SPOILERS ALERT!!!
Hello everyone! 🙂
Welcome to ‘Bradley’s Basement’ blog and I’m Tim Bradley!
Last weekend, after attending the ‘Wigan Comic Con Summer 2026’ on Saturday and seeing ‘Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom’ on Sunday afternoon, I saw a re-release of ‘The Transformers: The Movie’, which was shown at the Omniplex Cinema in Wigan.
I saw the film on the Sunday evening, and it was re-released to celebrate its 40th anniversary. It’s amazing to find that I’ve not talked about this film before. I’ve shared my thoughts on the other ‘Transformers’ movies but I haven’t done a review on the 1986 film.
I hoped to do a review on ‘Transformers: The Movie’ when checking out the Generation 1 cartoon TV series of ‘Transformers’ from 1984-87. I still aim to do that, but as it’s the 40th anniversary of the movie for this year, I might as well as share my overall thoughts on it. 🙂
‘Transformers: The Movie’ is an odd beast of a film. And I mean that with the highest respect. I consider it way better than the live-action ‘Transformers’ movies directed by Michael Bay, but there’s no denying that the film has its many flaws when checking it out.
I recall first seeing ‘Transformers: The Movie’ on DVD back in 2002. I was getting into the original ‘Transformers’ TV series after being a fan of ‘Beast Wars’. I wanted to know about the Autobots and the Deceptions, who are the ancestors of the Maximals and the Predacons.
On reflection, ‘Transformers: The Movie’ probably wasn’t the best start to check out the G1 TV series, as I should’ve checked out Season 1 first. This is especially when you’re thrown into the story without getting to know who the many ‘Transformers’ characters are.
The movie isn’t really catered for non-‘Transformers’ viewers, as it sort-of expects you to know who the Autobots and the Decepticons are already. I certainly knew who Optimus Prime of the Autobots was and Megatron of the Decepticons was, but that was about it, frankly.
Over the years, I’ve got to know who other certain ‘Transformers’ characters are, including Bumblebee, Starscream and Soundwave. But on checking out ‘Transformers: The Movie’ first before checking out Season 1, it was quite confusing once thrown in the deep end. 😐
The movie takes place between Seasons 2 and 3 of ‘Transformers’. I’ve not seen all of Season 2 and 3 and I’ve not seen Season 4, which comprises only three episodes. However, I’m assuming that certain characters make their ‘Transformers’ debuts in this movie itself.
The version of ‘Transformers: The Movie’ that I saw on the big screen recently was the US version, not the UK version. I know that sounds odd, as there’s not much difference between both versions, but having seen the film many times, I could spot the differences.
In the UK version, there was an opening crawl to establish the ‘Transformers’ story in place of the opening cast credits. And at the film’s end, there was the narrator reassuring audiences that Optimus Prime would return. A shame the US audiences didn’t have that.
Yeah, one of the criticisms that ‘Transformers: The Movie’ has is that there are so many deaths of well-established Autobot and Decepticon characters in the film. This includes Ironhide, Ratchet, Brawn, Prowl, Starscream, etc. Some characters get killed off-screen.
The biggest casualty in the film is the death of Autobot leader Optimus Prime. I can sympathise with those who were traumatised by Optimus Prime’s death, since I didn’t expect to see that when checking out the movie, and it was shocking and upsetting to witness.
In terms of the voice cast featured in the film, notable names include Judd Nelson as Hot Rod who ends up becoming Rodimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots. Peter Cullen voices both Optimus Prime and Ironhide in the film. A pity Optimus isn’t the main character. 😦
There’s Lionel Stander as Kup, a gruff, elderly Autobot warrior that becomes Hot Rod’s mentor in the film. Robert Stack (well-known for playing Eliot Ness in ‘The Untouchables’ TV series) voices Ultra Magnus, who becomes the Autobots’ leader after Optimus’ death.
