The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

[MegaPrime33]

I enjoy both, but the Transformers Movie destroys the Joe movie by a mile. Even with Prime's untimely death.

 

[EVILFACE]

And thanks to The Transformers movie bombing at the Box Office, Joe never got it's chance.

 

[karamazov80]

It bombed because they made freakin' Hot Rod the leader of the Autobots. This is the guy who was responsible for Prime being killed. **** that ****. Even little kids knew how wrong that was.

 

[GeneralZodLives]

It bombed because they made freakin' Hot Rod the leader of the Autobots. This is the guy who was responsible for Prime being killed. **** that ****. Even little kids knew how wrong that was.

 

[KitFisto]

It bombed because they made freakin' Hot Rod the leader of the Autobots. This is the guy who was responsible for Prime being killed. **** that ****. Even little kids knew how wrong that was.

The Transformers toy line had slowed down in sales and the movie was made simply to launch a whole new toy line of Transformers characters so they simply disrespected the fan base and killed off almost all of the original autobots and deceptions. Such a POOR decision in my opinion.

 

[karamazov80]

It seemed to be a pretty standard strategy with toys in that time period--move away from the original idea after a couple of years, and go with something more futuristic and outrageous. Transformers moved away from being cars and jets and other vehicles you would see in the real world, into these wacky alien vehicles. And the stories seemed to start taking place more often on Cybertron and other alien worlds. GI Joe also had a few wacky characters like Destro, Zartan, and Sci-Fi, but that was still a million miles away from Battleforce 2000, Star Brigade, neon colored ninjas, and the Eco-Warriors. He-Man even moved into the future. Obviously, TFs were pretty out there to begin with, but they took it a bit far at that point. I think it was a bit harder for kids to connect with the characters at that point, or to have as much interest in the toys. But maybe the waning sales necessitated that, and maybe they sold better than if the Joes remained as pseudo-realistic military toys and if the TFs remained as terrestrial vehicles, but I suspect there were some misguided execs at the helm. Certainly, killing Prime and Starscream, and converting Megs into Galvatron were mistakes though. Would have been better to go the Joe route, and just bring in a new 1st officer to focus the cartoons around, or have Megatron vie for influence with a separate Galvatron, where the former would get less screen time IMO.

 

[Khev]

It bombed because they made freakin' Hot Rod the leader of the Autobots. This is the guy who was responsible for Prime being killed. **** that ****. Even little kids knew how wrong that was.

Seriously. Might as well make Megatron leader of the Autobots if you're going to replace Prime with someone who caused his death. I remember hating Hot Rod and wishing Ultra Magnus was in charge. What a boneheaded way to try and market your new toys.

 

[karamazov80]

I remember hating Hot Rod and wishing Ultra Magnus was in charge. What a boneheaded way to try and market your new toys.

And how strange did they set up Magnus in the movie? Somehow Optimus had the bad judgment to choose him as his successor, but he looked like a bulked up Prime and had a similarly funky name, so I guess it made some sense. But then they make him a bad decision-maker who comically "dies" while trying to use a power he obviously isn't worthy to wield. I actually applaud the filmmakers for taking such an unusual tack with the story, making Magnus a red herring, and ultimately giving the leadership role to a guy you wouldn't expect, but damn. Hot Rod? Wheelie would have been better, though my number one choice would have been Wreck Gar.

 

[Khev]

Yeah I can see how it would have been cool to have the big Optimus look-alike be a red herring so that they could surprise us with a smaller guy getting the role, but how about, oh I don't know, a little guy that we actually LIKED?

 

[karamazov80]

I guess that was the other swerve--hey, we're gonna make a new Autobot leader kids! He's gonna be the focus of the new movie, the hero at the end, and the focus of the TV series moving forward. Only thing is, he's gonna be responsible for your beloved Optimus Prime getting killed! Hahaha!

Shocking that the Transformers didn't last long after that in the states

 

[Khev]

All they had to do was make him shy and doubting himself and maybe not even be a part of the initial fight but then gets chosen by the Matrix for his "inner strength" or whatever. Don't put him in the fight for the sole purpose of getting Prime killed! Good gosh. Yeah, big shock that TF popularity ended shortly after that.

And then they were already working on the Joe movie where Duke was supposed to sacrifice himself to save the new cocky jerk on the team. What the hell was in the water at Hasbro in those days.

 

[karamazov80]

Yeah, what should have happened there, was when Falcon was being a ***** and not performing his duties, Flint should have punched his lights out and sent him packing, then took over and kicked Cobra La's ass single-handedly.

 

[Khev]

Point taken. You're right, things could have always been worse.

 

[karamazov80]

Hawk would try to take over, but Flint would just kick him in the nuts.

 

[dajuice]

I lost interest as well in the Transformers after the movie because Optimus died and Hot Rod (which I hated) becomes the new leader. I preferred Magnus. Another thing was all the episodes afterwards took place on weird planets with stupid-looking aliens. I still wanted to have the original characters around instead of having them killed off. How can you kill off Megatron, Starscream, and the Insecticons - all awesome characters with very different personalities. The Headmasters, Targetmasters, and Monsterbots were terrible and it made it easy to forget the Transformers. One bad decision after another. GI Joe was always second behind Transformers.

 

[franpincho]

Was it because Hot Rod grabbed The Matrix first? Was that all it took for him to be the "chosen one" ? He was a punk, and his only redeeming moment was when he turns into Rodimus, kicks Galvatron's ass, and destroys Unicron (well, The Matrix does anyway). That was a great scene, and made me like him a LOT. After that though, he was just horrible. Galvatron went nuts and nothing really made much sense after that.

Prime coming back from the death and beating Roddy was the highlight of that whole mess.

Why can't anyone pick up the series whet it left off and do something original with it, bring all those that died back, and have Megatron kill Galvatron.


On another note, why isn't there a BD release here in the U.S.?

 

[Khev]

Was it because Hot Rod grabbed The Matrix first?

Actually yes. It just rolled off the table and that ass Hot Rod forced himself upon it. It didn't even choose him. Gosh I hate him even more now. I'm surprised he didn't then go off and have sex with Prime's widow.

 

[KitFisto]

Not to mention making a totally new Transformer created just for the new toys the leader after existing in the movie for 40 min. He may have been around in the comics longer, but I have no idea. For me he was just this totally new guy who was all lf a sudden the leader. I think they should have kept a few more G1 guys alive ( Prowl for one ) and made one of them the leader and introduced the new guys as PART of the team instead of making them the entire team.

 

[dajuice]

Actually yes. It just rolled off the table and that ass Hot Rod forced himself upon it. It didn't even choose him. Gosh I hate him even more now. I'm surprised he didn't then go off and have sex with Prime's widow.

Lol. You never know....

 

[dajuice]

On another note, why isn't there a BD release here in the U.S.?

I live in the states and bought a Blu-ray format from Australia... I think. I forgot how much I paid for it. I kept waiting and waiting for US Blu-ray release but that day may never come.