The answer is probably solely based on that they liked the visual and thought it looked cooler. That might be disappointing to hear if you are looking for a logical story explanation, but wouldn't surprised me if that was as much thought they put behind it.

 

Oh, I fully expect that was the only reason and they wanted to do that to try and show how the 'manmade' Transformers were different from the actual aliens. The problem just comes with how the human ones ended up looking more alien than the actual aliens. I mean, you'd expect the aliens to be the ones that literally disassemble themselves into chunks and just fly around like Cubix while the human ones actually have to reconfigure the parts physically, instead of the other way around.

 

I always thought the KSI bots should've looked like the Days of Future's Past future Sentinels.

 

It always bothered me how the KSI drones were somehow more advanced than natural-born Cybertronians, though I think I read somewhere that it was Bonaventura's idea to have that.

 

I just want to say,

I more or less only came for Hound.

I did not leave disappointed.

 

Pretty bad. Pretty, pretty, pretty bad.

 

Everyone has their own opinions but I can only say that the CGI for Transformers aoe was pretty good for a Transformers movie the plot may not be the greatest and it may not be greatest movie in the world but it holds a special place in my heart all the Bayverse flims do

 

An AOE thread is not a thread without its usual lovers.

They’re living breathing organisms at the same time. If that’s implausible then neither should any other sci-fi idea be considered in fiction. The idea of the Quintessons being their creators should be scrapped as well.

Or you know… Bringing dinosaurs back to life is also probably an implausible idea as well.

Well, Galvatron was Megatron hijacking the system and controlling the mind of the other KSI bots in return.

Hmm… Can science investigate fiction?

If I write a story revolving around a fictional metal and say it’s indestructible, how realistic am I aiming for?

Wasn’t there a poster in the background of the KSI showroom scene that describes Energon as an inferior power source when comparing Bumblebee and Stinger?

Maybe it’s a synthetic or knockoff version of Energon.

You’re not even 100% against the idea by saying this.

Obviously.

Autobots and Decepticons were all getting mixed up right? So technically they’re also mutants?

You’re not going to say anything for this but… I agree with this point since that means more robot screen time. But this has to be criticism for all the movies right not just AOE?

Again not much to do with AOE if this is something all the films share.

Also Lockdown was a bounty hunter and they clearly were trying to set up initially before stuff changed later. Pay first, ask questions later.

And you love it.

Also uh… ROTF was kind of incoherent as well. As if that criticism did not exist for that film back then.

 

It’s been a while but for the most part, yes. I like Drift, but I think he should have had a mask over his face that hid some battle damage. It would have fed into his former Decepticon backstory, and maybe looked better. The other guys are cool too.

 

Because the KSI Transformers aren't trying to go through vents and fences; they're simply programmed to transform from one thing into another. Them being inferior products to the original Cybertronians is not the problem; it's the point.

Because the cube transformations are not about functional gains over normal Transformers; they're actually a simpler stage of transformation and not a more advanced one. If Cybertronian transformations are like complex multicellular life, the KSI transformations are like Transformer bacteria. Also, if everything in AoE is a "half-baked" idea, then so is every other idea in the Bayverse's and brand's history.

But in a soft sci-fi brand like Transformers, it's possible ANY "magic" is simply advanced technology, so if "magic" is okay in one series, then technology like Transformium should also be okay.

So if previous films had stuff in it that was extremely "dumb," what makes AoE so much "worse?" The dumb stuff in AoE is not any dumber than the dumb stuff in the other movies, regardless of how much mental gymnastics fans practice in their heads.

1. Who says that organic life is the only requirement for Transformium, especially since we see non-organic converting to Transformium as well, and steel does require carbon? Not to mention human fiction has been having organic life being converted to non-organic material for millennia.

2. What are you even on about an "unexplained space laser?" Where is this space laser you are talking about even implied?

Who cares? The entire brand has alien robots with names like Jazz and Bumblebee and so on, but "Transformium" not bei

Again, who cares? Why should the Bay movies need the same names for fictional metals, especially since the description of that fictional metal is different from that of other fictional metals in the brand's history?

