ROTTEN TOMATOES: "Transformers" Get Shia With Their First Cast Member Comments

"Transformers" Get Shia With Their First Cast Member

by Scott Weinberg | March 29, 2006

Summary

Busy young actor Shia LaBeouf is in late-stage talks with Paramount to star in their (and Michael Bay's) upcoming big-screen rendition of "The Transformers," says IGN FilmForce. Modern movie fans will recognize the young Mr. LaBeouf from his work in flicks like "Holes," "Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle," "I, Robot," and "Constantine." Back to Article

(1-35 of 35 posts) | Reply

tyler8186 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 06:06 AM

sounds pretty bad... but i don't know, I'll see it

(Reply to this)

Spike1967 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 08:13 AM

Sounds like a train wreck

(Reply to this)

elziard writes:
on Mar 29 2006 08:13 AM

//Maggie - female, really hot, really smart, works as a codebreaker for the government.//

how about 'denise richards as a nuclear scientist' in the bond franchise; that was really believable.
how is your self image if cast as Miguela? 'oh, i didn't get the really hot role? now i'm gonna starve myself even more.'

this movie is gonna suck. like all of bay's films: big, loud and dumb.

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 09:12 AM

[b]HECK YES!!![/b]
that just made my day! Look at my avatar! Huge fan and any Transformers news is good news to me! TIL ALL ARE ONE!!!!

(Reply to this)

dracus writes:
on Mar 29 2006 09:17 AM

It's going to take more than Spielberg to Transform this into a hit. What's next; Rubik's Cube: The Movie? Damn, I just gave someone in Hollywood an idea for a movie, didn't I?

(Reply to this)

Akuza writes:
on Mar 29 2006 09:20 AM

In reply to this comment (#832923)
If there is one thing I know it is this...
Transformers is big, loud...and kinda dumb. And I love it all the same. Michael Bay I think is going to be great directing this.

(Reply to this)

jumbonaut writes:
on Mar 29 2006 09:47 AM

One thing I think will make or break this movie is how they explain how alien robots have the ability to transform into earth-made automobiles and vehicles. In the comic books and cartoons, things like that are taken for granted. In movies, they have to pass as somewhat possible or it would appear "stupid" to non-fans of the franchise.
In any case, from what I remember from the cartoon, Shia LaBeouf seems like a good fit for the human character.

(Reply to this)

thadeus_79 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 09:55 AM

I just can't wait until the Captain Planet movie is made in Hollywood!!! With our forces combined...now, thats funny!!!

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 10:13 AM

wow its threads like these that dates everyone. And I'm generalizing but if you are a male who lived in the 80's in USA (Japan too I guess) Transformers is a huge huge deal!

If you're like 11 or 12 you'd think its silly but collecting a stack of over priced Yu -gi-Oh cards and prentending magical mosters can appear from them is ok.

hmmm go figure

(Reply to this)

Silver Snake writes:
on Mar 29 2006 11:14 AM

This movie was in danger of sucking hard and long when Bay got the gig, and now Shia LeQueer? Whatever. It'll make money anyways. Way too many Transformers fans out there, old and young alike.

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 11:55 AM

why the Bay bashing?? come on, for what he sets out to do, I think he does a fantastic job! We all know hes no Scorsesse, but thats not what he tries to be. Hes an action director and I've been a fan ever since Bad Boys, he took a mediorce buddy cop story and turned it into something super stylized and exciting film. And quite frankly The Island was a really good movie too. The action, the story, I enjoyed it emensely. I really dont get it.

(Reply to this)

Banana Kid writes:
on Mar 29 2006 12:03 PM

It's a movie about giant robots fighting. Giant robot fights beget explosions. And nobody does explosion movies better than Michael Bay. And since Spielberg's on board, I have some hope about this movie.

And I liked Shia LaBeouf in Holes, thank you very much.

(Reply to this)

zbbrox writes:
on Mar 29 2006 01:44 PM

1: The ability of Transformers to turn into earth vehicles was actually explained in the cartoons and comics. They were re-modeled by their repair systems to look like vehicles here so as to blend in.
2: I really, really hope Michael Bay doesn't F this up.
3: This cast description for the humans makes me want to spew blood on the screen. Sounds like stupid stereotypical BS and I hope to god it's fake. even beyond how bad it sounds, the movie should be about the goddam Transformers, not humans. We who grew up with the show don't give a crap about the humans. No kid gives a crap about the humans. The humans will only serve to annoy, probably with hokey dialogue, pathetic romantic subplots, and terrible acting. I don't want this movie turning into Alien vs. Predator.
4: I've only seen Shia LeBeouf in a few sidekicky roles, and he was annoying. I don't know if that's his fault, or if it was just the characters, so I won't write him off. But my reaction so far is not great.
5: I really, really hope Michael Bay doesn't F this up.

