Quotes
 Ironhide: Why are we fighting to save the humans? They`re a primitive and violent race.
Optimus Prime: Were we so different? They`re a young species. They have much to learn. But I`ve seen goodness in them. Freedom is the right of all sentient beings. You all know there`s only one way to end this war: we must destroy the Cube. If all else fails, I will unite it with the spark in my chest.
Ratchet: That`s suicide! The Cube is raw power, it could destroy you both!
Optimus Prime: A necessary sacrifice to bring peace to this planet. We cannot let the humans pay for our mistakes. It`s been an honor serving with you all. Autobots, roll out! Captain Lennox: Epps, the rain`s coming!
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: Right! BRING IT!
Optimus Prime: My weapons specialist: Ironhide.
Ironhide: [drawing his guns] You feelin` lucky, punk?
Optimus Prime: Easy, Ironhide...
Ironhide: [retracts his guns] Just kidding. I just wanted to show him my cannons.
Jazz: Is that all you got, Megatron?
Megatron: Come here, you little cretin!
[Megatron grabs Jazz, but Jazz opens fire with his blaster]
Jazz: You want a piece of me? You want a piece?
Megatron: No, I want TWO!
[rips Jazz in half]
Sam Witwicky: No, no, no, no, no, no... Hey! That`s my car!
[Sam grabs a cellphone and cycle and chases after his car]
Sam Witwicky: Hello? 911 emergency. My car`s been stolen! I`m in pursuit! I need the whole squadron, bring everyone! No, no don`t ask any questions, my father`s the head of the neighbourhood watch!
Sam Witwicky: Look, I can`t be any clearer than how crystal clear I am being. It just stood up.
Sheriff: It just stood up? Wow. That`s really neat. Okay, chiefie. Time to fill her up...
[hands Sam a container and a tissue]
Sheriff: And no drippy-drippy. What are you rolling? Whippets? Goof balls? A little wowie sauce with the boys?
Sam Witwicky: No, I`m not on any drugs!
Sheriff: What`s these?
[shows Sam a bottle of pills]
Sheriff: Found it in your pocket. "Mojo". Is that what the kids are doing now, a little bit of Mojo...?
Sam Witwicky: Those are my dog`s pain pills.
Ron Witwicky: You know, a Chihauhua. A little...
Sheriff: [annoyed] What was that?
Sam Witwicky: Hmm?
Sheriff: You eyeballing my piece, 50 Cent? You wanna go?
[leans over Sam]
Sheriff: Make something happen. Do it. `Cause I promise you I will bust you up.
Sam Witwicky: [whispers] Are you on drugs?
[Bumblebee, with Sam and Mikaela inside, is being chased by Barricade]
Mikaela: Oh my God, we`re gonna die! We`re gonna die!
Sam Witwicky: No we`re not! Trust me, he`s a kickass driver!
[Bumblebee is heads towards a wall]
Sam Witwicky: [high-pitched scream] Oh my God, no! We`re gonna die!
Optimus Prime: It`s you and me, Megatron...
Megatron: No, it`s just ME, Prime!
Optimus Prime: At the end of this day, one shall stand, one shall fall!
Megatron: You still fight for the weak! That is why you lose!
Agent Simmons: Last night at the station, you told the officer your car transformed. Enlighten me.
Sam Witwicky: Well, here`s what I said, okay? `Cause this is a total misunderstanding that my car had been stolen...
Agent Simmons: Really?
Sam Witwicky: ...from me, from my home, but it`s fine now because it`s back! It came back!
Mikaela: Well, not by itself.
Sam Witwicky: Well, no.
Mikaela: Because cars don`t do that because that would be crazy.
[everyone laughs]
Captain Witwicky: We`ll get to the Arctic first, lads! No sacrifice, no victory!
Agent Simmons: What you`re about to see is totally classified...
[Project Iceman is reveled: a towering mechanical clossus, imprisoned in a cryogenic chamber]
Keller: Dear God... what is this?
Tom Banachek: We think that when he made his approach over the North Pole our gravitation field screwed up his telemetry and crashed into the ice, probably a few thousand years ago. We shipped him here to this facility in 1934.
Agent Simmons: We call him NBE-1.
Sam Witwicky: I don`t mean to correct you on all that you think you know, but that`s Megatron. He`s the leader of the Decepticons.
Tom Banachek: He`s been in cryo-stasis since 1935. Your great-great-grandfather made one of the greatest discoveries in the history of mankind.
Agent Simmons: Fact is, you`re looking at the source of the modern age. The microchip, lasers, cars, space flight: all reverse-engineered by studying him. NBE-1...
[sneers at Sam]
Agent Simmons: That`s what we call IT!
Keller: And you didn`t think that the United States Military might need to know that you`re keeping a hostile alien robot frozen in the basement?
Tom Banachek: Until these events we had no credible threats to national security.
Keller: Well, you got one now!
Bobby Bolivia: [after he eyes Bumble Bee in car mode] I`ll let you have it for $5,000.
Ron Witwicky: No! I`m not going above $4,000.
Bobby Bolivia: The door just closed.
[to Sam]
Bobby Bolivia: Get out of the car.
Sam Witwicky: Wait a minute? I thought you said "the car chooses its owner."
Bobby Bolivia: Yeah well sometimes they pick a driver with a cheap ass father. Now this car over here...
Bobby Bolivia: [after Bumblebee makes a shrill noise which shatters all of the car windows on Bobby`s car lot] $4,000!
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: [radioing to a lone F-22 fliying overhead] Raptor, Raptor do you copy? We have your visual. Green smoke is the mark. Provide air cover and vector Black Hawks for extraction.
[guided by the smoke, the F-22 heads for the group, but there`s no answer... ]
Ironhide: [transforms] It`s Starscream!
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: Please tell me you copy...
Ironhide: Back up! Take cover! Bumblebee...!
[With Bumblebee`s help, Ironhide grabs a van and lift it up as a shield as the Raptor comes closer]
Captain Lennox: No, no, no, no... MOVE!
Ironhide: Back up! Back up!
Captain Lennox: RETREAT! FALL BACK!
Ironhide: INCOMING!
[the Raptor strafes the ground, blowing up the truck and blasting everyone to the ground]
Captain Lennox: What the hell was that?
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: What are you talking about?
Captain Lennox: What do you mean, what am I talking about? They shot at us!
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: F-22 pilots would never fly below buildings! That`s alien... that ain`t friendly!
Captain Lennox: So why Earth?
Sam Witwicky: It`s the All Spark.
Keller: All Spark? What is that?
Sam Witwicky: Well, they came here looking for some sort of cube-looking thing. Anyway, Mr. NBE-1 here, aka MEGATRON...
[glares at Simmons]
Sam Witwicky: That`s what they call HIM... who`s pretty much the harbinger of death, wants to use the cube to transform human technology to take over the universe. That`s their plan.
Captain Lennox: Sam! Where`s the Cube?
Sam Witwicky: Right there!
Captain Lennox: Epps, get those Blackhawks here!
[sees a building]
Captain Lennox: That building... okay!
Sam Witwicky: What?
Captain Lennox: All right, I can`t leave my guys back there, so here, take this flare...
[hands him the flare and the All Spark]
Captain Lennox: Okay, there`s a tall white building with statues on top. Go to the roof, set the flare...
Sam Witwicky: No...
Captain Lennox: Signal the chopper, and...
Sam Witwicky: I can`t do this!
Captain Lennox: [grabs him] Listen to me, you`re a soldier now! All right, I need you to take this Cube, get it into military hands while we hold them off, or a lot of people are gonna die.
[to Mikaela]
Captain Lennox: You gotta go, you gotta go...!
Mikaela: No, I`m not leaving.
Captain Lennox: You need to go!
Mikaela: No, I`m not leaving until I get Bumblee out of here! Okay?
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: [into radio] Army Blackhawk, requesting immediate evac for civilian boy with precious cargo, headed to rooftop marked by flare.
Ironhide: Sam, we will protect you.
Sam Witwicky: [breathing heavily] Okay...
Sarah Lennox: [about their baby daughter] She has your laugh.
Captain Lennox: She laughed?
Sarah Lennox: Her first one.
Captain Lennox: Ah... are you sure she didn`t just fart?
Sarah Lennox: [laughs] No, she`s a lady.
Trent: You know, I thought I recognized you. You tried out for the football team last year, right?
Sam Witwicky: Oh, no, no, that... No. That, that wasn`t like a real try-out. I was researching a book I was writing.
Trent: Oh, yeah?
Sam Witwicky: Yeah!
Trent: [grinning] Yeah? What`s it about? Sucking at sports?
Sam Witwicky: [laughs a little] No, it`s about the link between brain damage and football.
[Trent looks really angry, while Mikaela hides a smile]
Sam Witwicky: [nods head] No, it... it`s a good book. Your friends will love it. You know, it`s got mazes in it and, you know, little coloring areas, sections, pop-up pictures. It`s... a lot of fun.
[Bumblebee drives Sam and Mikaela through a tunnel]
Mikaela: [in the back seat] This car`s a pretty good driver.
Sam Witwicky: [in the passenger seat] Yeah.
[looks at the empty driver`s seat]
Sam Witwicky: Why don`t you go sit on that seat there?
Mikaela: I`m not gonna sit on that seat. He`s driving.
Sam Witwicky: Yeah. You`re right. You know, maybe you should sit on my lap.
Mikaela: Why?
Sam Witwicky: Well, I have the only seat belt here. Safety first.
Mikaela: Yeah. Right.
[Mikaela moves from the back seat to Sam`s lap]
Sam Witwicky: See? That`s better.
Mikaela: You know, that seat belt thing was a pretty smooth move.
Sam Witwicky: Thank you.
Ironhide: You have a rodent infestation.
Sam Witwicky: A what?
Ironhide: [aiming cannons at Mojo] Shall I terminate?
Sam Witwicky: No! No! This is a chihuahua. We love chihuahuas.
Ironhide: He`s leaked lubricants all over my foot! Hmmph!
Sam Witwicky: He peed on you? Bad Mojo! Bad!
Ironhide: Bad Mojo! Ugh, my foot`s gonna rust...
Bobby Bolivia: Hey Manny!
Manny: What?
