Draws inspiration from original Transformers series and Hasbro toys (the company is listed as both a production company and the maker of Transformers action figures). Visual or verbal references to Apple, eBay, Camaro, Payless, USPS, Radio Shack, Furby toys, Austin-Healey, Porsche, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Volkswagen, Cadillac, musicians (50 Cent, Garbage, The Strokes, Rage Against the Machine), the Washington Commanders (using their previous racist name, the "Redskins"), Armageddon, Ding Dongs, Taco Bell, Nokia, Mountain Dew, Dickies, Star Trek, and GM vehicles (most of the Autobots are modeled on GM cars). Bumblebee speaks in bits of commercials and TV shows ("Message from Starfleet, Captain"). In a street scene, Los Angeles monuments The Orpheum Theater, Frazier Deli, and Broadway Bar can be seen.
Violence & Scariness
a lot
Early attack by alien robots results in fiery explosions and bodies flying. Transformer attack at car dealership (loud noise; car windows blow out). Huge battle in the desert (robots vs. Air Force). Transformers attack Sam and Mikaela (lots of chasing, crashing, noise). Flashback shows destruction of Transformers' planet. Little robot monster with sharp limbs terrorizes humans and infiltrates Air Force One. FBI agents in tactical gear and assault rifles storm a Black man's house with guns ablaze: There's a grandmother in the house (mentioned but not seen), and the White agents pin down one Black man while chasing after another—it's played for humor. A long fight scene in city streets includes more explosions, shootings, missiles, and bodies. At one point, the villain transforms into a plane and flies into a skyscraper—images that may remind viewers of 9/11.
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Language includes a couple of incomplete uses of "f--k" and "motherf--k," plus "s--t" (multiple uses), "damn," "crap," "bitch," "ass," "crackhead," "friggin'," "hell," and a spelled-out "bee-otch" on Sam's car freshener. He calls a psychiatric ward a "psycho ward." "Jesus" and "God" are used as exclamations.
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The main characters kiss passionately and cuddle. A character is made to strip down to his underwear—played for humor. Another wears a cleavage-showing midriff top and her sweaty belly is shown through a male's perspective. A character has bikini girl posters on his bedroom wall, mentions keeping a magazine called Busty Beauties under his bed, and uses the online username "Ladiesman217." Characters call someone "the evil jock's concubine," say "bros before hos," and ask "Were you masturbating?" The song "Sexual Healing" plays on a car radio. Innuendo includes "I'm cool with females working on my engine" and a robot, which mimics peeing on someone, being told not to "lube people up." An adult admits he's a virgin (this appears to be a joke at his expense).
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Though the leads are flawed, the teamwork and friendship they build with the Autobots, and with one another, prevail.
Positive Role Models
a little
Sam deceives his parents, but he learns to consider others and saves Mikaela from a bad boyfriend—as well as the world from bad robots. Mikaela has a criminal record, but she proves her loyal heart by fighting for the most vulnerable characters. Maggie is clever and competent at her job as an analyst.
Diverse Representations
very little
Follows a White male lead and has a cast of mostly White men. Black and Latino characters appear in minor roles, clichéd as low-income swindlers or military men. A racist scene involves a large group of White FBI agents in tactical gear and assault rifles storming a Black man's house with guns ablaze: There's a grandmother in the house (mentioned but not seen), and the White agents pin down one Black man while chasing after another—it's played for humor. Women of color (with speaking roles) are nonexistent. White women have supporting roles as Sam's love interest, Mikaela, and an analyst named Maggie. Both are portrayed as clever, but they're objectified; in one scene, a camera pans up and down Mikaela's body, and the main character's friend calls her a "concubine," saying "bros before hos." Male characters have a little body diversity, but all women are extremely thin and follow conventional/unrealistic standards of beauty.
Parents need to know that Transformers is an explosion-heavy action movie, directed by Michael Bay, based on the 1980s cartoon and action figures. It's packed with scenes of loud, hectic combat (including gunfire and a scene of White uniformed FBI agents using assault rifles on Black men), destruction, and flying missiles and bodies. Characters swear ("bitch," "s--t," "damn," a couple of incomplete exclamations of "f--k," etc.), and there's some sexual imagery (shots of cleavage and a short-skirted bottom, jokes about masturbation and virginity, and more). Racial stereotypes involve showing Black and Latino men as low-income workers, swindlers, and military men. Women of color (with speaking roles) are nonexistent. Female characters are portrayed as clever, but they're also objectified, wearing revealing clothes and high heels while the camera lingers on their body parts. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
I don't remember exactly how old I was when I saw this movie the first time, but I know for a fact I was under ten. I was a pretty sensitive kid back then, but I don't remember anything in this movie upsetting me. I had a great time.