(Reply to this)

TheBlackGuy writes:
on Mar 29 2006 02:46 PM

Michael Bay is the best director for this movie. Big robots, big booms, big guns all read michael bay. And Shia is cool too

(Reply to this)

rockstarfrank writes:
on Mar 29 2006 03:01 PM

In reply to this comment (#832932)
[b]transuckers[/b]
Transformers had a story that was more than just about robots fighting. Who are these human characters? What about Spike and Spikes dad? I have given up all hope that this movie will be any good.

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 03:59 PM

In reply to this comment (#832935)
exactly trust me the movie won't work unless it has good realistic human interaction.

because rule number one of film making is realize how selfish and self centered all of us human beings are, go ahead and flame me for this but deep down you all know its true. We will only care about this movie if the characters are relatable and we can have a visceral experince through the humans. In the cartoon this was established through Spike and his dad, it was like a gateway, a lay man introduction into the complex history and struggle of the transformers world. yeah *sigh* I think my hopes are a lil too high for this film.

(Reply to this)

zbbrox writes:
on Mar 29 2006 04:39 PM

In reply to this comment (#832936)
Nogard64--

I disagree, at least in part. I think the challenge is to make non-human characters human enough that we relate to them, not too different from how Pixar has made bugs, fish, and toys relatable for years. I think the human characters are mostly superfluous. Now, I'm all for Spike and his dad (or Spike and Daniel, even) being there as those gateway characters, but I think the absolute focus needs to be on making the robots empathetic. Think about Hellboy; the "gateway" character was likable and identifiable, but the crux of the movie was how awesome Ron Perlman was as Hellboy.

If this human cast becomes the focus instead of Prime, Jazz, Iron Hide, and the others, the movie will be a stupid scifi gimicky piece of crap. There's no avoiding it.

(Reply to this)

245_trioxin writes:
on Mar 29 2006 05:44 PM

damn youse michael bay

(Reply to this)

jeremyd4 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 08:25 PM

It's amazing how some people absolutely love Michael Bay and others absolutely hate him... no other director seems to divide people as much.

As for Transformers - I really hope the robots turn out something like in this ad I saw (which I'm struggling to remember which car company it was for) but it had the car turn into a dancing robot. It's sounds tacky but the FX were fricken' awesome!! Does anyone know the ad I'm talking about?? or even better a link to it??

(Reply to this)

jeremyd4 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 08:35 PM

ok just found the ad if anyone's interested:
http://www.visit4info.com/details.cfm?adid=18560

..it was for Citroen

(Reply to this)

renny2077 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 09:32 PM

I have my doubts about a live action Transformer movie. But I enjoyed Bay's The Island. So there's hope for this one too. Lets hope the cgi robots look good.

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Mar 29 2006 09:39 PM

In reply to this comment (#832937)
oh of course the robots must have strong characters but that shouldn't be hard to do, Prime, Megatron, Starscream they are actually stong classical good vs evil archetypes, if shouldn't be hard to give them depth.

I'm such a T-nerd I already have what I'd like to see as a trilogy planned out.

in order for it to work the first one must be very simple and almost plain, sort of harmless and rated PG, this worked for Harry Potter and Lord of the rings and Star wars, start simple and get the lil kids in the seats, and get the bills paid.

episode one "More Than Meets the Eye"
Chaacters are introduced, some history on the struggle between good and evil robots are revelaed. foreshadowing about a return to Cybertron their home, climatic battle in some big city, ei New York. Again very simple plot and short movie, just get people in the seats and get new fans acquired to the story.

Episode 2 "Return to Cybertron"
Just as in the cartoon they find a way to return to cybertron, foreshadowing the Living transforming planet Unicron is on his way, Dinobots are introduced as well as Constructicons. Climatic battle on Cybertron.

Episode 3 " The Darkest Hour"
Pretty much follow the story line from the 1986 movie, much darker and serious than the previous epidsodes. Unicron is heading towards cyberton than Earth, devouring everything in its path, Prime dies as he battles Megatron. Climatic Battle on the surface of UNicron and Cyberton, with the final climax of UNicron transforming and attacking Cybertron. THe ending with Prime's body floating and being discovered in space, hinting at his return.

(Reply to this)

zbbrox writes:
on Mar 30 2006 05:37 AM

In reply to this comment (#832942)
The problem isn't just getting the characters right, though, it's giving them the screen time and letting them carry the movie rather than the human characters that no one really gives a damn about, and many of us will be genuinely annoyed by.

