I’m a child of the 80’s and I’m male. This usually meant two things: 1, you were a Transformers fan and 2, you loved GI Joe. I fit right into this thought process and so when I heard that the Transformers were being taken from pen and ink to full, in your face, live action I was downright eager to hate it. I was filled with so much trepidation for this affront to my childhood.

Michael Bay and Spielberg always turn out great movies, but usually all special effects laden and based around them. The story and acting are second to the CGI. Not like movies like Star Wars, Lord of the Rings or Chronicles of Narnia where the effects were there to enhance the grand scope of the work.

Shia LeBouf turns in a great performance as Witnicky. He’s even funny. But I wasn’t worried about him. I wasn’t worried about the real stars of the film: The Transformers.

My first annoyance, my childhood upset? Bumblebee. I know it’s sad to think I care about this so much, but he was a Volkswagon Bug!! I soon got over it. Starscream, by far my most favorite Transformer, didn’t look the same but he sure acted the same!

The robots, unlike other films in this sort of genre, weren’t just there. They HAD personalities. They were like real people, feeling things. It was wonderful and it captured every moment.

The action was fast and encapsulated an entire city, not just a block here and there. The bad guys were bad. The good guys were good and the humans had their roles and they worked. A lot of humor some tongue in cheek, some from the original series that only us old farts would get. They updated the speech for today’s youth, and lucky for us they didn’t use the majority of the new stuff that has come from the franchise in recent years. It stuck to the 80’s mantra.

A sequel will be on the horizon. I can’t wait for it. I don’t recommend the movie for younger children. It’s fast, lots of fighting, some language concerns, very loud and it’s too long for most children so err on the side of caution.