Bobby Bolivia: Get your cousin outta that clown costume. Havin` that heat stroke again. Scarin` white folks.
Clown: I`m hot! Makeup`s melting, hurts my eyes!
Optimus Prime: Sam, I owe you my life. We are in your debt.
Trent: Why doesn`t my little bunny hop in the back seat?
Agent Simmons: Ronald Wikity?
Ron Witwicky: It`s Witwicky. Who are you?
Agent Simmons: We`re the government. Sector Seven.
Ron Witwicky: Never heard of it.
Agent Simmons: Never will.
Mikaela: Why are you here?
Optimus Prime: We are here looking for the All Spark. And we must find it before Megatron.
Sam Witwicky: Mega-what?
[Prime projects a holographic view of Cybertron]
Optimus Prime: Our planet was once a powerful empire, peaceful and just, until we were betrayed by Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. All who defied them were destroyed. Our war finally consumed the planet, and the All Spark was lost to the stars. Megatron followed it to Earth, where Captain Witwicky found him...
Sam Witwicky: My grandfather.
Optimus Prime: It was an accident that intertwined our fates.
[Captain Witwicky discovers Megatron in the ice]
Optimus Prime: Megatron crash-landed before he could retrieve the Cube.
[the Captain fiddles with Megatron`s gears, causing a bright light to strike him... ]
Optimus Prime: He accidentally activated his navigation system. The coordinates to the Cube`s location on Earth were imprinted on his glasses.
Sam Witwicky: How did you know about his glasses?
Optimus Prime: eBay.
Sam Witwicky: eBay...
Ratchet: If the Decepticons find the All Spark, they will use its power to transform Earth`s machines and build a new army.
Optimus Prime: And the human race will be extinguished. Sam Witwicky, you hold the key to Earth`s survival.
Mikaela: Please tell me that you have those glasses?
Agent Simmons: Mean little sucker, huh?
Maggie Madsen: That thing is freaky!
Agent Simmons: Kinda like the itty-bitty Energizer Bunny from hell, huh?
Bumblebee: [through his radio] "Message from Starfleet, Captain... Let`s get to it!"
Captain Lennox: He`s right. If we stay here, we`re screwed with Megatron in the other hanger. Mission City is 22 miles away. We`re going to sneak that Cube out of here and hide it somewhere in the city.
Keller: Good, right!
Captain Lennox: But we cannot make a stand without the Air Force.
Keller: This place must have some sort of radio link.
Agent Simmons: Yes!
Keller: Short wave, CV...
Agent Simmons: Right, yes!
Captain Lennox: [to Keller] Sir, you`re going to have to find some way to get word out to them... Let`s move!
Sam Witwicky: [begging his teacher to give him an "A"] Look, can you do me a favor-can you look out the window for a second? See my father? He`s the guy in the green car? Let me tell you about a dream, a boy`s dream, and a man`s promise to that boy. He looked him in the eye and said "Son, I` gonna buy you a car, but I want you to bring me two-thousand dollars and three A`s." OK, I got the two thousand and two A`s. OK, here`s the dream. Your B minus? Pfff! Dream gone. Kaput. Sir, just ask yourself... What would Jesus do?
Captain Lennox: [fighting Devastator] Yeah, this isn`t going well!
Mikaela: I can`t believe that I`m here right now.
Sam Witwicky: You can duck down if you want, it won`t hurt my feelings.
Trent: So, what are you guys doing here?
Sam Witwicky: [looking at the tree Miles is climbing] We`re here to climb this tree.
[Ratchet runs into power lines, shocking him and causing a tremor throughout the neighborhood]
Ron Witwicky: [crawling under a table] Earthquake! Earthquake! Judy, get under the table!
Judy Witwicky: How did you get over there so fast?
[Outside, Ratchet staggers to his ]
Ratchet: Wow! That was tingly! You gotta try that!
Ironhide: [sarcastic] Yeah, that looks fun...
Sam Witwicky: [as a technician hoses down Bumblebee] Stop! You gotta stop! Stop! Stop! Let him go! Let him go!
[technicians stop, Bumblebee looks to Sam]
Sam Witwicky: Ya okay? They didn`t hurt you, right?
[Bumblebee, wild with pain, draws his blaster, aiming at everyone]
Sam Witwicky: [calming both Bumblebee and the humans] Listen to me, the Cube is here, and the Decepticons are coming... No, no, don`t worry about them, they`re ok, right, they`re not gonna hurt you... Just back up a little bit, he`s friendly, he`s fine... Ok, come on, put the guns down, they`re not gonna hurt you. Come with me, we`re gonna take you to the Allspark.
Sam Witwicky: [to a crippled Bumblebee] I`m not going to leave you!
Sam Witwicky: Where`s my car?
Tom Banachek: Son, listen to me very carefully. People could die here. We need to know everything you know, and we need to know it right now.
Sam Witwicky: Okay... But first I`ll take my car, my parents - maybe you should write that down. Oh, and her juvie record. That`s gotta be gone. Like, forever.
Tom Banachek: [exhales] Come with me. We`ll talk about your car.
Mikaela: [to Sam] Thank you.
Sam Witwicky: Sure.
Agent Simmons: [deep sigh] The man`s an extortionist.
Cafe` kid 1: [using a video camera] Okay, this is you...
[a an meteor crtushes a store and he runs outside to look]
Cafe` kid 1: Wow! This is the coolest thing I`ve ever seen! Explosions everywhere! This is easily a hundred times cooler than Armageddon... I swear to god!
Mikaela: [after Sam has tripped on his mother`s bike] That was uh... that was really awesome.
Sam Witwicky: Felt awesome.
Mikaela: Are you okay?
Sam Witwicky: No, I`m not okay alright? I`m losin` my mind a little bit. Gettin` chased by my car right now, gotta go!
Ron Witwicky: [drives past a Porsche dealer] I`ve got a little surprise for you, son.
Sam Witwicky: No, no, no, no! Dad! Oh, you`ve got to be kidding me!
Ron Witwicky: Yeah, I am. You`re not getting a Porsche!
[laughs]
Sam Witwicky: No sacrifice, no victory.
Frenzy: [reporting to Barricade] Stupid insects tried to shoot me... found a clue to the Allspark...
[he plugs himself into a monitor and displays what information he had stolen from Air Force One]
Frenzy: Witwicky - he has seen our language... Witwicky search...
[Frenzy activates a searc engine, which brings up an eBay file on Sam and a picture of spectacles. Frenzy notices familiar markings on those spectacles... ]
Frenzy: We must find LadiesMan217! Go, go, go!
[the police car speeds off... ]
[Epps and Glen stare at the gashes in the All Spark chamber]
USAF Tech Sergeant Epps: What`s that? Freddy Krueger been up in here or something?
Glen Whitmann: Oh, no, man. Freddy Krueger have four blades, man. That`s only three. That`s Wolverine!
[growls and laughs]
Glen Whitmann: Right? That`s Wolverine!
Agent Simmons: [in a serious tone] That`s very funny.
Optimus Prime: [as Megatron is dying ] You left me no choice, brother.
Tooth Fairy Girl: [to a giant robot as it emerges from a swimming pool and steps over her] Excuse me, are you the Tooth Fairy?
Starscream: I live to serve you, Lord Megatron...
Megatron: Where is the Cube?
Starscream: The humans have taken it!
Megatron: You fail me yet again, Starscream... GET THEM!
Frenzy: [cackling] Megatron, Megatron, Megatron!
[disrupts the NBE-1 equipment and checks a monitor]
Frenzy: Ooohh... Megatron melting!
Jazz: It`s Megatron! Retreat! Move! Fall back!
Maggie Madsen: There`s only one hacker in the world who can break this code...
Ironhide: Prime... we couldn`t save him.
[hands him Jazz`s remains]
Optimus Prime: Oh, Jazz... We lost a great comrade, but gained new ones. Thank you, all of you. You honor us with your bravery.
Frenzy: [his head sliced in half by his own disk] Oh, shit!
Frenzy: [chasing Sam, gets kicked] Aaaarrrggh! Where is it?
Starscream: This is Starscream: All Decepticons, mobilize.
Barricade: Barricade en-route...
Devastator: Devastator reporting...
Bonecrusher: Bonecrusher rolling...
Blackout: Blackout incoming... All hail Megatron!
Bobby Bolivia: A driver don`t pick the cars. Mmm-mm. Cars pick the driver. It`s a mystical bond between man and machine.
[from trailer]
Keller: We`re facing war against a technological civilization far superior to our own! Our enemy can take any shape! They could be anywhere
Mikaela: Sam, wait! No matter what happens, I`m really glad I got in that car with you.
Mikaela: Remember those cars my dad used to teach me to fix? Well, they weren`t always his.
Sam Witwicky: That`s stupid. That was a stupid line. "There`s more than meets the eye with you." Stupid.
USAF Tech Sergeant Epps: Bring the rain!
Sam Witwicky: I was wondering if... if I could ride you home, I - I mean if I could give you a ride home.
Glen Whitmann: Okay, Maggie, look. Let me break it down to you, how it`s gonna happen. They gonna come through that door, they`re gonna play good cop, bad cop. Don`t fall for that, alright?
[Maggie rubs her forehead]
Glen Whitmann: That`s why I ate their food. See, they put the plate of donuts out here to test your guilt. If you don`t touch it, you`re guilty!
[exhibits up empty plate]
Glen Whitmann: I ate the whole plate. The WHOLE plate. So, me and you: they walk through that door, you don`t say nothing.
[Agents enter the room, and Glen is calm up to the point an agent places his briefcase on the table... ]
Glen Whitmann: [pointing to Maggie] It was her! She did it! She did it! She`s the one you want!
Bobby Bolivia: [pointing at himself] You come to see me?
Sam Witwicky: I had to.
Sam Witwicky: That practically makes us family. Uncle Bobbie B, baby, Uncle Bobbie B.
[smiles and shakes Sam`s hand]
[last lines]
Optimus Prime: With the All Spark gone, we cannot return life to our planet. And fate has yielded its reward: a new world to call home. We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret, waiting, protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there`s more to them than meets the eye. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We are waiting.
Ron Witwicky: 5... 4... It`s comin` off the hinges, pal. 3... 2... stand back!
Sam Witwicky: What`s up?... What`s with the bat?