But it wasn't just humanity figuring out how Transformium works all by themselves. It was Megatron's mind feeding humans the science on how to build their own robots. Without Megatron's manipulation, the humans in AoE would not have built their own robots, at least not as is.

However, even if Megatron was NOT the one behind the KSI Transformers, the humans in AoE still live in a universe where they have had a chance to experiment with alien technology, which is a luxury real life humanity does not have so far as is known. Comparing the technology after years of Transformers contact to real life is not an apples-to-apples comparison.

As for the "power thing," the KSI robots bleed the same green Energon in AoE as normal Transformers in the same movie.

And why is not every single detail of everything in AoE being explained all of a sudden a huge deal, while things that are explained to the same detail or even less in the first three films given a pass? Does DotM go into great deal as to the "science" of the Space Bridge? No. It simply says it violates human laws of physics. How does the Solar Harvester destroy Suns and harvest Energon? NOBODY KNOWS. We are simply told that it does.

I am not even complaining about those things in RotF and DotM by the way. I love RotF and DotM, and I don't expect ANY Transformers movie to be treatises on fictional applications of physics and chemistry. I am simply saying that either none of this stuff is okay in the Transformers films...or all of it is. Either Age of Extinction and the first three movies are all perfectly acceptable live action Transformers...or none of them are.

AoE has the same writer as two of the first three movies. It follows the same structure as the first three. It has the same director, same cinematographer, etc. The Transformium/KSI thing in the second hour is merely a continuation of the Lockdown/humans hunting Transformers in the first hour, as those Autoobot remains had to go somewhere. The idea that any single one of the Bay Transformers movies is a huge decline in quality of everything is fan delusion. The Bay movies are all of the same general quality as movies. Some things improve in each sequel, and other aspects may be a little worse, and it's certainly fine to think some of the Bay movies are slightly better than some of the others. I think Age of Extinction is slightly better than what came before, and perhaps others may think another of the Bay movies is best, and that's okay also. But it's like comparing Bud Light to Coor's Light. In the end, you're talking about light beer at a kegger party and not some locally crafted IPA or hefeweizen with organic ingredients. It's okay for someone to prefer Bud Light to Coor's Light, but we're not talking orders of magnitude difference in quality here.

 

@Galvatross

Can you give me an in depth take about how you feel about each new character?

 

I have quite a busy life...my job keeps me busy for many hours beyond work every week, but I will try to do what I can in a somewhat succinct manner, so here it goes.

A few notes first...

1. I am splitting the new characters into three categories: robots (sentient/sapient), humans, and creatures. It is a Transformers movie, and I find that those are three categories that characters in the movies can fall into, with the latter being non-speaking roles/

2. The characters in Age of Extinction fit into the films' themes. The Autobots and most human protagonists fall into "You gotta look at the junk and see the treasure," theme. In other words, they are ALL rough-around-the-edges and not idealized heroes, even though inside they all have good qualities.

Meanwhile, the antagonists and some protagonists fall into the other theme of the movie, which is that attempts at absolute control fail absolutely. Lockdown, the Creators, Galvatron, Attinger, Cade, and Joshua all try to control something else in their worlds absolutely, and the latter two only succeed when they realize they can't. AoE is the Jurassic Park of the movie franchise due to this theme and not so much because of the dinosaurs and Dinobots that appear. So with that said, let's get started!

Robots:

Lockdown: Lockdown is an excellent adaptation of the Animated character. He's the least cartoon-like antagonist in the series, as he's not cartoonishly evil and has interesting motivations and an interesting worldview. He's not just a bounty hunter; he's a bounty hunter with an ideology. He rejects the factions and their petty wars, and he sees it as his duty and job to clean up the mess made by them, whether that means killing or capturing them. He doesn't think much of his own human allies or even his own crew. He hates Earth and seems to think little of the opinions of species form other worlds also. He hates most things, but the only things in the universe he likes is his job and its perks: the thrill of the hunt and the living trophies he gets to keep, and this makes him a fantastic adaptation of the Animated bounty hunter.