Orson Welles (who directed and narrated a radio adaptation of ‘The War of the Worlds’ by H. G. Wells and played Edward Rochester in a 1940 film adaptation of ‘Jane Eyre’) voices Unicron, the planet-sized Transformer monster giant that devours all things in its path. 😮
Frank Welker voices many characters in the film, including Megatron, the leader of Decepticons, as well as Soundwave, Frenzy, Rumble and Wheelie. Leonard Nimoy (Spock from ‘Star Trek’) voices Galvatron, who is the reborn form of Megatron in the film.
In terms of Autobot characters, there’s Arcee, voiced by Susan Blu, Springer, voiced by Neil Ross, Bumblebee, voiced by Dan Gilvezan, Perceptor, voiced by Paul Eiding, Blaster, voiced by Buster Jones, Blurr, voiced by John Moschitta Jr., Cliffjumper, voiced by Casey Kasem, Jazz, voiced by Scatman Crothers, Prowl, voiced by Michael Bell, Brawn, voiced by Corey Burton, Inferno, voiced by Walker Edminston, and Gears, voiced by Don Messick. All lot of these characters briefly appear in the movie, and some get killed off. 😐
There are the Dinobots, including Grimlock, voiced by Gregg Berger, Slag, voiced by Neil Ross, Swoop voiced by Michael Bell, and Sludge, though he doesn’t say anything in the film. 🙂 I enjoyed the Dinobots, especially Grimlock, who provides plenty of comedic relief.
There are the Junkions led by Wreck-Gar, voiced by Eric Idle of ‘Monty Python’ fame. I must admit, I’m not keen on the Junkions featured in the film, especially when they talked TV. There’s Scrapheap, voiced by Frank Welker and there’s Junkyard, voiced by Michael Bell.
In terms of the Decepticons, there’s Starscream, voiced by Christopher Collins (credited as Chris Latta in the film), Shockwave, voiced by Corey Burton, Scourge, voiced by Stanley Jones, Cyclonus, voiced by Roger C. Carmel, Blitzwing, voiced by Ed Gilbert, Astrotrain, voiced by Jack Angel, and Dirge, voiced by Bud Davis. Again, like the Autobots, some of the Decepticon characters briefly appear in the film. Some are killed off, some are reformed.
There are the Constructicons, including Scrapper, voiced by Michael Bell, Bonecrusher and Hook, voiced by Neil Ross, and Scavenger, Mixmaster and Long Haul who don’t speak in the movie. All six of the Constructicons form Devastator, voiced by Arthur Burghardt. 🙂
There are the Insecticons, including Shrapnel, voiced by Hal Rayle, and Kickback, voiced by Clive Revill. There’s also Kranix, voiced by Norman Alden, who’s the last survivor of the planet Lithone, and whom Hot Rod and Kup meet on the planet of the Quintessons. 😐
Speaking of the Quintessons, there’s the Quintesson leader, voiced by Roger C. Carmel, and there’s the Quintesson Judge, voiced by Regis Cordic. The film’s narrator is Victor Caroli. He has more narrator duties in the UK version of the 1986 film than the US version.
The film’s musical score is pretty unique, as it’s composed by Vince DiCola, who provides a very 1980s electronic rock-style instrumental score that I enjoyed. The songs accompanying the film are also great to listen to and I enjoyed listening to them on CD. 🙂
The songs include ‘The Touch’ and ‘Dare’ performed by Stan Bush, ‘Instruments of Destruction’ performed by NRG, ‘Nothing’s Gonna Stand In Our Way’ and ‘Hunger’ performed by Kick Axe, ‘Dare to Be Stupid’ performed by Weird Al’ Yankovic, and of course ‘The Transformers’ theme song performed by Lion, which should’ve been in the TV series.
There’s plenty of say about ‘The Transformers: The Movie’ and I’m glad I saw it at the Omniplex Cinema in Wigan recently. It was amazing to see the movie on the big screen after having seen it on DVD. It was terrific to see it to celebrate the film’s 40th anniversary.
Whilst the film has its flaws, particularly the deaths of many characters, including Optimus Prime, there’s no denying this film has its place in ‘Transformers’ and movie history. I look forward to when I get the chance to revisit this film again and in more detail.
Stay tuned for my quick review on the short film ‘Optimus Prime: Awakening’ coming soon to my blog!
Thanks for reading!
Bye for now!
Tim 🙂