Ron Witwicky: Who were you talking to?
Sam Witwicky: Talkin` to you.
Judy Witwicky: Why are you so sweaty and filthy?
Sam Witwicky: I`m a child. Ya know, I`m a teenager.
Optimus Prime: Are you Samuel James Witwicky, descendent of Archibald Witwicky?
Mikaela: They know your name!
Sam Witwicky: Yeah.
Optimus Prime: My name is Optimus Prime. We are Autonomous Robotic Organisms from the planet Cybertron.
Ratchet: But you can call us "Autobots", for short.
Judy Witwicky: They`ve got to get their hands off my bush!
Jazz: [jumping on Devastator] Come on, Decepticon punk!
Bobby Bolivia: Son, I`m a lot of things. A liar`s not one of them. Especially not in front of my mammy. Hey, Mammy!
[Mammy gives him the middle finger]
Bobby Bolivia: Oh don`t be like that! If I had a rock I`d bust your head bitch. I tell you man, she deaf. You know.
[laughs hysterically]
Cafe` kid 1: [looking at a crushed store] I sure hope they have asteroid insurance, or they are so boned!
Glen`s Cousin: [being chased by police] I`m just the cousin. I`M JUST THE COUSIN!
Ironhide: [drawing his guns] The parents are very irritating...
Ratchet: [trying to calm him] Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Ironhide: Can I take them out?
Optimus Prime: Ironhide, you know we don`t harm humans! What is with you?
Ironhide: Well, I`m just saying we could. It`s an option.
Sam Witwicky: [in a used car showroom] You ever seen "The 40 Year Old Virgin"?
Ron Witwicky: Yeah...
Sam Witwicky: Well, you see this?
[points to a car]
Sam Witwicky: This is the 40-year-old virgin, and this
[points to another car]
Sam Witwicky: is the 50-year-old virgin.
Sam Witwicky: [after the Autobots have ripped the top off the car] You A-holes are in trouble now. Gentlemen, I want to introduce you to my friend, Optimus Prime.
Optimus Prime: Taking the children was a BAD move! Autobots, relieve them of their weapons!
Sam Witwicky: [on phone about Bumblebee] Um yeah, Satan`s Camaro? It`s stalking me!
Optimus Prime: Megatron!
Megatron: Prime!
Glen: So I downloaded a couple thousand songs off the internet! Who hasn`t? Who hasn`t?
[Megatron notices some humans near him]
Megatron: Disgusting!
[revolted, he flicks one of them away]
Agent Simmons: [holding up a badge] You see this? This is a "Do whatever I want and get away with it" badge!
Sam Witwicky: It`s custom-faded?
Jazz: What`s crackin` little bitches?
[does a somersault]
Optimus Prime: My first lieutenant. Designation: Jazz.
Jazz: This looks like a cool place to kick it!
Barricade: Are you username: LadiesMan217?
Sam Witwicky: I don`t know what you`re talking about!
Barricade: ARE YOU USERNAME: LADIESMAN217?
Sam Witwicky: Yeah...
Barricade: Where is the eBay item 21153? WHERE ARE THE GLASSES?
Megatron: I am... MEGATRON!
Agent Simmons: She`s a criminal. And criminals are HOT!
Sam Witwicky: [to five vehicles in his yard] This isn`t hiding! That`s my backyard, not a truckstop!
first lines]
Optimus Prime: Before time began, there was the Cube. We know not where it comes from, only that it holds the power to create worlds and fill them with life. That is how our race was born. For a time, we lived in harmony. But like all great power, some wanted it for good, others for evil. And so began the war. A war that ravaged our planet until it was consumed by death, and the Cube was lost to the far reaches of space. We scattered across the galaxy, hoping to find it and rebuild our home. Searching every star, every world. And just when all hope seemed lost, message of a new discovery drew us to an unknown planet called... Earth.
[the All Spark falls to Earth]
Optimus Prime: But we were already too late...
Optimus Prime: Our medical officer: Ratchet.
Ratchet: [sniffing] The boy`s pheromone levels suggest he wants to mate with the female.
[Sam and Mikeala fidget embarassedly]
Sam Witwicky: [to Frenzy] Not so tough without a head, are ya?
[kicks Frenzy`s head]
Mikaela: I`ll drive, you shoot!
Sam Witwicky: So...
Maggie Madsen: What`d they get you for?
Sam Witwicky: I bought a car. Turned out to be an alien robot.
Glen: [whispered] Wow.
Sam Witwicky: Who knew?
Optimus Prime: [stepping on a fountain in the Witwicky`s yard] Oops... Sorry, my bad.
USAF Staff Sergent: Sir, that tank thing`s getting back up.
Captain Lennox: These things just don`t die!
[hearing a helicopter, they turn and see Blackout land on a building behind them]
Captain Lennox: Oh, we`re so dead.
Sam Witwicky: [checking out his car for the first time] Feels good.
Sam Witwicky: [speaking to Optimus Prime through his window] Okay, listen. You gotta listen to me! If my parents come out here and see you, they`re going to freak. My mother`s got a temper.
[Captain Lennox is trying to call the Pentagon while his men fight Scorponok]
Captain Lennox: I need a credit card! Epps, where`s your wallet?
USAF Tech Sergeant Epps: Pocket!
Captain Lennox: Which pocket?
USAF Tech Sergeant Epps: MY BACK POCKET!
Captain Lennox: You got like ten back pockets!
USAF Tech Sergeant Epps: LEFT CHEEK! LEFT CHEEK! LEFT CHEEK!
Bumblebee: [fully repaired] Permission to speak, sir?
Optimus Prime: Permission granted, old friend.
Sam Witwicky: You speak now?
Bumblebee: I wish to stay with the boy.
Optimus Prime: If that is his choice.
Sam Witwicky: Yes.
Megatron: I smell you, boy!
Megatron: [chasing Sam, flips a car out of his way] Give me that Cube, boy!
Megatron: [lunging at Sam] I`ll kill you! Mine... All Spark!
Optimus Prime: Sam! Push the Cube into my chest, NOW!
Megatron: Maggot!
Glen Whitmann: My grandma don`t like nobody on her carpet, especially police!
Megatron: Humans don`t deserve to live!
Optimus Prime: They deserve to choose for themselves!
Megatron: Then you will die with them!
[throws Prime away and primes his cannon]
Megatron: JOIN THEM IN EXTINCTION!
Keller: [to Maggie] But if you don`t get a filter on that brain-mouth thing, you`re gonna be off the team. Understand?
Agent Simmons: Ooh. Nokia`s are real nasty. You`ve gotta respect the Japanese. They know the way of the samurai.
Maggie Madsen: Nokia`s from Finland.
Keller: Yes, but he`s, you know, a little strange. He`s a little strange.
Judy Witwicky: You hurt my dog, I`ll kick your ass!
Megatron: Humans don`t deserve to live!
Optimus Prime: They deserve to choose for themselves!
Megatron: Then you will die with them!
[throws Prime away and primes his cannon]
Megatron: JOIN THEM IN EXTINCTION!
Megatron: Decepticons, attack!
Keller: [to Maggie] But if you don`t get a filter on that brain-mouth thing, you`re gonna be off the team. Understand?
Sam Witwicky: ...and the compass makes uh... a great gift for Columbus Day...
USAF Tech Sergeant Epps: [on the phone, to the Pentagon, while fighting Scorponok] I never seen this in my life! We need gunships ASAP!... Unknown, man, I don`t... man, if you seen this shit!
USAF Tech Sergeant Epps: Lennox! The heat`s coming!
Captain Lennox: Lase the target! We got a beam-rider incoming, lase the target!
Agent Simmons: Ooh. Nokia`s are real nasty. You`ve gotta respect the Japanese. They know the way of the samurai.
Maggie Madsen: Nokia`s from Finland.
Keller: Yes, but he`s, you know, a little strange. He`s a little strange.
Bobby Bolivia: Let me tell you something, Sam.Your first enchilada of freedom awaits under one of those hoods.
The President: Yeah, could you wrangle me up some Ding-Dongs, darlin`?
Sam Witwicky: This... I can`t do it anymore. You`re putting girl jewelry on a boy dog.
Judy Witwicky: What?
Sam Witwicky: He`s got enough self-esteem issues being a Chihuahua, Mom.
Judy Witwicky: That`s his bling.
Agent Simmons: [staring at Optimus Prime] Hi, there.
Optimus Prime: You don`t seem afraid. Are you not surprised to see us?
Agent Simmons: Look, there are certain rules I have to abide by. I`m not authorized to communicate with you except... to say I can`t communicate with you...
Optimus Prime: Get out of the car.
Agent Simmons: Right. Uh, me? You want me to...?
Optimus Prime: Now!
Jazz: What about Bumblebee? We can`t just leave him to die and become some human experiment!
Optimus Prime: He`ll die in vain if we don`t accomplish our mission. Bumblebee is a brave soldier. This is what he would want.
Agent Simmons: I`m gonna lock you up forever!
Mikaela: Oh God, you know what? Don`t listen to him. He`s just pissy because he has to get back to guarding the mall.
Agent Simmons: You, in the training bra? Do not test me.
[Keller enters the FBI interrogation room]
Maggie Madsen: What`s going on?
Keller: You`re coming with me. You`re going to be my advisor.
Glen Whitmann: Me, too?
Keller: Who`s this?
Maggie Madsen: He`s... MY advisor.
Keller: He comes too.
after her call with her husband was cut off, Sarah watches in horror as the news reports on the base attack]
Keller: [on TV] At this time, we are unable to confirm whether there were any survivors...
Sarah Lennox: Oh, my God.
Keller: We are dealing with a highly effective weapons system, one that we have not come across before. But our thoughts and prayers are with those men who...
[Sarah`s baby daughter starts crying, and she turns to her, wiping away her own tears]
Sarah Lennox: Daddy`s gonna be okay, honey, I promise...
[Lennox urgently calls on a cell phone as his men fight Scorponok]
Captain Lennox: This is an emergency Pentagon call! The Pentagon, do you understand-?
[the window behind him explodes]
Captain Lennox: I DON`T HAVE A CREDIT CARD!
International Operator: [bored] Sir, the attitude is not going to speed things up any bit at all. I`m going to ask you to speak very clearly into the mouthpiece...
