Retroplex Cinema: Transformers The Movie (1986)

  

Retroplex Cinema is back with a snazzy new logo above and a look back at another classic film.  As we get ready for another Michael Bay bombardment of explosions and hopefully a plot (we can hope right) in his upcoming Transformers: Dark Of The Moon, we take a look back at the animated adventures of the Transformers in 1986's Transformers: The Movie! 

Transformers: The Movie (1986):  In the mid 1980's, Transformers fandom was at a fever pitch. The show had been on air for two seasons and the toys were flying off the shelves.  The creators were looking for a way to introduce new Transformers and shake the show up.  What about killing off Optimus Prime?  Introducing the Matrix Of Leadership?  Let's kill off Megatron too?  Oh and were jumping 20 years into the future, the year 2005!  All this happened int he summer of 1986 when Transformers The Movie hit theaters to lead into the new season 3 of the Transformers cartoon. 

     Plot:  Yes, we give you the entire plot because chances are most of our readers ahve seen this and second, it's not really a movie you worry about spoilers for.  Your either a fan or you aren't!  So here we go! Unicron, a roaming artificial planet, devours robot planet Lithone. Though many inhabitants attempt to flee the planet in spaceships, only one escapes.
The evil Decepticons have gained control of the Transformers' homeworld, Cybertron at some point in the twenty years since the beginning of the struggle between the robotic warriors on Earth. The heroic Autobots are using two of Cybertron's moons as staging areas, preparing to strike against the Decepticons. In need of energon cubes, an Autobot supply shuttle is readied for launch to Autobot City on Earth. A transmission is intercepted by the Decepticons, who ambush the shuttle and kill its crew, intending to use the ship to infiltrate Autobot City.
On Earth, Daniel Witwicky and Hot Rod fish in a lake near Autobot City, discussing Daniel's loneliness, as his father Spike is on one of the moon bases. They pick up the shuttle's signature, and race up to Lookout Mountain to see it land. They spot the Decepticons and launch a preemptive strike. After a brief battle, the Decepticons attack Autobot City. The Autobots, including Ultra Magnus, Blurr, Springer, Perceptor and Arcee, transform Autobot City into a fortress. As a siege ensues, Ultra Magnus orders Blaster to radio for assistance from the leader of the Autobots, Optimus Prime. The next morning, Optimus and the Dinobots arrive to repel the Decepticons.
      After single-handlely taking down several Decepticons, Optimus confronts their leader and his arch-enemy, Megatron. Though Megatron is ultimately defeated, Optimus is critically wounded due to Hot Rod's unintentional interference. Starscream takes command of the Decepticons and retreats with their fallen leader and other wounded aboard Astrotrain.
     Later, Perceptor informs the other Autobots that Optimus' wounds are fatal. Before dying, Optimus calls on Ultra Magnus to assume command of the Autobots and tries to give him the Autobot Matrix of Leadership, asserting that the Matrix will one day light the Autobots' darkest hour. The Matrix falls out of Optimus' hand as he dies, but is caught by Hot Rod, who then passes it to Ultra Magnus.

     Astrotrain's shortage of fuel prompts the Decepticons to eject several of their injured—including Megatron. The remaining Decepticons argue over who should lead them. The Decepticon castoffs encounter Unicron, who offers to give Megatron and the others new bodies on the condition that they destroy the Autobot Matrix, which Unicron says is the only thing that can defeat him. Megatron agrees and Unicron converts him into a new form: the Decepticon warrior "Galvatron". His underlings are reformatted into Cyclonus, Scourge and the Sweeps. Unicron provides them with a craft in which they travel to Cybertron, where Galvatron obliterates Starscream and takes command of the Decepticons.
      On Earth, the Autobots are alerted as Unicron consumes Cybertron's moons, along with Autobots Jazz, Bumblebee, Cliffjumper and Spike. Galvatron leads the Decepticons in another assault on Autobot City. The Autobots board a pair of shuttles and flee toward Cybertron. Hot Rod, Kup and the Dinobots are shot down over the planet Quintessa, while Ultra Magnus and company evade their pursuers and set down on the planet Junk for repairs.

     Captured by Quintessa guardsmen, Hot Rod and Kup witness the sentencing and execution of Arbulus, a native of Lithone. While imprisoned they meet Kranix, now Lithone's last survivor, who tells them about Unicron before he is fed to the Sharkticons. Hot Rod and Kup are subjected to a mock trial by Quintesson executioners, who sentence them to execution. Battling the Sharkticons, they are rescued by the arrival of the Dinobots. Grimlock persuades the Sharkticons to rebel against the Quintessons while the Autobots escape. With help from the Dinobots' new ally, Wheelie, the group locates a ship and departs to join the other Autobots.
     Galvatron hunts down the Autobots on Junk. Ultra Magnus fails to awaken the Matrix's powers, and is dismembered by the Sweeps. Galvatron, no longer willing to serve Unicron, steals the Matrix, stating that he will make Unicron his slave. The remaining Autobots are harassed by hostile Junkion natives, led by Wreck-Gar, until Hot Rod's party arrives and befriends them. The Junkions repair Ultra Magnus and provide a vessel to help the Autobots fight against Unicron.
     Galvatron attempts to subjugate Unicron using the Matrix but is unable to unleash its power. Unicron transforms into a planet-sized robot and attacks Cybertron. Galvatron opens fire on Unicron, but Unicron swallows him. Decepticons attempt to counter Unicron's attack, to no avail. When the Autobots arrive Hot Rod crashes their ship through one of Unicron's eyes and they find themselves separated within his body. Wreck-Gar and the Junkions fight back against Unicron, but Unicron crushes their ship. The Dinobots also attack Unicron with little success.
     Inside Unicron, Hot Rod confronts Galvatron while Daniel and the other Autobots rescue Spike and the survivors of Unicron's assault on Cybertron's moons. The Autobots and Decepticons work together to fight Unicron. Galvatron tries to assist Hot Rod, knowing that Unicron is a greater threat, only for Unicron to take control of Galvatron. Hot Rod recovers the Matrix and unleashes its power, transforming him into Rodimus Prime. Rodimus throws Galvatron deep into space freeing the Decepticon from control. Rodimus then unleashes the Matrix's true power, obliterating Unicron. Rodimus leads the Autobots out of Unicron's body before it explodes. The Autobots reclaim Cybertron. Unicron's head orbits Cybertron as a new satellite.
      "Till All Are One"  The movie saw theatrical release on August 8, 1986.  It wasn't received well by critics but then again a movie like this wasn't made for critics.  Like we said before you're either a fan or you aren't.  Although the trailer hails the film as "spectacular widescreen action", the movie was animated in 4:3 "fullscreen" format. The feature was vertically cropped to widescreen dimensions for theatrical showings and released in fullscreen on home video and DVD. The 20th anniversary DVD released by Sony in 2006 features remastered video, and includes both the fullscreen and widescreen versions of the film.  The UK version of the film features scrolling text and narration at the beginning of the film replacing the cast credits, and an additional closing narration assuring viewers that "Optimus Prime will return."  The movie also had a popular soundtrack over the years including Stan Bush's song "The Touch" which has become a cult favorite hit pop song. 
     Over all Transformers The Movie is a total blast of a film, especially if you grew up with it.  It's not perfect but when you saw Megatron turn into Galvatron and Optimus Prime die when you were ten years old watching this, you believed it!  And today the film is still a lot more fun than Michael Bay's live action films!  If you haven't seen this and you love the Transformers then what are you waiting for.  Go check it out on the awesome 20th Anniversary DVD that's out there and be a kid again because it's more than meets the eye!