Transformers Blu-ray

Transformers

 (2007)

Action | Adventure | Sci-Fi | Thriller



For centuries, two races of robotic aliens–the Autobots and the Decepticons–have waged a war, with the fate of the universe at stake. When the battle comes to Earth, all that stands between the evil Decepticons and ultimate power is a clue held by young Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf). An average teenager, Sam is consumed with everyday worries about school, friends, cars and girls. Unaware that he alone is mankind’s last chance for survival, Sam and his friend Mikaela (Megan Fox) find themselves in a tug of war between the Autobots and Decepticons. With the world hanging in the balance, Sam comes to realize the true meaning behind the Witwicky family motto–"No sacrifice, no victory!"

For more details about Transformers on Blu-ray, see the Transformers Blu-ray Review

Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, Rachael Taylor
Director: Michael Bay

Transformers Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


Transformers may very well transform how you look at Blu-ray thanks to its exceptional picture quality that exceeds all expectations fans had for the Blu-ray release of the film. For those of you considering an upgrade from the HD DVD version, I am of no help as I never saw the film on that format (or even owned an HD DVD player, for that matter), but I can assure you this is one fabulous looking MPEG-4 Blu-ray, and as nice as the DVD looked upconverted, this edition far surpasses it in every regard. Framed at 2.40:1 and presented in 1080p, Transformers wows from the first frame to the last. From the beginning, as the U.S. soldiers in an Osprey are flying above Qatar, the image shines. Colors, clarity, and detail are great as we see the sweat gleaning off the soldier's faces, the dirt, dust, and grime that is caked on their faces and uniforms, and the vibrant and lifelike reproduction of their fatigues and the interior of the craft. Only moments into the film, the stage is set for a fabulous transfer. The desert base doesn't offer much color other than earth tones, but it looks great as well with crystal-clear resolution, razor-sharp edges, a clarity to die for, and still more fine, natural detail. In fact, these desert scenes shine throughout the movie. The second battle of Qatar in chapter eight offers tremendous depth and clarity, great colors, and a sharpness and vibrancy that again allows every drop of sweat, the rough texture of the stone and bricks that make up the structures, the wear and tear on the weapons, and the bright explosions to jump right off the screen.

Minute detail is wonderful, too. In a shot of the control tower at the base in Qatar, we can make out every smudge and mark on the windows of the tower. A small detail to be sure, but an incredible one and a fine example of how meticulously pristine this image is. Grain is present over the transfer, sometimes heavier in spots (such as when Sam's parent's confront him in his room while the Autobots hide outside), but it is not a distracting amount in any scene. It adds a nice depth and completes the pristine movie theater experience the disc engenders visually. Black levels are absolutely fantastic. Dark, deep, and inky describes them perfectly. Colors are eye-popping not only in the desert scenes mentioned above, but throughout the entirety of the movie. Watch the scene featuring the late Bernie Mac where Bumblebee not-so-subtly chooses Sam at the car lot. Yellow, as expected in a scene featuring Bumblebee's introduction, is the dominant hue, as seen in the car, the black and yellow shirt Bernie wears, and even the dull yellow paint of his office. The dirt, dings, and grime on Bumblebee look marvelously real, and the reveal of the Autobot logo on the steering wheel is all the more powerful in full 1080p glory. The exterior of the Witwicky household has a depth and lifelike realism to it that practically places us there; we can almost feel the grass underneath our feet. There is a warmness to the picture that stays true to both the theatrical version I saw and the DVD version I own. As a result, flesh tones are a bit more red and orange rather than a more natural hue. Speaking of theatrical, this disc absolutely blows away the print I saw at the local multiplex, although, granted, the local theater suffers from chronic mediocrity. This Blu-ray disc, however, sports a perfectly cinematic look that had me crying on the inside for a larger display. 65" just doesn't do this film justice.