Captain Lennox: I`m in the middle of a war! THis is friggin` ridiculous!
[trying to escape Barricade, Sam tackles Mikaela off her bike]
Mikaela: What is your problem, Sam?
Sam Witwicky: Okay, there`s a monster, it just attacked me!
[Barricade stomps after them]
Sam Witwicky: Here it comes!
Miles: [protesting Sam`s declaration to drive Mikeala home] What? She`s an evil jock concubine, man. Let her hitchhike.
Sam Witwicky: I`m cool with, you know, females working on my engine. I prefer it, actually.
Sam Witwicky: [upon seeing his car transform, he hides and starts making a video last testament with his phone] My name is Sam Witwicky. Whoever finds this, my car is alive, okay?
[holds up phone]
Sam Witwicky: You saw that, since this is my last words on Earth, I just wanna say, Mom, Dad, I love you and if you find "Busty Beauties" under my bed, it wasn`t mine. I`m holding it for Miles. No, No, wait that... Okay, that`s not true. It`s mine and Uncle Charles gave it to me. I`m sorry. Mojo, I love you.
Judy Witwicky: Please for the love of God drive safely!
[Sam drives away with the Camaro in a massive cloud of black exhaust]
Judy Witwicky: Wow. You are so cheap.
Ron Witwicky: Well, it`s his first car... supposed to be like that.
Cafe` kid 1: Can anyone get me a space rock?
[inside Sector Seven, the lights suddenly dim... ]
Keller: Gentlemen, they know the Cube is here.
Glen Whitmann: Shoot that motherf...!
Maggie Madsen: Sir, they hacked your firewall in ten seconds! Even a supercomputer, with a brute force attack, would take ten years to do that.
Enlisted Aide: Maybe you can explain why our enemies are doubling their armed forces...
Maggie Madsen: Maybe it`s a precaution, because isn`t that what we`re doing? The signal pattern is learning, it`s EVOLVING on its own, and you need to move past Fourier transforms and start thinking quantum mechanics
Enlisted Aide: [with unintentional irony] There is nothing on Earth that complex!
Keller: Simmons?
Agent Simmons: Yes, sir?
Keller: I`d do what he says. Losing`s really not an option for these guys.
Agent Simmons: All right, okay! Hey, you want to lay the fate of the world on the kid`s Camaro? That`s cool.
Ironhide: Keep moving, Sam! Don`t stop!
Keller: Gentlemen, it is the direct order of the President that Sector Seven be terminated, and the remains of the dead aliens be disposed of. The Laurentian Abyss is seven miles below sea level. Deepest place on the planet. The aliens will be deposited there, where the intense pressure coupled with sub-zero temperatures will crush and entomb them... leaving no evidence.
[Simmons, Keller, Maggie and Glenn test a radio to see if it still operates] Agent Simmons: [finding success] We`re hot! We`re live! Glen Whitmann: Where are the mics? Agent Simmons: [freezes] ... Mics? Glen Whitmann: This doesn`t work without mics, Simmons! Agent Simmons: No, no, no, no, no!
Mikaela: You got a high rise double pump carburetor. That`s... that`s pretty impressive, Sam.
Sam Witwicky: Double pump?
Mikaela: It squirts the fuel in so you can go faster.
Sam Witwicky: Oh... I like to go faster.
Frenzy: [attacking Sam] Witwicky! Witwicky!
Judy Witwicky: You know, I think that if there really was some kind of... alien infestation... the Government would be the first to tell us.
Ron Witwicky: [fondling Mojo] Yeah... I mean, this is America.
Judy Witwicky: Yeah, that`s how we know we`re in a free country. There`s no secrets. They`d say "Hey! Duck and cover!"
Agent Simmons: [to the Special Ops team] All right, you`ve all had direct contact with the NBEs...
Captain Lennox: NBEs?
Agent Simmons: Non-Biological Extraterrestrials. Try to keep up with the acronyms.
ACWO Jorge "Fig" Figueroa: My mother, she had the gift. You know, she saw things. Now I got the gene. That thing at the base, I got a feeling it ain`t over.
First Sergeant Donnelly: Why don`t you those magic voodoo powers of yours and get us the hell out of here, huh?
Sam Witwicky: [looking up at Bumblebee] Can you talk?
Bumblebee: [through his radio] "XM Satellite One"..."Digital Cable brings you"..."Columbia Broadcasting System"...
Sam Witwicky: So, you... so you talk through the radio?
Bumblebee: [clapping his hands] "Thank you, you`re beautiful! You`re wonderful, you`re wonderful."
Sam Witwicky: So what was that last night? What was that?
Bumblebee: [pointing skywards] "Message from Starfleet, Captain"..."Throughout the inanimate vastness of space"..."And angels will rain down like visitors from Heaven! Hallelujah!"
Mikaela: Visitors from heaven... so you`re, like, an alien?
[Bumblebee points a finger at her and nods, and converts into a Camaro]
Bumblebee: "Any more questions you want to ask?"
Sam Witwicky: He wants us to get in the car.
Mikaela: [laughing nervously] And go where?
Sam Witwicky: Fifty years from now, when you`re looking back at your life, don`t you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car?
[Captain Witwicky falls into an underground cavern]
Captain Witwicky: [calling his crew] I`m all right, lads...!
[He looks around and discovers an incredible statue frozen into the cavern]
Captain Witwicky: Men! We`ve made a discovery!
Tom Banachek: You have to accept that there are certain things you won`t understand right away. Sector Seven is a special access division of the Government, convened in secret under President Hoover eighty years ago. You might remember NASA JPL lost the Beagle 2 Mars Rover? We told them to report the mission a complete failure. It wasn`t. Beagle 2 transmitted for thirteen seconds. This was classified *above* top secret...
[Banachek plays a video of a giant lifeform crushing the Beagle]
Tom Banachek: More than just a pile of Martian rocks.
[Banachek shows the shocked Secretary two photographs]
Tom Banachek: This is the image from Mars. This is the image your Special Ops team managed to retrieve from the base attack. We believe that they are of the same exoskeletal type, and obviously not Russian or North Korean.
Keller: Are we talking about... an invasion?
Tom Banachek: We intercepted the message from your Special Ops team. These things can be hurt by our weapons, and now they know it. That`s why the virus shut us down, so we can`t coordinate against their next attack... which I would bet my ridiculous government salary is coming soon.
[Sam runs to the top of a skyscraper and prepares to hand over the Cube to a waiting helicopter... ]
Sam Witwicky: [spotting Starscream] WATCH OUT!
[Starscream fires at the copter, incapacitating it]
Sam Witwicky: Oh my God... Where do I go?
Optimus Prime: [hurrying across rooftops] Hang on, Sam!
[With a crash, Megatron rises from below; frightened, Sam clings to a statue at the edge of the building]
Megatron: Is it fear or courage that compels you, fleshling?
Sam Witwicky: [terrified] Oh no! No!
Megatron: Give me the All Spark and you may live to be my pet.
Sam Witwicky: [still making a stand] I`m never giving you this All Spark!
Megatron: Oh, so unwise...
[With a roar, he pulls out a flail from his arm and smashes the rooftop, sending a screaming Sam plummeting towards the ground... ]
Optimus Prime: [grabbing Sam] I got you, boy! Hold on to the Cube!
[Prime leaps down, but Megatron grabs him, and all three tumble down into the street]
[Bumblebee fires a shot straight into Devastator`s chest]
Mikaela: Nice shot!
Optimus Prime: You already know your guardian: Bumblebee.
Bumblebee: [does a little dance] "Check on the rep, yep! / Second to none!"
Ron Witwicky: You`re not taking my son.
Agent Simmons: Really? You gonna get rough with us?
Ron Witwicky: No, but I`m gonna call the cops because there`s something fishy going on around here.
Agent Simmons: Yeah. There`s something a little fishy about you, your son, your little Taco Bell dog and this whole operation you got going on here.
Ron Witwicky: What operation?
Agent Simmons: That is what we are gonna find out.
Boy in Car: [watching two robots fight above him] Cool, Mom!
Mikaela: You know what I don`t understand?
Sam Witwicky: What?
Mikaela: If he`s like, this super-advanced robot, why does he transform into this piece-of-crap Camaro?
Mr. Hosney: Okay. Might be a pop quiz tomorrow, might not. Sleep in fear tonight.
Captain Lennox: Sarah, if you can hear me, I love you and I`m coming home to see you, okay?
Captain Lennox: No friggin` way that thing`s still not down...
Bumblebee: [through his radio] "Move it, yah moron!"
Ratchet: I sense the Decepticons are getting ready to mobilize...
[Ron Witwicky walks towards a window]
Optimus Prime: Quick, hide!
Ratchet: Hide? Where?
[the Autobots manage to get out of sight just as Ron looks outside]
Ron Witwicky: Oh, no... look at the yard! The yard is destroyed! There`s sparks flying all over the place... Judy, you better call the City, looks like they got a blown transformer! What a waste... Trashed! Gone!
[appalled, he moves away]
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: They bombed the antenna farm! We`re under attack!
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: [nearly impaled by Scorponok`s tail] I thought you said that thing was dead, man!
Captain Lennox: This thing is wicked!
[Bumblebee pours oil over Agent Simmons]
Agent Simmons: HEY! HEEYYY!
Optimus Prime: Bumblebee, stop lubricating the man!
Agent Simmons: GET THAT THING TO STOP, HUH?
[Bumblebee approaches Sam and Mikaela]
Mikaela: What is it?
Sam Witwicky: It`s a robot. You know, like a super advanced robot. It`s probably Japanese. Yeah, it`s definitely Japanese.
[He slowly walks towards Bumblebee]
Mikaela: [alarmed] What are you doing?
Sam Witwicky: I don`t think it wants to hurt us. He would`ve done that already.
Mikaela: Really? Well, do you speak robot? Because they just had, like, a giant droid death match!
[Blackout transforms]
SOCCENT Colonel Sharp: My God!
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: We got friendlies mixed with baddies. This is gonna be WILD...
Glen, Glen`s Cousin: [on the computer] It`s the Maaaatrix!
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: [playing basketball] Check out this crossover, like Jordan in his prime going through the front line...!
Bonecrusher: [fighting Optimus Prime] I hate you!
