Why the Transformers Movies Are Actually Awesome

Now, before people get in a fussy argument with me, I'd like to make something clear: like any form of art or entertainment, whether it's music, video games, dance, paintings, or books, art is always subjective. It's impossible to please every single person all at once. There are so many of us now, and we're all so different in terms of life experiences and who we are that a task such as that is too daunting to even consider. For movie studios, their objective is to get the majority of people to enjoy their film and go pay money to buy their ticket, their merchandise, and more. Many films, such as those in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, are great examples of when a studio has continued success with a franchise and the benefits that can come of that. What I'm talking about is in a different place...

Yes, the Transformers franchise has been around for over 30 years now. Many adult nerds will often fondly look back on their blissful youth and thank the Transformers for a lot of their imagination and love of storytelling nowadays (I'm not kidding; go look around the internet, those guys love Transformers. Be careful, though, some of 'em can be kind of weird). Truly, though, the fact that a fully-fledged TV show dedicated to be an ultra-advertisement for transforming toys has become a million-dollar blockbuster franchise is, when you think about it, kind of impressive.

However, just because those movies are essentially a giant commercial doesn't mean it gets to be treated as such. Time after time, over the course of four films and under the tutelage of Michael Bay, critics have slammed the films for being devoid of character development, cohesive plots, and too many explosions. Whether or not you're a fan of the series, it's hard to have a proper argument without acknowledging the faults, whether you agree with them or not. I do, I  see where those people come from: they don't bother me, but I can see where those people come from.

But, I'm not here to understand others' arguements for why they don't like these movies. I'm here to tell you, good reader, why they're awesome, and why you should be able to enjoy them as well. I have compiled these reasons into a list of five, and I'd like to share them with you now.

1.) They give you the opportunity to turn your brain off for a short while - Life isn't always fun. There are hard times, long days, and stressful nights. We as humans in a first world don't like to do hard work, we like to be able to relax. These four films provide an opportunity to let the hard-workers kick back and turn off their brains to watch giant robots fight each other to the death. No, these movies aren't the next 2001: A Space Odyssey, but that's okay. These days, we have enough movie money where we can have both experiences.

2.) The mythology is rich - The Transformers have a rich backstory and plenty of dynamic and interesting characters to boot. Even though they may just be caricatures in the movies, that's pretty much what they were in the original 80's TV series. The best thing is that even just four movies in, the producers have barely scratched the surface - there's plenty more source material to choose from and utilize. If you're already a fan,  you've got a lot to look forward to.

3.) The action is stupendous -  These movies also redefine 'action'. One of the most jaw-dropping action shots I've ever seen was in Transformers: Dark of the Moon when Optimus Prime is gliding in with his jetpack (I know right!) and he starts road-skating along the line of fire, shooting every last Decepticon in sight (I KNOW, right!), and then when he runs out of bullets, he pulls out his sword and starts chopping heads off  (I KNOW, RIGHT???), and then when he gets to Shockwave he just pulls out his Cybertronian brass knuckles (I KNOW, RIGHT?!?!?!?!?!) and punches him practically in half...I'm sorry, I got a little carried away in my nerdness. Point being, the action is really cool.

4.) They're easy on the eyes - These movies aren't bad-looking. That's why all of the people that said they hate it went out to buy the ticket to see it in the first place. The CGI (Computer Generated Image) work that is done by the teams over at Industrial Light & Magic is absolutely gorgeous to look at, and it really makes you see the robots as if they were there acting alongside the actors. The lighting is where it needs to be in every shot, and the movies just overall are very cool-looking.

5.) They secretly plant the desire each and every one of us have in their plots to keep us engaged - Everyone, even the naysayers are guilty of this, desires to do great things. Big or small, notable or not, we all have a part of us that wants to be able to do something unique, whether it be for our own benefit or another's. Throughout the sequel films, that is the main drive for the main characters. In Revenge of the Fallen, Sam wanted to go to college and prepare for his life of providing for himself. In Dark of the Moon, Sam wanted to help the Autobots protect the Earth and do good for his country. In Age of Extinction, Cade wanted to keep his daughter safe and get himself on the map as a legitimate inventor. Albeit on a much broader and sillier scale, these characters all reflect our own individual desires to do good things. We all want to improve life because we have great examples of those who actually did do such things to follow.

So, with all that said, what do you guys think about my ideas? Am I deluded and not a true film fan, or am I right on the money?  Get back to me with your own thoughts, oh, and while you're at it, give these movies another try with all these points in mind. I'm sure you'll enjoy them more.