The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Nelson Shin

Writer:

Ron Friedman (writer)

Release Date:

8 August 1986 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Action | Adventure | Family | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Beyond good. Beyond evil. Beyond your wildest imagination.

Plot:

The Autobots must stop a colossal planet consuming robot who is after the Autobot Matrix of Leadership.

Plot Keywords:

Planet | Robot | Battle | Transformer | Transforming Robot

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Norman Alden	...	Kranix / Arblus (voice)
Jack Angel	...	Astrotrain (voice)
Michael Bell	...	Prowl / Scrapper / Swoop / Junkion (voice)
Gregg Berger	...	Grimlock (voice)
Susan Blu	...	Arcee (voice)
Arthur Burghardt	...	Devastator (voice)
Corey Burton	...	Spike / Brawn / Shockwave (voice)
Roger C. Carmel	...	Cyclonus / Quintesson Leader (voice)
Victor Caroli	...	Narrator (voice)
Regis Cordic	...	Quintesson Judge (voice)
Scatman Crothers	...	Jazz (voice)
Peter Cullen	...	Optimus Prime / Ironhide (voice)
BJ Davis	...	Dirge (voice)
Paul Eiding	...	Perceptor (voice)
Walker Edmiston	...	Inferno (voice) (scenes deleted)

Also Known As:

Transformers the Movie: Apocalypse! Matrix Forever (Japan: English title) (working title)
Transformers: Matrix yo eien ni (Japan)
Transformers: The Movie (USA) (DVD box title)

Runtime:

84 min | Argentina:85 min

Country:

USA | Japan

Language:

English | Japanese

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

UK:PG (Reconstructed Edition) | Singapore:PG | Argentina:Atp | Canada:G (Nova Scotia/Québec) | UK:U | USA:PG | West Germany:12 | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | Australia:PG

Company:

Sunbow Productions

Trivia:

This film is considered the "bridge" between the second and third seasons of the cartoon, as several third-season characters are introduced here and several first-season characters are killed or altered (e.g. Megatron to Galvatron).

Goofs:

Continuity: After Ultra Magnus' shuttle crashes on the Planet of Junk, when Magnus goes, "Say something! Anybody!" his upper leg is colored blue when it should be white.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Kranix: Arblus, look! It's Unicron!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in John's Arm: Armageddon (2008)

Soundtrack:

The Touch

Not just for fans

Well, I agree that the appeal of this movie is mostly to fans, but I was never a big fan of the series, and I loved it. It's definitely not mainstream, but for anyone who can appreciate robots voiced by some big names (even Orson Welles!) thrashing each other with a very cool, hugely 80s soundtrack, this is where it's at. The main plot, although not exactly inspired, is at least compelling. Any of the scenes with Unicron (Welles) or Galvatron (Leonard Nimoy) easily make the movie worth watching, and there are a few scenes that actually have heart. If you don't like 80s cartoon action, stay away. But if you'll always be a Megaman-playing, Ninja-Turtle-watching kid at heart, check it out.