Agent Simmons: Get out of the way, get out of the way!
[raises a flamethrower and torches Frenzy]
Agent Simmons: BURN, YOU LITTLE SUCKER, BURN!
Judy Witwicky: Sam, we heard you talking to someone...
Sam Witwicky: Mom, I...
[Sam`s parents fall silent and stare at Mikaela]
Mikaela: Hi, I`m Mikaela. I`m a... I`m a friend of Sam`s.
[Judy starts giggling and chucks Sam on the shoulder]
Judy Witwicky: Gosh, you`re gorgeous!
[turns to Ron]
Judy Witwicky: Isn`t that the prettiest girl?
Sam Witwicky: She can hear you talking, Mom.
Captain Lennox: [points a gun at Simmons] Take him to his car!
[a standoff ensues between the Special Forces and Sector 7]
Tom Banachek: Whoa whoa whoa...
Agent Simmons: Drop your weapon, solider. There`s an alien war going on and you`re gonna shot me?
Captain Lennox: You know, we didn`t ask to be here.
Agent Simmons: I`m ordering you under S-Seven executive jurisdiction...
USAF Tech Sergeant Epps: S-7 don`t exist!
Captain Lennox: Right, and we don`t take orders from people that don`t exist.
Agent Simmons: I`m gonna count to five, okay...
Captain Lennox: Well, I`m gonna count to three.
[cocks his gun]
Bobby Bolivia: Don`t go Ricci Ricardo on me man!
Bumblebee: [through his radio] ..."greater than man..."
[activates a pulse that shatters glass around him]
[addressing an assembly of signal analysts]
Keller: Please be seated... I`m John Keller. Obviously you`re all wondering why you`re here, so these are the facts: At 17:00 hours GMT yesterday a SOCCENT airbase in Qatar was attacked. So far as we know, there were no survivors. The purpose of the attack was to hack our military network; we don`t know what they were looking for, but they were cut off during the assault, which leads us to assume they`re going to try it again. Now, no one`s taken responsibility for the attack. And the only lead we have is this sound...
[plays a recording of a signal]
Keller: That`s the signal that hacked our network. NASA`s working around the clock to break it but we need YOUR help in deciphering this signal. You`ve all shown technical skill in the field of signal analysis. We`re on a hair trigger, people, the United States has dispatched an armed force to its full capacity. This is as real as it`s going to get. I`m going to leave you to the officer to sort you all into groups. Good luck to us all.
Glen Whitmann: Maggie, what are you doing here? This is my private area, my place of Zen and peace...
[Glenn`s grandmother yells at him]
Glen Whitmann: Shut up, Grandma!
[Mojo wets Ironhide`s foot]
Ironhide: Ewww, wet wet wet wet wet...!
Judy Witwicky: [barging into Sam`s bedroom, her husband in tow] Oh, for Pete`s sakes! You are so defensive! Were you... masturbating?
Ron Witwicky: Judy...
Sam Witwicky: [frantic] Was I master... No, Mom!
Ron Witwicky: Zip it, okay?
Judy Witwicky: It`s okay...
Sam Witwicky: No, I don`t masturbate!
Ron Witwicky: That`s not something for you to bring up.
Judy Witwicky: Okay.
Ron Witwicky: That`s a father-and-son thing, okay?
Sam Witwicky: Father-son thing...
Judy Witwicky: I mean, you don`t have to call it that word if that makes you uncomfortable... you can call it Sam`s happy time or...
Sam Witwicky: [amazed] Happy time?
Judy Witwicky: ...my special alone time...
Ron Witwicky: Judy, stop!
Judy Witwicky: ...with myself.
Sam Witwicky: Mom, you can`t come in and...
Judy Witwicky: I`m sorry. It`s just been a weird night. I`ve had a little bit to drink.
[Barricade ejects Frenzy to capture Sam]
Frenzy: Surprise, Witwicky!
Glen Whitmann: Hey, I`m still a virgin...
Maggie Madsen: Glenn, SHUT UP!
Jazz: Fire it up, Optimus!
[Starscream arrives at Hoover Dam]
Starscream: Go, go, go!
[deploys missiles]
International Operator: [on the phone] Also sir have you heard about our world-class premium package...?
Captain Lennox: [fighting Scorponok] NO I DON`T WANT A PREMIUM PACKAGE!
Maggie Madsen: You have to let me talk to Keller before you go to war with the wrong country!
Sam Witwicky: What is Sector 7? Answer me!
Agent Simmons: I ask the questions round here, not you, young man!
Mikaela: All right, how did you know about the aliens?
Sam Witwicky: Where did you take my parents?
Agent Simmons: I am not at liberty to discuss...
[Sam snatches his badge away]
Agent Simmons: Hey, you touch me, that`s a federal offense!
Sam Witwicky: [holding it up] "Do whatever you want and get away with it" badge, right?
Agent Simmons: Brave now, all of a sudden with his big alien friends standing over there.
Optimus Prime: Autobots, roll out!
Jazz: We rollin`!
Tom Banachek: Follow me. You`re about to see our crown jewel...
[Everyone enters the All Spark Chamber]
Tom Banachek: The First Seven came upon the Cube. We knew it was extraterrestrial because the symbols on its surface matched those on NBE-1. The Dam was built around it in 1935 to mask its signal. Four walls of concrete, as thick as four football fields, enable the Cube to avoid being detected by any humans, or any aliens from outside...
[Frenzy comes across the Cube, whose energy boosts and repairs him]
Frenzy: All Spark located!
Optimus Prime: Ratchet, shine the light.
Sam Witwicky: Would you stop with the lights?
Captain Lennox: [to his wife Sarah] You know, honey, we made a really great kid. I know a lot of people say that a lot, but this is OUR kid, and she`s wonderful.
Mikaela: [to Sam] You are the strangest boy I have ever met!
Sam makes Mikaela talk to his mother]
Mikaela: [to Sam, smiling] Your mom`s really nice.
Ironhide: Cover fire!
Captain Lennox: Fig, how many times must I tell you? None of us here speak Spanish!
ACWO Jorge "Fig" Figueroa: What`s your problem, man?
[slips into Spanish]
ACWO Jorge "Fig" Figueroa: You`re always annoying me with the same old sh...
Captain Lennox, USAF Master Sgt. Epps: Heads up!
[a water tower falls over]
First Sergeant Donnelly: What the heck was that?
ACWO Jorge "Fig" Figueroa: [in Spanish] What do you mean, what was that? That thing nearly broke my butt!
First Sergeant Donnelly: [amused, not understanding a word] English, dude, English...
Sam Witwicky: You`re not gonna get me! You`re not gonna get me!
Sam Witwicky: [presenting his assignment] So, for my genealogy report, I decided to write on my great-great-grandfather, Captain Archibald Witwicky, who was a famous man. He was a polar explorer; in fact, he was one of the first men to visit the Arctic Circle, which is a big deal. In 1897 he took 41 brave explorers with him to the Arctic Shelf. That`s the story. Unfortunately my great-grandfather, the genius that he is, went blind and crazy - he spent the rest of his life in a psycho ward, drawing these strange symbols and babbling about some Iceman he`d discovered...
[about the SOCCENT attack]
USAF Master Sgt. Epps: When I took that picture, I think it saw me. It looked right at me.
Miles: Hey, I called shotgun! Bros before hoes, man!
Maggie Madsen: Glenn, seriously, don`t you want to see something classified?
Glen Whitmann: ...how classified?
Maggie Madsen: Like "I will go to jail for the rest of my life for showing you" classified.
Sam Witwicky: How did you find out about the glasses, Optimus?
Optimus Prime: eBay.
Trivia
The film`s tagline "Their war. Our world." was originally meant for AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004).
#
# Throughout the film, Bumblebee communicates using his radio, in a manner reminiscent of the Junkions, denizens of the planet Junk, featured in The Transformers: The Movie (1986), who spoke entirely in the form of television broadcasts. Notable transmissions by Bumblebee include: - The voice of Lt. Uhura from "Star Trek" (1966) saying "Message from Starfleet." The role of Megatron/Galvatron was previously played by Leonard Nimoy and Frank Welker, who have also both played Spock in Star Trek. - A line, "Across the inanimate vastness of space," was taken from Orson Welles`s infamous 1939 radio broadcast "The War of the Worlds." Welles`s final film was The Transformers: The Movie (1986), where he voiced the planet-devouring Unicron. - A line by John Wayne from El Dorado (1966).Wayne`s voice has long been associated as an influence on Peter Cullen`s voice for Optimus Prime.
The fastest-selling DVD release of 2007.
Bumblebee`s original alternate mode in "Transformers" (1984) was a Volkswagen Beetle, but this was altered to a 1976/2009 Chevrolet Camaro. This was because Michael Bay wanted to avoid comparisons with Herbie the Love Bug, and felt that the Camaro held a more tough-but-friendly quality than the Beetle. As a tribute to the series, a yellow Volkswagen Beetle appears next to Bumblebee at the car shop (and as a joke he damages it!).
According to the Director`s Commentary on the DVD, director Michael Bay himself has a cameo in the film, as the human Megatron flicks away.
To keep the film realistic and under budget, the U.S. Department of Defense provided their support towards the film`s production, the largest project they have assisted since Black Hawk Down (2001). The Military provided their vehicles as the alternate modes of the Decepticons Starscream, Bonecrusher and Devastator. They also allowed their F-117, A-10, AC-130, and CV-22 aircraft to be filmed, the first time these planes have been seen in a feature film. Soldiers served as extras, and authentic uniforms were provided for the actors.
Bumblebee has an air freshener hanging from his rear-view mirror with a Bee on it that says; "Bee Otch".
#
# In the "Transformers" (1984) series, the Autobots had blue optics (eyes) and the Decepticons had red optics. The animators created a new eye design resembling a camera shutter in order to make the robots more engaging; however, the color scheme remains the same. The only exception is the Decepticon spy Frenzy, who`s got blue optics.
#
# In the film, the name "Autobot" stands for "Autonomous Robotic Organism." In the series the Autobots were so called because their alternate modes were mostly trucks, vans, cars and other auto vehicles.
