There's More to it Than Meets the Eye

I am sure no one will argue...I am a dork. I love dorky things, past and present. One of those things is the Transformers. I grew up on those robots that transformed into everyday things, like cars, guns, and cassette players. They were quite possibly the most awesome thing back then. Now that I am grown, they are coming back, being made into a movie using some of the most incredible technology Hollywood has. Needless to say, I am quite stoked - I am foaming at the mouth, aching to go rushing to the theater to be sure I am there to see something I thought only my dreams could create - a live action Transformers movie.

As excited as I am, I am strangely sad about the whole thing. When we grow up on something, and it is ingrained as a part of our past, we want to see it in its former glory; we want to see it as we remember, only better. That is what I thought this would be - the Transformers of my childhood, only better. However, I was stunned when I saw the first trailer that featured Bumblebee. Everybody's favorite friendly little Transformer, Bumblebee was a VW Beetle. Therefore, I was incredibly shocked to watch the trailer and see that, in the movie, he is a Camaro. "Seriously!?!?!?!?" Why couldn't he be a VW Bug? I mean, his name is Bumblebee; it is only right for him to be a bug...what about Camaro says "hi, I'm Bumblebee"??

At this point, I was wondering if that was the only inconsistency. Are the other transformers the same things they were in the past? Have they all changed? Are these even the same characters? I looked into it further as more info about the movie was released and found that, yes, they were the same familiar characters - Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Jazz, Ratchet, and Ironhide, but only Optimus appeared to be the semi truck he was originally (although he is now a blue truck with red flames).

Further analysis reveals the true reason for the change - there is a contract with General Motors. So that GM can get in their advertising, all our favorite Autobots have been changed - Bumblebee is a Camara rather than a VW Bug, Jazz is a Pontiac Solstice rather than a Porshe, Ratchet is a Hummer H2 and Ironhide is a GMC Topkick rather than the Nissan Vanettes they used to be. Are they trying to ruin the Transformers? Seriously - Porshe vs. Pontiac - you tell me which is cooler. I can understand them trying to use more "current" vehicles, but they could have at least tried to use the same vehicles, if only newer (I can understand not trying to replicate the Vanettes, but could have found something much closer).

On top of that, they had to go and mess with the paintjobs. The whole reason the Autobots are automobiles is that the automobile forms were a disguise. What about a blue semi truck with red flames serves as a disguise??? Even farther off course, Ratchet was originally white and Ironhide was originally red; now Ratchet is yellow and Ironhide is Black. How hard would it have been to use a white Hummer and a red truck? Well, at least Peter Cullen still voices Optimus Prime.

I am torn about seeing the movie, although I am sure I will do so. Transformers are simply too much a part of my past to not go see this. I just hope they got the personalities right...it will be all wrong if Starscream doesn't try to undermine Megatron.

Peace,
Alphadork