Perhaps the best reason to watch Transformers on Blu-ray is to sit in awe at the intricacies of the robots themselves. As discussed above, the special effects are first-rate, arguably the finest we've seen yet, and this Blu-ray edition of Transformers is so meticulously detailed that we become privy to every nook, cranny, ding, dent, chip, and worn spot on the faces and bodies of the robots. When we first meet Optimus Prime, we see the many little nuances that make up his head, mouth, eyes, etc. It all works in harmony to bring the character to life and the level of detail is amazing. The final battle of the movie in the city offers incredibly rich detail, too. No major softness is apparent in even the most distant of background images; edges are sharp and crisp, the city looks as real as if we were in the middle of the street, and the action sequences come to life as every piece of debris and spent shell casings practically fall into our living rooms. As you can tell, I was most impressed with Paramount's effort for this Blu-ray transfer of Transformers. It's reference material all the way, and if you have the sound system to go with the pristine 1080p picture quality, the experience will be one that's hard to forget, a fact detailed in the following paragraphs.

Transformers Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


Transformers makes its long-awaited Blu-ray and lossless audio debut with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 soundtrack. Also available are French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 lossy soundtracks. Please note that there is no other track to be found on the disc, save for the Michael Bay commentary track. The TrueHD track hovers between 3.5-4 MBps on the bit rate meter on my Playstation 3. We know we are in for a treat when even the Paramount stars flying by in the opening sequence featured fantastic surround presence and directionality. Peter Cullen's (the voice of Optimus Prime) voiceover booms and sounds as crisp as you could possibly imagine as he introduces us to the film. As the music swelled, I got chills. Transformers is really here on Blu-ray! The first attack sequence on the military base is as good as I hoped it would be. Sound flies from all directions, the devastation the single Transformer wreaks is amazing in its sonic wonderment. The high of shattering glass, the low end rat-a-tat of machine gun fire, the ridiculously good bass that accompanies explosions, and the footsteps of the alien machine, including its digitized, frightening "voice," all come together for some of the finest few minutes I've heard on Blu-ray yet. As I watched, I sat in anticipation of what was to come, notably the final battle. The attack on Qatar in chapter eight, like the first, is a mesmerizing listen. The 105mm shells the AC-130 fires from its on-board Howitzer, for example, have a distinct thud that increases the wonder and realism of the scene. The sound is crisp without being overbearing. It's loud without being distorted, but not so loud as to blow out your eardrums.

As active as the track is, surrounds aren't always blasting away. The scene where Sam and Mikaela are driving in Bumblebee in chapter five is generally silent save for the dialogue coming from the center channel, but as Bumblebee turns on the radio, the sound swells into the rear channels for a nice, subtle, but noticeable effect. Dialogue is rendered perfectly throughout. It is never lost under music or action. One moment I was eager to hear, one that I was hoping to offer a resounding "wow," was the scene where the Autobots arrive on Earth, and as I suspected from listening to the first hour of the movie, I was not disappointed. Once again, the audio is perfectly balanced; it is nice and powerful without being obnoxious, featuring great use of lows that shake the chair but don't rattle the foundation. Finally, we arrive at the the final battle of the movie. From the first shot Devastator fires from its cannon, the intensity and terror of the scene comes to horrific life. It's one of the best-staged action sequences I've ever seen, something completely different that mixes the real with the surreal and the Dolby TrueHD track brings it right into our living rooms with excellent bass, awe-inspiring sound effects, and fantastic crashes and bangs that burst out of every speaker. Every expended round from the machine guns employed by the Transformers rattles your seat with wondrous bass that, like the rest of the track, never overpowers you, but provides just the right amount of oomph for the full effect. Transformers doesn't offer the loudest, most active track ever, but everything is here in just the right proportions to create 143 minutes of movie magic. Transformers offers listeners one of the best lossless tracks yet, hands down.

Transformers Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Blu-ray Announced - August 20, 2009


• New Transformers BD-Live material reviewed - June 18, 2009


• New Content Available for Transformers Blu-ray on June 16th - June 11, 2009


• First Transformers BD-Live Material Revealed - September 24, 2008


• Transformers Makes Huge Comeback Due to Blu-ray Sales - September 11, 2008


• Today on Blu-ray - September 2nd - September 2, 2008


• Transformers Blu-ray Gets Detailed - May 28, 2008


• Blu-ray Transformers is Coming! - May 26, 2008


• Michael Bay Responds to Paramount's Decision: "No Transformers 2 ... - August 21, 2007

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