To keep up the film`s frenetic mood, most of the action sequences were shot practically, with the actors performing their stunts live on camera. All computer-generated imagery was restricted only to the robots and certain scenes where it was essential. Due to the intensity of the action (a majority of car crashes and explosions), the camera was kept in a box of bulletproof glass. Shia LaBeouf later quipped, "The camera`s protected, but the actors are expendable!"
For the scene where Megatron corners Sam at the top of a tall building and Sam clings on to a statue out of sheer panic and fright, Shia LaBeouf was actually on top of the building wearing a safety harness, but with no safety net beneath him, and so his terror was real.
The bird in Bobby Bolivia`s petting zoo is a ñandú, a flightless bird native to Bolivia and other parts of South America.
#
# From the original voice cast of "Transformers" (1984), Peter Cullen and Charles Adler were brought back. Cullen reprised his role as Optimus Prime; but Adler, who voiced the Autobot Silverbolt in the series, voices the Decepticon Starscream in the film.
Jess Harnell voices both an Autobot (Ironhide) and a Decepticon (Barricade) in the film.
In his helicopter mode, Blackout`s vertical stabilizer reads 4500X. The same registration also appears on Michael Bay`s privately-owned jet.
In the first ever battle between Optimus Prime and Megatron in "Transformers" (1984), Prime used a retractable blade and Megatron used a retractable flail; those weapons were used only once, and were not seen again for the rest of the series. They both retain those weapons in this film, although they don`t use them against each other.
# The U.S. Department of Defense provided authentic military uniforms for the actors. The uniforms worn by the base attack survivors is the Multicam uniform of the Army`s Future Force Warrior system (part of the Future Combat Systems project), and Agent Simmon`s uniform holds a Combat Infantryman`s Badge and the silver oak leaves of a Lieutenant Colonel (indicating Simmons was once a U.S. Army Infantry officer).
The military aircraft seen in the film did not fire a single shot during filming; all their shots were created through CGI.
There are several allusions in the film to the Hasbro Company, the official distributors of the "Transformers" toyline: - When the little girl discovers Ironhide in her swimming pool, she is holding a "My Little Pony" stuffed toy. Hasbro owns the "My Little Pony" toyline. - During the Battle of Mission City, Bumblebee and Ironhide use a "Furby" truck as a shield against Starscream`s attack. The "Furby" toyline is also owned by Hasbro. - A sign reading "Takara Sushi" can be seen during the Battle, shortly after Jazz and Ratchet engage Devastator in combat. The Japanese toy company Takara was responsible for Transformers in Japan until it was sold to Hasbro.
Starscream`s original alternate mode in "Transformers" (1984) was an F-15 Eagle jet, but this was altered to become an F-22 Raptor (In real life the Air Force has planned to replace the F-15 with the F-22). He was also given small bird-like feet to be able to appropriately transform and perform his feats throughout the film.
In the film, Megatron does not choose an alternate mode, choosing out of arrogance not to disguise himself on Earth. He instead maintains his alien protoform/jet mode. His original alternate mode in "Transformers" (1984) was a Walther P38 pistol, but the writers felt it was like "having Darth Vader transform into his own lightsaber and someone else swinging him around," so he was given a more realistic alien design and made more hideous to make him more menacing.
#
# Sam`s eBay name LadiesMan217 refers to Michael Bay`s birthday: February 17th. The eBay name was an actual user name with last activity at the same date the movie was released.
Sam at first believes Bumblebee is a Japanese robot. Transformers originally originated in Japan. Agent Simmons also talks about samurai, furthering the Japanese connection.
#
# The word "transformer" is used only once in the entire film, when Ron Witwicky decides to call the City ("Looks like they`ve got a blown transformer."). Its derivative "transform" is also heard in the film, used by Mikaela, Ratchet, Agent Simmons and Sam.
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# During the Battle of Mission City, when Sam accidentally drops the All Spark, an Xbox 360 being carried by a bystander converts into a Transformer. During its transformation the sounds used when an Xbox 360 boots up (and also heard in Xbox 360 commercials) can be heard.
The transforming sound from "Transformers" (1984) is heard on five occasions in the movie: - Blackout transforms at the SOCCENT base; - Bumblebee transforms to catch a falling Sam and Mikaela; - The Nokia phone becomes a Transformer after exposure to the All Spark; - Ironhide transforms in the Battle of Mission City; - and Starscream flies into space at the end.
The name of Glenn Whitmann was taken from a friend of the writers. The real Glenn Whitmann is currently a Professor of Economics at California State University in Northridge.
The Transformers official slogan, "More than meets the eye," is heard twice in the film: firstly when Sam is talking to Mikaela inside Bumblebee; and secondly when Optimus Prime makes his transmission at the end of the film.
The working title for this film and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) is "Prime Directive." This was the name of Dreamwave Productions` first "Transformers" comic book, but it is also an edict mentioned in "Star Trek" (1966) which emphasizes avoiding interference, harmful or otherwise, in alien civilizations (which the Transformers obviously breach). Writers Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman would go on to script Star Trek (2009).
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# Peter Cullen described reprising his role as Optimus Prime as "slipping into an old pair of very comfortable shoes that you haven`t worn for a while," and was grateful to the fans for wanting and bringing him back.
In her role as Mikaela Banes, Megan Fox gained ten pounds of muscle to be more compatible for the action scenes.
In close-up shots the Transformers are sped up, and in wide shots they are shown in slow-motion. This gives them weight to their movements, as well as making them look cool. The ILM animators also watched footage of martial arts fights to get an idea on how to portray the Transformers` movements as graceful and organic as possible.
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# Michael Bay originally turned down directing the film, considering it "a stupid toy movie." However, he wanted to work with Steven Spielberg and wanted to make the first family film of his career, and being a car buff, the idea of sentient cars interested him. He later admitted that not being a Transformers fan proved to be a blessing, as it enabled him to introduce the saga to other non-fans.
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# Hasbro released several toys based on the movie`s characters. These toys feature new "Automorph Technology," where moving parts of a toy in transformations allowed some other parts to shift automatically. This marks a rare time when Transformers toys are designed `after` the characters in the fiction, whereas normally, the toys are designed first (Although Michael Bay admitted most of the Decepticons had their appearances chosen before their characterization as Hasbro needed to get started on the toys).
Don Murphy originally wanted the film to feature seven Autobots (Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Ironhide, Jazz, Ratchet, Prowl and Wheeljack) against eight Decepticons (Megatron, Starscream, Soundwave, Ravage, Laserbeak, Rumble, Skywarp and Shockwave). In the event, only seven of those Transformers (five Autobots and two Decepticons) made it into the film.
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# At one point the female Autobot Arcee was included in the script, but her alternate mode (a motorcycle) was felt to be too small for much of an impact and the writers couldn`t properly explain the concept of robot gender in the film, so she was removed and replaced with Autobot Ironhide; however, she got a place in the second film.
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# In his police car mode, Barricade`s front side holds the Decepticon symbol, and reads "Pacis Quod Alcedonia" (Latin for "Still, Halcyon days of Peace") and "Incorporated since June 1865." His back side reads "To punish and enslave," a twisted version of the classic police slogan "To protect and serve."
Don Murphy originally planned to make G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), but in 2003 he negotiated with the Hasbro Company for a "Transformers" (1984) film instead. However, the soldiers in the film were inspired by G.I. Joe, and the character of Capt. William Lennox first appeared in the comic book "G.I. Joe vs. the Transformers."
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# The Decepticon spy Soundwave was to appear in this film as a MH-53 Pave Low helicopter, but the Hasbro Company requested that this alternate mode be altered to a music player (close to his original alternate mode in "Transformers" (1984) which was a tape recorder). Don Murphy and the writers felt that this new role barely resembled Soundwave and did not do him justice, though, and renamed him Soundbyte, and then finally Frenzy, a minion of Soundwave.Soundwave would get a starring role in the second film.
The Decepticon that transformed into a MH-53 Pave Low helicopter was originally named Vortex, after the Combaticon from "Transformers" (1984), but this name was later altered to Incinerator, then to Soundwave, and finally he was christened as Blackout.
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# Michael Bay spent most of the film`s $150 million budget on 15 practical action sequences, making sure the VFX aspects of the film did not overwhelm the live-action elements.
Steven Spielberg suggested to the writers the central storyline of "a boy and his car," and read each of their drafts and gave notes on improving the story. Spielberg also encouraged Michael Bay to film most of the stunts live, and keep the use of CGI to a strict minimum.
According to Lorenzo di Bonaventura, working out the transformations was done with the help of a mathematical equation, which explained where each of the parts of the robot went when it become a vehicle.
To make the cars appear sentient, stunt drivers wore black balaclavas and concealed themselves from view; and wherever possible, the cars were also given tinted windows and had their interiors darkened.
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# According to one of the CGI artists at the Industrial Light & Magic studio, the Transformers are composed out of a total of 60,217 pieces. Optimus Prime is composed of 10108 pieces, Megatron is composed of 2411 pieces, and Bumblebee is composed out of 7433 pieces. Ironhide is the bulkiest Transformer in the film, with both his guns composed of 10,000 pieces each.
The Autobot Prowl, who transformed into a police car, was originally in the script, but the writers and Michael Bay loved the idea of an evil police car and so the character was altered to become the Decepticon Barricade.
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# As part of the promotion campaign for the film, a special Sector 7 site was launched that featured videos showing "evidence" of Transformers having already arrived on Earth: a video featuring Grimlock destroying a construction site; Reflector transforming at a birthday party; Kickback and Laserbeak being accidentally videotaped; and a security video showing Bumblebee (in his old VW Beetle mode) transforming in a parking garage.
At one point the Decepticon animals Ravage and Laserbeak were included in the script, but they were removed and replaced with Scorponok, another robotic animal who appeared in "Beast Wars: Transformers" (1996). Ravage would land a role in the second film.
Don Murphy brought in screenwriter Tom DeSanto to write the plot, impressed with the way DeSanto had managed the many characters and storylines in X-Men (2000). DeSanto, a big fan of the series since childhood, carried out extensive research on the Transformers; he held several meetings with comic book writer Simon Furman; and he invited fans to discuss the film on Murphy`s online message board. His treatment explored the Transformers` existence and history, as well as the real possibilities and consequences of "their war on our world," similar to a disaster film, which was what Murphy wanted the film to resemble.