Galvatron: While much of his role is more covert than overt, every time Galvatron is on screen is a delight. Welker does a fantastic job voicing him. It's interesting how AoE Galvatron is kind of the reverse of both Season 3 Galvatron, who is one of my favorite Transformers of all time, and first trilogy Megatron. S3 Galvatron is so insane, that he is a threat to his own faction. In AoE, Galvatron is given that crazed voice to him reminiscent of S3 Galvatron, but he's a lot more cerebral. While Weaving Megatron was a warlord who declined power over the course of the movies before realizing how much he had delcined, Galvatron is Megatron coming from a place of weakness and turning things to his own benefit. Galvatron manipulates almost everyone; even Lockdown played into Galvatron's trap, as giving the humans the Seed was necessary for Galvatron's plan. Also, with Cybertron gone (although TLK reverses this later), all he wants to do is destroy humanity and let them know he's still around before doing so as well as make a new army. It's like with all of his old troops dead or diespersed, he is perfectly content lording over drones that are merely extensions of his will, calling them, "My brothers," and saying he was "freeing" them form human control.

Hound: Epic. Hound is perfectly at home in a battle, he has his violent moments, and he is foul-mouthed and hates humans at first, but he warms up to the Yeagers as time goes on, to the point of threatening Crosshairs over Crosshairs' willingness to abandon Prime AND Tessa, and he cheers on Cad on HK. He may not yet trust humanity, but he is willing to see good in them. He is also extremely loyal to Optimus, as he expresses great joy when Optimus is revealed as still alive, and he is willing to put his life on the line for his new human allies, too.

Crosshairs: Really awesome. Crosshairs is motivated by how he can benefit form situations and wants to the leader himself, but he also is capable of putting his selfish ambitions aside and coming through for the sake of others when needed, showing that he is not all bad. Crosshairs is the selfish person even "good" people can be at times but who is not all bad inside and will come out on the right side in the end. He is the guy who is a "good guy" out of necessity, as the universe and tyrants and warlords of all types will force him to do what's right. I think that's awesome, as that's who many of the good guys in real life are.

Drift: Drift is the new main Autobot with the least to him character-wise, but he is awesome nonetheless. Drift is a wisdom-spouting warrior for whom loyalty and discipline are very important. Unlike most other Autobots, he does not seem to be misanthropic or cynical, and he is not eager to fight, as he remains calm and collected unless attacked. He is a nice contrast to the other Autobots. The Autobots in AoE, far from being all alike, are actually quite different from each other, which leads to their interpersonal conflicts.

Humans:

Cade: Cade is the hard-working everyman who has fallen on hard times. While he has made mistakes in life, he sees those mistakes as part of a greater purpose, and he is willing to risk everything to fight for that greater purpose. This is shown in his willingness to risk his life to help the Autobots. He may be rough-around-the-edges, but he is also a man of character who wants what is best for his daughter. And he doesn't succeed as a parent until he realizes that he can't protect her from everything.

Tessa; Not the greatest character, but also better than given credit I feel. I like how she feels like the adult in the family while still having some maturity issues.

Other female characters: Darci and Su don't have much to them as characters, but that's okay.

Shane: I am not that big of a Shane fan. He isn't a great character, but fortunately he is kind of just there most of the time.

Joshua: A perfectionist and extremely arrogant, Joshua thinks he can build Transformers better than Cybertronians, but this is only human hubris. Joshua is the bad guy who was not always bad, but who still has good qualities on the inside and is still capable of turning from his bad ways. I like the side of Optimus Joshua brings out, as while Optimus is rightfully pissed at him, Prime's reaction also show how restrained Optimus actually was in the events of the film. Joshua is the guy so many people are, who has conformed to the world, but who can still do good. Plus, Tucci does a fantastic job acting as him.