Violence: Human soldiers are disintegrated by alien robots in several scenes. One sequence briefly depicts a man being impaled by a blade, several people are killed when large, throwing star styled discs are launched into their chests. Humans are shown using real guns in a variety of situations, but never against other humans. Some of the Titular giant robots are killed or injured, losing limbs or even being decapitated. Being completely mechanical, this isn't particularly shocking, but they do groan in pain, and glowing blue fluid flows from their injuries much like blood would from a human.
Sexuality: While the female lead is depicted as competent, and honestly braver the main protagonist at times; she is also almost always wearing very short shorts, and has her midriff exposed.
Consumerism: The film is based off of a toy line, which also sold action figures inspired by the movie. When I was young I didn't really buy any of them, but I'm sure some kids did. The film never really feels like a commercial, but it was clearly produced because Hasbro wanted to move more stock.
Positive messages: There is a general message about self sacrifice throughout the film. The protagonist risks his life for the greater good, and the primary robot character offers to sacrifice his own life to save the world. The phrase "No sacrifice, no victory" is used to convey the moral of the story.
Language: "Damn" "Hell" "What would Jesus do?" single use of the word "M***terbation"
Positive Role Models: The heroes are portrayed as honorable and selfless. Unfortunately, both of the black characters are really only there for comic relief, and feel slightly stereotypical.
Be warned: You WILL get asked “What does m******** mean?”
Be warned: if your kids don’t already know, you are 100% guaranteed to be asked “What does ‘masturbating’ mean?”
I wish we had known this before we sat down to watch the film with our 9 and 12 year old daughters. We had not planned to discuss the concept of masturbation with our 9 year old just yet, and would have preferred the infantile director Michael Bay not be the one to force our hands on that point. If he’d been sitting on the couch with us when that scene came up I would have turned to him and very politely given him a solid sock on the jaw for taking that choice out of our hands,
(Yes, the CS review does mention the use of the word in passing, but that does not convey how foregrounded the moment is. Not something that has any chance of passing over a kid’s head, unlike some of the other language in the film.)
Beyond that, what is there to say, other than that Transformers is about as dumb as a film can get. Plus it’s insanely long. So long, in fact, that my kids were starting to zone out at what was ostensibly the most exciting part of the film. Tedious beyond belief. And sexist, a little racist. Feels like it was written and directed by an adolescent boy who just discovered girls.
What's the Story?
In TRANSFORMERS, a live-action film based on the 1980s cartoon series, the Decepticons, an evil race of alien robots, attack a U.S. military unit stationed in the Middle East. Meanwhile, back in the States, Secretary of Defense John Keller (Jon Voight) learns of a secret U.S. project involving Megatron (voiced by Hugo Weaving), a bad robot that crash-landed in the Arctic decades before. In the film's civilian side story, teenager Sam (Shia LaBeouf) buys a used car, unaware that it's an Autobot—a good robot. Neither does Sam realize that he has in his possession the key to the all-powerful cube that all of the robots, good and bad, desperately want. The film's many characters collide with the help of the Autobots' brave leader, Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), to save the world from the Decepticons.
Big and boomy, this toy-based movie skimps on plot and trades meaningful characters for spectacular explosions. Though Transformers' opening voice-over offers a brief backstory, it hardly matters why these giant robots have come to Earth. The point is much simpler: They blow stuff up. Just keep in mind that this Michael Bay-directed film is most likely too intense for the kids who are the most interested in playing with Transformers toys.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why kids want to see Transformers. Is it because of the story or because of all of the toys and other tie-in products?
How does this Transformers movie compare to the different TV shows, movies, and games in the franchise? What stands out, and what remains constant?
How are women like Mikaela and Maggie depicted in the film? Are they empowered, or do they fall into stereotypes about women?
How are Black and Latino men portrayed in this movie? Is it acceptable, or inappropriate? Why, or why not?
MPAA explanation:
intense sequences of sci-fi action violence, brief sexual humor, and language.
Last updated:
September 3, 2024
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