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# During filming, Mark Ryan acted as a stand-in for the Transformers on set, to give the actors a physical presence to react to/act against. He also ad-libbed characters during the film`s post-production. He was eventually taken on board to voice the Autobot Bumblebee.
The release date was set without a script or a cast.
According to one of the CGI artists at the Industrial Light & Magic studio, if you took all the polygons (CGI blocks) from all the Transformer models they created and strung them end to end, they`d reach to the moon and back and you`d still have enough left over to build the Roman Colosseum in Italy twice.
In the All Spark chamber, Glenn Whitmann comments that the gashes on the walls resemble Wolverine`s claws. This is an allusion to the relationship between the Transformers and Marvel Comics, who frequently publish Transformers comic books; Tom DeSanto, the film`s producer, had also produced the X-Men films.
The commanding officer (Glenn Morshower) at the Qatar air base is named Colonel Sharp. This is a reference to Michael Bay`s previous film Armageddon (1998/I), which also featured a Colonel Sharp (William Fichtner).
Optimus Prime speaks his trademark motto ("Freedom is the right of all sentient beings.") for the first time ever; it was not heard in "Transformers" (1984) but was mentioned in the packaging for his original action figure back in the 1980s.
According to Lorenzo di Bonaventura, during the designing of the Transformers, as a test Optimus Prime was first designed in CGI in his classic boxy look from "Transformers" (1984), but he looked fake and boring. So the robots were designed in a more intricate, three-dimensional image to be more realistic and to reflect their alien origins. The major influences in these designs were real-world physics (each robot matches the size of its chosen disguise), the Rubik`s Cube (numerous pieces moving to convert one thing to another) and samurai armour (going back to the toyline`s Japanese origins).
Jazz`s original alternate mode in "Transformers" (1984) was a Porsche sports car, but this was altered to become a Pontiac Solstice. As a tribute to the series, Ron Witwicky teases Sam by driving him through a Porsche dealership before taking him to the used car lot.
In the battle of Mission City, Jazz attacks Devastator and bends his gun barrel while he`s in tank mode. This is similar to a scene from The Transformers: The Movie (1986), where Kup jumps on Blitzwing when he`s in tank mode and does the same thing to him.
When Frenzy transforms to the CD-player after shooting his discs, the display of the CD-player reads "NO DISC".
Since there were no running 2009 Chevrolet Camaro automobiles during production, Saleen Inc., working with the Pontiac GTO and using Camaro designs from General Motors, was able to build up a running Camaro in 30 days, to serve as Bumblebee`s alternate mode. Saleen also provided one of their S281 automobiles (basically a modified Ford Mustang) to serve as Barricade`s alternate mode.
The shot of Capitol Hill near the end was taken from The Bourne Identity (2002).
Sam`s ancestor, Captain Archibald Witwicky, is seen in a news article in the Air Force One computer, referred to as "Capt. Witwicky, Amundsen." This is a reference to Roald Amundsen, a famed polar explorer who embarked on various expeditions to the Antarctic region.
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# On May 26 2007, two Bell Boeing CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft were filmed in flight. There are only three such aircraft in the United States Air Force.
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# For the scene where Scorponok bursts out of the sand right on the heels of the soldiers, the effect was achieved by detonating a primer cord under the sand. The explosions would be in close proximity and very dangerous to the actors in the scene, so before the scene was shot, Michael Bay told the actors to run and keep running no matter what happens or else they could seriously be injured or, even worse, killed. As a result, the look of panic on the actors` faces as they flee from Scorponok in this scene is 100% genuine.
To prepare for his role as Sam Witwicky, Shia LaBeouf worked out five days a week for three months and gained 25 pounds of muscle, but he realized during shooting that Sam required agility rather than strength.
The soldiers at the beginning of the film are seen in a Bell Boeing CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. Originally they were to be shown returning home in a Humvee, but during filming Michael Bay saw and requested to use the newly arrived CV-22s instead. A unique feature of the CV-22 is that its rotors tilt so that it can act either as a helicopter or a plane. It is, in essence, a real life transformer.
A soldier in the film is named Jorge Figueroa. This is a reference to Don Figueroa, a writer and illustrator for the Transformers comics.
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# To prepare for their roles, Josh Duhamel and Tyrese Gibson spent three days in boot camp, and Gibson also spent time with combat controller Ray Bollinger to make his dialog sound natural.
The Decepticons were to have more dialogue in the film, but most of their lines were cut out to keep them mysterious (screenwriter Roberto Orci reasoned that the more a villain talks, the less threatening they are). To please the fans, though, Megatron`s classic berating of Starscream ("You fail me yet again, Starscream...") from "Transformers" (1984) was put in the film.
Bonecrusher`s alternate mode is a Buffalo H Mine-Protected Clearance Vehicle, which comes equipped with a claw at the end of a telescopic arm. According to production designer Jeff Mann, the production design team saw a picture of the Vehicle with the claw in the foreground, which gave the impression that the claw was large enough to turn over other vehicles. But when they contacted the owners of the Vehicle to ask about using it, they were amused to learn that the claw was only 14 inches wide (it turned out the picture had been edited by Photoshop). The claw seen in this film is a ten-foot appliance the team had to construct to fit over the existing claw.
Frenzy`s Cybertronian dialogue is mostly the word "Tutankhamun" repeated over and over rapidly.
Howard Stern was originally approached to make a quick voice cameo in the film, however his agent talked him out of it.
Originally, the Ark and the Nemesis, the respective spaceships of the Autobots and Decepticons, were featured in the script. Roberto Orci removed the spacecraft element, wondering "Why would aliens who moonlight as vehicles need other vehicles to travel inside?" and replaced it with the travelling protoform concept from "Beast Wars: Transformers" (1996).
Producer Steven Spielberg and producer/writer Tom DeSanto are both fans of the Transformers, and brought on as part of the film`s crew several other fans. These included screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman; actors Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson and Anthony Anderson; and many of the ILM animators.
The Transformers were created with a mix of computer-generated imagery (from Industrial Light & Magic and Digital Doman) and props (from KNB Effects). The props built include the miniature All Spark; Optimus Prime`s head, chest and foot; Megatron`s legs and claws; Barricade`s pop-out sensors; Blackout`s feet; Bonecrusher`s claw; Scorponok`s head and tail; a 17-foot model of Bumblebee; and a 4-foot model of Frenzy (the latter three in life-size). While ILM designed 75% of the 630 effects shots in the film, Digital Domain handled the remaining 25%, which include the Arctic discovery of Megatron, Frenzy`s animated head, the machines mutated by the All Spark, and the Autobots` protoforms.
The film`s visual effects supervisor Scott Farrar`s favourite scene is where the Autobots hide from Ron Witwicky.
To save money, the filmmakers entered into a production deal with General Motors, saving about $3 million. The company provided the alternate modes of the Autobots (in fact they provided three versions of each car in the event that some of them would crash), and also provided around 200 cars that were blown up in the Battle of Mission City.
Simon Furman, who had written the Transformers comics in the U.K. and U.S.A, collaborated with the screenwriters to produce a graphic novel, "Transformers: Prequel", which chronicled the events that led to the classic Autobot/Decepticon war back on Cybertron, and serves as a prequel to the events that occurred in the film. This story can be seen as a bonus feature ("Transformers: Beginnings") in the Wal-Mart DVD.
Holds the record for the biggest opening week for a NON-sequel with $152.5 million. The former record holder was Spider-Man (2002) with $151.6 million.
Michael Bay describes the film as "Shichinin no samurai (1954) fused with Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) and charged with 85 mph fight scenes."
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# The Transformer who transforms into a M1 Abrams tank was originally called Brawl in "Transformers" (1984), but the name was altered to Devastator, which Michael Bay felt was a more destructive and appropriate name for a Decepticon.
If you take a close look at Starscream, markings can be seen on his F-22 form: The tail that forms his left shoulder displays a winged sword enclosed in a shield (the emblem of the Air Combat Command) and the letters "FF 1st FW" (indicating the 1st Fighter Wing, based out of Langley Air Force Base). A part of the nose that forms his chest reveals a "flying fist" insignia, which belongs to the 71st Fighter Squadron of that 1st Wing (this squadron still flies Starscream`s "Transformers" (1984) mode, the F-15 Eagle). And his tail markings read "ED," which places him at Edwards Air Force Base (he is also seen among a squadron bearing "ED" tail markings).
According to Megan Fox, she was attending a Linkin Park concert and when it was over the band met her personally and stated that they heard about the live-action Transformers film and requested whether they could have a song of theirs in the film. And thus the Linkin Park song "What I`ve Done" appears in the closing credits.
The Transformers possessed such a rich level of detail and complexity it took the ILM animators 38 hours to fill them in a single frame of the film. However, the animators assure that for future sequels the process can now be done in a shorter time.
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# Prior to shooting the scene where the Autobots intercept the Sector 7 convoy, an extra (the driver of the car where Sam and Mikeala are being held) worried that he would be injured when the agents are being disarmed by Jazz. Michael Bay assured him that no harm would come to him as the guns would be quickly pulled away by bungee cords, and were moreover made of rubber. But during shooting, a rubber gun struck the extra on his temple as it was pulled away, causing him to wince in pain (it can be seen in the film). Bay could only give a sheepish apology for the extra`s misfortune.
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# Ratchet`s alternate mode is a Hummer H2 search-and-rescue vehicle. This truck is an original Hummer vehicle built from scratch for the film and modified to have a sturdier build. The vehicle was also painted lime green to give it a distinct look (although a Ratchet toy released in commemoration of the film featured him in his classic red/white look).
Devastator`s alternate mode, the M1 Abrams tank, was a remodelled version of the "stealth tank" from xXx: State of the Union (2005). Michael Bay had browsed through all the tanks in the United States Military to find the right tank to serve as Devastator`s alternate mode, but finally settled on the stealth tank which he felt had the proper attitude for a Decepticon (it was mean, authoritarian and weapon-loaded).
Most of the cars that were destroyed in the film had their engines and transmissions removed to make them easier to flip around.
Shia LaBeouf`s first scene filmed was where Sam is attacked by guard dogs. One particularly fierce dog kept chasing him even after the scene was shot. He later summed it up as "Welcome to Michael Bay`s set. Release the hounds!"
