the right channel in a slightly lower volume when Ironhide starts to transform before jumping over Mikaela.)
- SKYWALKER TV SMASHING SOUND
- SKYWALKER, WHOOSH - ARTILLERY FALL 01 (Heard in various different pitches, and in an edited reversed variant.)
- SoundDogs, Cars Various, Peel Out Skids: Maneuvering Series, Take 5, Curve, 180, Degree, Tire Screech, Skid On Turn, Loud, Close Up POV, Exterior (1st skid only.)
- SoundDogs, Metal, Rip, Crush, Hit, Glass/Sound Ideas, METAL, HIT - METAL IMPACT: SHARP RIPPING CRUNCH 02 (Heard when Megatron punches a roof.)
- SoundDogs, Train: Trains - Freight Cars Coupling Impact - MCU - Bg Engine Noise, Also Rattles, Clunks, Squeaks, & Creaks, All Coupling Related, Several Ambiance Changes (The 4th impact is used as a body impact sound for the robots.)
- Sound Ideas, AIRPLANE, JET - MILITARY FIGHTER JET: PASS BY 02 (Heard once when a missile flies by.)
- Sound Ideas, ANVIL - SINGLE HIT ON ANVIL WITH HAMMER, METAL 02
- Sound Ideas, CARTOON, BOING - JEW'S HARP BOING, SHORT 01
- Sound Ideas, ELECTRICITY, SPARK - HIGH VOLTAGE SPARK, ELECTRICAL 01
- Sound Ideas, ELECTRICITY, SPARK - HIGH VOLTAGE SPARK, ELECTRICAL 02 (Heard in various pitches.)
- Sound Ideas, GUN, SHOTGUN, FOLEY - FRANCHI, SPAS 12, 12 GAUGE AUTOLOADING SHOTGUN: PULL BREECH UP
- Sound Ideas, METAL, HIT - SHARP METAL HIT AND RATTLE, FOLEY
- Sound Ideas, RICOCHET - WHOOF TUBE RICCO (Needs clarification.)
- Sound Ideas, ROBOTICS - ROBOT: SERVO MOVEMENT 01
- Sound Ideas, SENSORS - SENSOR SWEEP OR RADAR, SCI FI 01
- Sound Ideas, TRUCK, HORN, AIR - AIR HORN, PASSES BY, DOPPLER EFFECT (The doppler horn from this track or a similar sound effect is used
- once as the horn on Optimus Prime before the final battle sequence begins.)
- Sound Ideas, TWANG, CARTOON - RUBBER BAND TWANG, SINGLE 01
- Sound Ideas, ZAP, CARTOON - LARGE, HIGH ENERGY ZAP, COMEDY 01
- TECHNICOLOR GLASS SHATTER 01
- TECHNICOLOR TIRE POP 01
- Transformers Transform Sound
- Wilhelm Scream (Can be heard in a very high pitch.)