Attinger: Attinger is an evil bastard. He claims to stand for human freedom and human lives, but he is willing to send assassins to target innocent Americans. I know some point to him being a hypocrite for saying all Transformers need to be gone from Earth, but him being a hypocrite is exactly the point. He is the type of hypocrite who seeks power and wealth for himself and wraps up this selfishness in a veneer of concern for the well-being of others. He views Lockdown as an "asset," even though CW's success was due to Lockdown's efforts more than Attinger's. While both are bad guys, The welfare of the general public is the alibi of tyrants.

I also want to add that I like Savoy and how he had some motivation as to why he fought against the Transformers.

Creatures:

Dinobots: The Dinobots are really awesome for what they are meant to be in this movie: the cavalry. This is even said so in the "Making of" video:

Do they talk? No, but they are really awesome when viewed as a group of feral Transformers inspired by dinosaurs, as they don't die, they get some spectacular action scenes, they change the tide of the battle in dramatic fashion, and they have awesome designs.

Dinosaurs: I thought the dinosaur scenes were a great callback to both the Savage Land and Dinobot Island, the former which was also in a polar setting like in AoE (the actual filming took place in Iceland I believe). Yes, all of those dinosaurs may not have lived together, and sauropods may not have been able to run like that, but it was still great seeing heterodontosaurids and a Psittacosaurus sibiricus with integument inspired by recent fossil discoveries. Also, that scene of the psittacosaur walking through a garden of dinosaur corpses and watching the Creators' ships from a distance as they harvest the newly created Transformium is haunting.

Steeljaws: These were really cool minions of Lockdown. They were tough...they could take shots from Cade's alien gun without getting seriously harmed, although it did knock some of them off the anchors. Are they transorganic Transformers, organic life augmented with technology, or something else entirely? Who knows exactly, but these guys were neat, and they are a visual reminder that this universe has more than traditional Cybertronians and Earthlings.

Stupid Drones: When I first saw these in theaters, I was like, "WTF?" But it wasn't an angry, "WTF." It's more along the lines of these creatures being so out of place with their cartoon-like eyes that you can't help but think they are awesome! However, these guys do have precedence in the brand, as they remind me of something out of "Webworld." The fact that some planned designs featured whips is just icing on the cake!

Stinger and the other KSI drones: For a Decepticon with no dialogue, no previous existence in the brand, and no sentience even, Stinger actually puts up a great fight against Bumblebee. I also really like the colorful designs of the KSI Decepticons, and I like how one even says, "Piece of sh*t!" as he shoots down the Autobots' ship.

Creators: I know we only see their hands, but I like how in AoE we know more about their motivations than we know about Quintessa's motivations in TLK. They have an aura of mystery about them, but they also clearly have their motivations as well, and that's really cool.

To sum it up, AoE has some fantastic robot characters and creatures, while its humans can be hit or miss, with some being solid by Transformers standards, while others can be weak. But you know what? That is okay. There isn't any example of Transformers fiction that doesn't have its share of simple characters, and I would argue the robots and human characters more connected to the robots (Joshua, Cade, Attinger) are the stronger parts of the movie. And I think this is to the movie's advantage, as it really allows the robot side of things to shine in this movie when compared to other Bayverse movies.

I hope that helps.

 

Awesome, G, thanks!

Also, when Prime detonated Lockdown's grenade, the Two-Head drone sounds like its saying "EAT SOUP".

 

I enjoyed the film for the most part, not to fond of the transformium concept though...

 

AoE is my favorite Bay movie though I don't get the hate it gets, it clearly does a lot right underneath the Bay humor.

 

Galvatross vs burnout boxing match when

 

Doesn't surprise me. . .Just like his decision to make a certain character of another certain franchise a chatterbox, instead of the iconic mute stealthy ninja said character is known for being. . . Didn't work out too well in the end for either him, Paramount, or the audience. . .

 

Any day now... . .

 

i hope studio series finishes the dinobots so i can buy the black mamba oversided version of them