Shia LaBeouf was so amazed with the "Project Iceman" set that he would secretly visit the set on weekends, sometimes bringing his friends along.
Ewan McGregor was considered for the roles of Bumblebee and Ratchet.
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# According to the graphic novel "Transformers: Prequel," the destruction of the Beagle 2 Mars rover (as seen in the film and a trailer) was carried out by Starscream.
Steven Spielberg and Shia LaBeouf are fans of Bumblebee, Megan Fox prefers Starscream, Josh Duhamel likes Ironhide, and Tyrese Gibson favours Optimus Prime (all four as seen in both the animated series and the film), while director Michael Bay`s favourite Transformer is Bonecrusher (as seen in the film).
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# Veteran voice actor Frank Welker, who voiced the Decepticon leader Megatron (among other characters) in "Transformers" (1984), was approached to reprise the role, but had to turn it down due to conflicts with other projects. Michael Bay also felt his voice was too light for Megatron`s new beastly look, and so Hugo Weaving took the role of Megatron. Welker reprises his role as Megatron, though, in Transformers: The Game (2007) (VG) and the bonus feature on the DVD.
Although Scorponok is the only robot in the film that does not transform, the centre of his body appears to be a General Electric T64 turboshaft engine, and his forearms are partly shaped from the side exhausts.
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# The "Moustache Man" hologram projected by the Decepticons is actually Brian Reece, a serving MH-53 pilot. He was spotted while piloting the Blackout helicopters, and both Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg thought he had the right look (mean and cold) for a Decepticon hologram. Reece had to reschedule his wedding and honeymoon to film his scenes.
When Frenzy climbs into Barricade after the attack on Air Force One, the holographic driver is wearing an Oklahoma Highway Patrol uniform.
The highest-grossing film in Malaysia, grossing about $5.2 million.
In the Battle of Mission City, Mikaela and Bumblebee use a GMC tow truck. This is a tribute to the Autobot Longarm, whose alternate mode in "Transformers" (1984) was a tow truck.
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# According to the ILM animators, each and every transformation in the film is unique (even if carried out by the same robot), with thousands of components moving around in significantly different orders/sequences and via different routes around the body. This is because the robots transform in a fluid, instinctive manner depending on their circumstances (speed/terrain/intent of action); however, the animators also admit that each transformation was mainly animated to look interesting and believable.
In the scene where Secretary of Defense Keller (Jon Voight) and other military personnel are walking briskly through a tunnel, the man to his left, who is listed in the credits as a `Four Star General`, is the actor Steven Ford, the son of the late President Gerald Ford.
Peter Cullen says he wanted to own one of the Peterbilt trucks that served as Optimus Prime.
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# As part of the film`s promotional campaign, sidewalk artist Julian Beever was commissioned to create a sidewalk advertisement for the film. Beever used props and models to give the ad a three-dimensional look, and said it was one of his most difficult accomplishments. This ad can still be seen in New York City.
Optimus Prime`s original alternate mode in "Transformers" (1984) was a cab over truck, but this was altered to a long-nosed Peterbilt truck. This was because test designs showed a cab over could only disguise a 20-foot robot, and so the larger Peterbilt truck was chosen to make Prime taller (at 32 feet tall). The truck was also colored blue with red flames (like Rodimus Prime, Optimus`s successor), to give Prime a distinct look.
Michael Bay cut his fee by 30% to save expenses on shooting and to keep the film in the United States, territory he was familiar with.
Tyrese Gibson paid the filmmakers to get him a role in the film.
Griffith Observatory is a private area and its authorities were initially reluctant about allowing shooting to go on with the film. However, the filmmakers were able to get permission, through its officials Leonard Nimoy and Susan Bay (Nimoy`s wife, whom Michael Bay is related to), to shoot the Autobots` arrival to Earth and their council. Nimoy had starred as Megatron`s successor Galvatron in The Transformers: The Movie (1986).
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# The film contains references to the films of Steven Spielberg: - a protagonist of the film is a Peterbilt truck, akin to the antagonist from Duel (1971) (TV); - the beginning of the Scorponok Desert Attack harks back to Jaws (1975); - the search for a cipher to a powerful relic is similar to the search for the medallion from Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981); - Bumblebee mimics a gesture (an arm pointed towards the stars) from E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982); - Frenzy`s attack on Sam and the swimming pool scene pay tribute to Gremlins (1984); - the attack on the Sector 7 convoy parallels that of the Tyrannosaurus Rex`s attack from Jurassic Park (1993); - the Sector 7 agency is a homage to Men in Black (1997); - and a cornered Sam acts much the same way as Donkey in Shrek (2001).
# The Scorponok Desert Attack was shot on the site of a minefield. The area was scanned by an unexploded ordnances firm to ensure it was safe, before a Bedouin village could be constructed (which would ironically be blown up).
That was a real truck of Furbies blown up in the film.
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# The rock band Mute Math composed a rock version of the "Transformers" (1984) theme song, but there was no suitable point to place it in the film.
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# Rockstar Stan Bush, who composed the soundtrack for The Transformers: The Movie (1986), composed a song for this film, but there was no suitable point to place it in the film.. He is currently in consideration to contribute towards the soundtrack for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009).
Rachael Taylor is a pacifist and wasn`t enthusiastic about starring in what was fundamentally a war film, but to her surprise she had a fun time shooting.
During filming, Michael Bay adopted a dog, whom he named Bonecrusher. Bay owns another dog, a mastiff named Mason, who can be seen in the film (Miles is giving him a bath).
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# The sequence where Bonecrusher smashes a bus in half was an actual stunt filmed live on camera. The bus was constructed with a split-line and had cables built in (which held the bus together until they were cut off), as well as explosives and cannons (which were used to blow the bus apart).
During the Battle of Mission City, Megatron tosses a silver-grey automobile out of his way. The license plate on the automobile says "ENERGON", which is a vital power source used by the Transformers.
To make the dialogue in the film more natural, the writers got closely involved during post-production and wrote additional dialogue for the actors and Transformers.
Michael Bay at first thought Shia LaBeouf was too old to play a teenager, having seen his performance in Constantine (2005); but LaBeouf, with a makeover and audition, convinced the filmmakers that he could indeed appear younger than he actually was.
# Darius McCrary felt honoured to voice Jazz, and claims he could feel the force of Jazz`s original voice actor Scatman Crothers during his performance.
Two of the Decepticons in the film are named Bonecrusher (the mine-clearing vehicle) and Devastator (the tank). They were named after two members of the Constructicons, a faction of Decepticons in "Transformers" (1984) who took the forms of construction vehicles, and who could combine into a larger robot. The Constructicons would appear in the second film, though some names necessarily had to be changed.
The Transformers are designed so that their faces/bodies resemble the symbol of their faction. The Autobots (especially Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Ratchet) were modelled according to the Autobot face; and the Decepticons (especially Megatron, Barricade and Blackout) were modelled according to the Decepticon face.
Bumblebee was designed to visually resemble a bumblebee: his colouring is yellow/black, the protrusions on his helmet resemble antennae, and the car doors fold up behind him like wings.
According to Michael Bay, the key to making those robots look real was lighting: each and every component of the robots had to reflect light like real metal. Photographs of each set were taken to use as a lighting reference to recreate the scene with the robots, and extensive use of ray tracing (a light reflection technique) was carried out. The light had to reflect upon a number of varied surfaces on the robots (scarred, smooth, etc); and each robot possesses a variety of lights (optics, headlights, etc) that reflected on each other. Animating the robots was therefore a complex time-consuming task.
The film contains allusions to the sci-film Superman (1978): - both films feature similar locations (a dead planet, the Arctic, and Hoover Dam); - a glowing green artifact from another world plays a prominent part; - Bumblebee makes the famous Superman pose after his fight with Barricade; - when Simmons undresses he reveals the S7 logo under his shirt, similar to Clark Kent`s undressing scene; - Optimus Prime holds a pair of glasses just like Clark Kent; - a scene is directly copied where Starscream flies towards the Dam; - Mikaela, like Lois Lane, looks behind and sees something on the road; - and Optimus Prime catches a falling Sam much like how Superman saves Lois Lane (both even use the same line).
During the Scorponok Desert Attack, Captain Lennox has difficulty calling for reinforcements due to an unhelpful operator. This scene was inspired by a real-life anecdote a soldier told Michael Bay during filming.
Michael Bay wanted Steve Buscemi to play Agent Simmons, but Buscemi was unavailable due to shooting other films
Steve Jablonsky was assisted by his mentor Hans Zimmer in composing the musical score.
SPOILER: When Optimus Prime takes on Megatron in their climatic showdown, he states that "One shall stand, one shall fall!" Prime told Megatron the same thing when they clashed in The Transformers: The Movie (1986). In that feature though, Prime was the one who fell, while in this film it is Megatron.
SPOILER: While Jazz does not survive the final battle, a Jazz toy released from Hasbro to commemorate the film mentioned his being rebuilt into a tougher (and better-looking) frame; something the writers say MAY occur in the sequel.
SPOILER: The last scene in the film, where Starscream soars through Earth`s atmosphere, is similar to a scene from the closing credits of "Transformers" (1984), where Starscream and his teammates Skywarp and Thundercracker blast off vertically into space.
SPOILER: The Decepticons outnumber the Autobots eight to five. This was a deliberate move by the writers to emphasize the Autobots` teamwork, and the threat the Decepticons pose to the world.
SPOILER: When the Autobots arrive on Earth, they do so in protoforms resembling meteors. A man with a video camera exclaims, "This is a hundred times cooler than Armageddon (1998/I)!" This is an allusion to director Michael Bay`s earlier film, which extensively featured meteors.
SPOILER: An F-22 in the Battle of Mission City blitzes Megatron. Roberto Orci confirmed that the attacking F-22 was Starscream in disguise, which fits in with his classic double-crossing nature and comes up in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009).
SPOILER: At the end of the film, the remains of the fallen Decepticons are dumped into the Laurentian Abyss, in the Atlantic Ocean. Strangely enough, in "Transformers" (1984) the Decepticons had as their lair an underwater abyss.
SPOILER: According to Roberto Orci, Ron and Judy Witwicky learned the truth about the Transformers between this film and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009).
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Megan Fox
(as Mikaela Banes)
with Shia LaBeouf
(as Sam Witwicky)
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