Good arc, though! Sounds pretty reasonable to me, though movie 3 would probably cost about a three hundred million dollars. And be well worth it to me. ;)

(Reply to this)

elziard writes:
on Mar 30 2006 09:58 AM

it's the humans; the need for needless characters.
look at that human guy they threw into the hellboy movie; WHY WAS HE THERE? (other than a love interest)
he has no powers or abilities, knowledge or field battle experience yet it is supposed to be believed he'd be put in the 'elite guard' of the BPRD.

same with this TF movie. we all want to see humans crapping themselves over the dodge magnum, scion b, ford mustang and a semi transform and blast some jets and a big gun who are bigger and meaner looking.
that is the extent of the humans in this movie as it should be.
as i am to understand though, this film has the humans very much involved in the plot and transformations.

as a transfan, this is breaking my heart and gonna suck.
were i objective, i may like this interaction. the only hope is if they reinvent the mythos without making this something out of a bad power rangers-type team of humans who help form big robots.

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Mar 30 2006 11:20 AM

well if they want to do it right they should follow the TF cannon, meaning there is already story lines and a official history created for the Transformers. Just like in Harry Potter and Lord of the rings, everything already been written, if they change a single thing the fans won't be happy.

(Reply to this)

Decade_e_a writes:
on Mar 30 2006 05:23 PM

MICHAEL BAY IS THE WORST FILMMAKER OF ALL TIME. THERE IS NOT ONE GOOD, WATCHABLE FILM HE HAS EVER MADE. TRANSFORMERS WILL BE NO DIFFERENT.

What I think is funny, is that if there was no dialogue and just like 2 hours of machine violence.. I bet he might be able to do a good job.

But then again 2 hours of non-stop violence and hardly any dialogue and we'll be able to call it "Passion of the Transformers".

(Reply to this)

RoadDogXVIII writes:
on Mar 31 2006 08:45 AM

The fact that all you people (such as Decade_e_a and elziard) bitch about how a movie is going to suck before it is even made makes you look stupid. First off, Michael Bay may not be the best director (he hasn't had a plausible hit since "The Rock"), but I saw "The Island" and it was really great. The reason why "Bad Boys II" was horrible was because he was sending a "Fuck you" to you critics. So I'd be careful what you say, or "Transformers" will INDEED suck balls.

(Reply to this)

rockstarfrank writes:
on Mar 31 2006 10:24 AM

In reply to this comment (#832947)
Its not such a bold prediction to say a movie is going to suck after you read a plot summary such as the one Rotten Tomatoes has posted here. This movie sounds like it will indeed suck due to the suckiness of it's plot. These producers should focus on what made Transformers a hit in the first place...it's not rocket science: Just shoot for what you know will work, but Hollywood rarely gets that.

(Reply to this)

Horstradamus writes:
on Mar 31 2006 05:46 PM

You know, it's funny. I lived for Transformers as a kid. Used to watch it religiously every weekday. But now that I see the episodes again as an adult I finally realize that there really was no bankable story in any of the episodes. It was 30 minutes (excluding commercials) of pure marketing.

Think about it. Every week they introduced a dozen new characters that every kid just had to have. Then they came up with the brilliant idea of selling them in sets. i.e. Contructicons, Arialbots, Dinobots, etc.

And the scripts were so hokey, I'd be willing to bet my left nut they were written by marketing specialists instead of actual screenwriters.

That being said, I'll still see the movie. Must get my nostalgia fix.

(Reply to this)

zbbrox writes:
on Mar 31 2006 08:45 PM

In reply to this comment (#832949)
S'funny, I just got TF Season 1 and my girlfriend was amazed by how kick-ass it was. And, just to be clear, we've been going out 4 years, we're way beyond the she-has-to-like-everything-I-like phase. ;)

(Reply to this)

sohi writes:
on Apr 03 2006 03:23 AM

In reply to this comment (#832931)
Pearl Harbor sucked...and so does Michael Bay...lets hope he doesnt screw this up like that crappy ass movie(keeps fingers crossed)He needed this directing role like Cuba Gooding needed a bigger part,he's way better than Ben Affleck,lmao

(Reply to this)

scoob writes:
on Apr 03 2006 10:54 AM

In reply to this comment (#832944)
As unreasonably pessimistic as your post sounds to me, I have to admit that Michael Bay's movies have been bad. A complete butchery of TF mythology is possible, in my opinion.
--Nice arc firt poster guy, sounds cool.
--All they have to do in terms of story is stick with the material, we all know that. Let's hope they do. I also agree that the emphasis should be on the transformers, not the humans. If there's a love story in this movie I will walk the f*** out. The damn Earth is in peril, but studios seem to always find a way of fitting love into the equation.
--Remember in the Beast Wars cartoon when they found the Autobot ship buried deep underground? Optimus and the gang? That was keeewl.

(Reply to this)

nogard64 writes:
on Apr 03 2006 02:35 PM

In reply to this comment (#832950)
if you ever dump her please give me her number, I want her bad!

(Reply to this)

Revil3_04 writes:
on Apr 04 2006 11:30 PM

Is this more than meets the eye? What did I mean by that?

(Reply to this)

Related Links

Shia LaBeouf

Related Articles

Most Discussed

Latest News

Latest Interviews

Latest Features

Sponsored Links