Bumblebee spoilers: A robot roll-call of classic Transformers

Discussion in 'Transformers Movie Discussion' started by AzT, Dec 22, 2018.

  1. Onslaught Phase 2

    Onslaught Phase 2 Know my name and fear it!

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    Just saiyan, making fans (or people suffer) by neglect and incompetence still counts!
    I enjoyed TF1 and 2 (dumb and fun in a good way), and I think some of the designs were great for the movie, but DOTM+ they started getting exceedingly bloated and insulting in the story telling because Michael Bay (and his team?) just clearly didn't care.
    And it's not even an excuse to say "oh it's a summer flick movie it can be dumb." Marvel has been cranking out consistently solid movies with super heroes by comparison.

    The transition from AOE to TLK just really highlights all the issues and laziness that have been present in previous movies, but it's just so blatant that you can't ignore it:
    1. Why is megatron now a space viking? Ie, wtf happened to galvatron? (FYI, love this design)
    2. Why is BB now back to looking like he did in dotm?
    3. Why can BB disassemble himself and reassemble himself?
    4. Why does grimlock explode up out of the ground for no reason, never to be seen again? He can burrow?
    5. Why does a giant dragon attack people by crashing and rolling over a battlefield?
    6. Why are humans even thinking of working with Decepticons after all the years of interaction, they really still think the autobots are worse than decepticons and should be trusted?

    Points 4&5 are just examples of terrible story boarding or something. "Let's record this explosion and in post we'll make a dinobot come out of there" "out of the ground?" "YEAH SURE WHY NOT!"
    "this is the only shot we have for this giant battle with knights. but we don't have any practical fire effects, what should we do?" "We'll make him flight in and barrel roll over everyone!! Dragons always do this!"
    DOTM with all the completely extraneous bloat for jump sequence. MB - "WE NEED THIS IN HERE, SO COOL, let's make everything revolve around it!"

    These are just things that stuck with me from when I saw it in the theater. Ultimately I left the movie feeling like Bay can't remember wtf he's doing ever, and that he doesn't even have to try, because he doesn't care what he's making and people will still pay to see it. Which i guess wasn't the case given how bad TLK performed, and deservedly so.

    Seriously, he needs to never make one of these again -- I thank him for rejuvenating the brand with the (early) movies but he clearly gives 0 shits about the property now and needs to be kept away.

    Hahah, all that is to say, this particular statement of yours triggered me so hard I just had to respond.
     
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  2. Digger

    Digger Banned

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    Oh yeah these movies are all dumb and stupid. I won’t deny that. And all the points you make are valid. Except that most marvel films have at least some intent to be cool films because of creative drive. Well except dark world and ant man and the wasp. These transformers films got lazier and lazier. On almost all accounts. Granted I don’t see all of them exactly worse after another. My rankings are AoE, DotM, 07, RotF and TLK from worst to best. But Michael Bay didn’t really care. He didn’t want to hurt anyone. That’s the point I’m trying to make here. There’s a difference here in intent. Also I don’t know Michael Bay as a person. How should I know what he was trying to do? I’m just trying to be fair and give the benefit of the doubt.
     
  3. Kurome

    Kurome Well-Known Member

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    Dude!this is all my thoughts compiled into a very successful batch of sentences, couldn't have said it better myself thank you!! I agree with every single word you just said
     
  4. transf0

    transf0 “Well Connected” The GOAT

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    Disagree. He wouldn't sit down with Knight for hours explaining his philosophy on Transformers if he didn't care about it anymore.
     
  5. Digger

    Digger Banned

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    Source?
     
  6. Blitz.

    Blitz. Well-Known Member

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    I like how without looking at the text I can 10/10 know who everyone is regardless of angle, motion blurr etc. I know some people dislike G1 but good design is about more then nostalgia
     
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  7. transf0

    transf0 “Well Connected” The GOAT

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    Me knowing them personally.
    But also this:
    ""From a director's perspective he was a dream producer," Knight says of Bay. "We sat down early on and it was great for me, director to director, to pick his brain, to get a sense of his philosophy on the Transformers. He was really respectful and recognized this was someone else's movie, my take on these characters, and the best thing that he could do was to support me and protect me. He let me do my thing, and I'm really appreciative of it.""
    Bumblebee director on replacing Michael Bay: 'I couldn't go bigger'
     
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2018
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  8. Transformers Database

    Transformers Database Ramdeen Studios

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    46657496_367868023966830_8093495009953833795_n.jpg
     
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  9. Digger

    Digger Banned

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    Oh wow thanks that was really helpful. Makes a lot of sense.
     
