First off, I appreciate the issues with this film - the problems with the sound production, SFX promises that were not kept, and budget cuts that meant the robots of the title could not be shown until late in the movie - I've read the director's lengthy and fervent rebuttals.
And, like a slow-motion car crash or a child forgetting his lines during a nativity play, Transmorphers is damn entertaining to watch.
However, a few questions remain, largely why anyone thought it would be a good idea to set two thirds of the film in a grey bunker. I enjoy bad movies as much as the next Joe-thinks-he-can-do-it-better, but there really is nothing to actually look at in most of the film - besides the female ensemble, of course, who spend so long pouting and trying to out-sass each other their every involvement in this dystopic vision of the future becomes comparable to 2am outside Bar Med. I appreciate there won't be much riveting scenery post-apocalypse, but how about mixing things up with a ruined factory interior? A ruined mansion interior? A ruined hospital interior? Because simply including a table or a bed in a new scene does not a cunning locational development make.
Regarding the characters, quite why Transmorphers boasts such a lengthy cast list is a complete mystery considering the overall lack of anything that happens for the first 45 minutes, creating a simultaneous air of frustration by not constantly knowing who's who and precipitating the overall lack of interest in the increasingly tedious events. In short, the same story could have been told with one quarter of the cast. And - just to let you know - one quarter of the screen-time, too.
I'll close with a quick plot synopsis summarising Leigh Scott's approach to screen-writing and story structure:
1) Some characters stand around waxing lyrical in a boring place
2) More characters turn up, fight the first lot, then team up.
3) see step 1.
4) see step 2.
5) SHOCKING PLOT TWIST
6) Everyone pretends something is actually happening and that this has some baring to the blurb on the back of the DVD case
7) Vague romantic entanglement / footnote
8) The end.
Entertaining, granted, but I think even Mr. Scott knew Transmorphers was made to be laughed at rather than with. But as he so rightly pointed out - he's the one making the movies, and we're the ones watching them. So unless someone intends to prove they can do better, I'll continue to laugh and he'll continue to get paid. Everyone wins.
Except art. Art doesn't win.
And, like a slow-motion car crash or a child forgetting his lines during a nativity play, Transmorphers is damn entertaining to watch.
However, a few questions remain, largely why anyone thought it would be a good idea to set two thirds of the film in a grey bunker. I enjoy bad movies as much as the next Joe-thinks-he-can-do-it-better, but there really is nothing to actually look at in most of the film - besides the female ensemble, of course, who spend so long pouting and trying to out-sass each other their every involvement in this dystopic vision of the future becomes comparable to 2am outside Bar Med. I appreciate there won't be much riveting scenery post-apocalypse, but how about mixing things up with a ruined factory interior? A ruined mansion interior? A ruined hospital interior? Because simply including a table or a bed in a new scene does not a cunning locational development make.
Regarding the characters, quite why Transmorphers boasts such a lengthy cast list is a complete mystery considering the overall lack of anything that happens for the first 45 minutes, creating a simultaneous air of frustration by not constantly knowing who's who and precipitating the overall lack of interest in the increasingly tedious events. In short, the same story could have been told with one quarter of the cast. And - just to let you know - one quarter of the screen-time, too.
I'll close with a quick plot synopsis summarising Leigh Scott's approach to screen-writing and story structure:
1) Some characters stand around waxing lyrical in a boring place
2) More characters turn up, fight the first lot, then team up.
3) see step 1.
4) see step 2.
5) SHOCKING PLOT TWIST
6) Everyone pretends something is actually happening and that this has some baring to the blurb on the back of the DVD case
7) Vague romantic entanglement / footnote
8) The end.
Entertaining, granted, but I think even Mr. Scott knew Transmorphers was made to be laughed at rather than with. But as he so rightly pointed out - he's the one making the movies, and we're the ones watching them. So unless someone intends to prove they can do better, I'll continue to laugh and he'll continue to get paid. Everyone wins.
Except art. Art doesn't win.