  10. kaiserlisk

    kaiserlisk Squid Kid

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    I came into the fandom through Bayverse's insane aesthetics, but I still really enjoyed seeing these G1 designs brought to life in the opening. There's definitely a design shift here but for the most part, I feel the designs can mesh naturally with previous Bayverse renditions, although they feel more focused and refined. The Seekers are a perfect hybridization of G1 and Bayverse sensibilities(I hope we also get tetrajet toys), but Soundwave and Shockwave take it a little too far to the point of feeling toyish, like Shockwave's legs. Optimus also pushes it just a little, but he still hits the right marks for me. Face-wise, I like that they DON'T go for "liquid-metal" faces. That would've taken me out of this entirely. If anything, I appreciate how the design evolution make them feel more like truly robotic beings than previous films; it feels refreshing. If this is truly shaping to be a reboot for the franchise, I hope they continue down this aesthetic direction.

    Interesting note: Arcee's arms, or her biceps at least, seem to be recycled from Shatter's. Her forearms might also be reused with different armor plating, but I have no good references for that.
     
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  11. Maximus Danz

    Maximus Danz Trying to achieve something

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    Full list of bots:

    Autobots:
    Optimus Prime
    Bumblebee
    Wheeljack
    Arcee
    Cliffjumper
    Brawn
    Ratchet or Prowl (It is really hard to tell)

    Decepticons:
    Dropkick
    Shatter
    Shockwave
    Soundwave
    Ravage
    Starscream
    Thundercracker
    Skywarp
    Blitzwing (Generic seeker)
    Generic seekers
     
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  12. Decepticons

    Decepticons B∆K. Bug-a-Boo Ghost.

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    The Autobots all look pretty good from what we can see in these screenshots, the minor exception being Arcee and the best being Wheeljack.

    Despite being the best 'Con design on Cybertron in my opinion, I think Shockwave could definitely use a refinement, specifically on his torso and head to make them less... I don't know rectangular I guess. Soundwave is very chunky and I'd much prefer a more sleek version, but my main issue is his head; it's too boxy and his faceplate would look better smooth like Prime's.

    All of this moves into nitpicky territory, but I do like these designs and would like to seem them improved upon, taking more liberties but still retaining that recognition.

    That was most definitely Ratchet.
     
    Last edited: Dec 24, 2018
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  13. myrrh

    myrrh Knell-Mown Wember

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    ...us too, travis, us too...
     
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  14. Dinobot Snarl

    Dinobot Snarl Well-Known Member

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    I read that too, but in reality Travis is responsible for making Transformers look like Transformers Bay refused to listen to fans feedback.

    Full size 1545520560743.jpg 1545519970919.jpg 1545519830115.jpg
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 25, 2018
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  15. Snaku

    Snaku Primes Don't Party

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    Ebay:
    Yeah?! Well f*** you, buddy! You and your *reads post again* ... Huh. You didn't really say anything insulting there, did you? So.. uh, cool, I guess.

    .......... No! Not cool! I'm still offended somehow! You suck! I hope you get a paper cut! And then spill lemon juice or something on it!
     
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  16. Digger

    Digger Banned

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    ;) 
     
  17. Rodimus Maximus

    Rodimus Maximus Liege Ultimo

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    At the risk of generalizing my fellow Bay-verse 'Averse' fans, it's Bay's philosophy we care nothing for. Imo, his 'philosophy' about the franchise is what created this awful schism in fandom in the first place.
     
  18. Angry Camaro

    Angry Camaro Human Alliance

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    Hard to imagine that (technically - don\'t correct me) this Wheeljack becomes Que/Wheeljack. He\'s aged fast.
     
  19. Tetratron

    Tetratron AEColyte

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    I didn't even know Que was supposed to be Wheeljack until years after the film.
     
  20. Ottertron

    Ottertron Moon-faced assassin of joy

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    You missed Ironhide.

    I’d love to get a proper look at Ratchet as it really was a brief shot of him.
     
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