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Michael Bay's Megatron.... (sigh)

Major Clod
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Major Clod polycounter lvl 18
Here he is, not sure how long these pics are gonna be up for.

megatron1.jpg
megatronhead.jpg
megatronhead2.jpg
megatron2.jpg

Well, I have to say I'm quite disappointed. After the pictures of Optimus Prime and a few of the other bots surfaced last week, I wasn't overly excited however I respected that they needed to make changes blah blah blah... The robot modes were certainly less clean than their past incarnations, but they still had a little bit of a Transformers feel to them. IE, you could get that vague feeling that Prime (regardless of the hillbilly flames) was a transformer and he turned into a truck.

Well, this "Megatron" looks like utter shit. The design, what the hell is it? Its busy, and it could be any one of a thousand concept drawings out there. There is nothing at all Transformers about this character, period. Looked at it first and saw a giant robotic Ent. Looked at it again and I saw random Power Rangers enemy #23... Another glance and I saw Peter Jackson's iteration of Sauron. Looked at it again and I saw god knows what else... Its just busy, bland and completely unrecognisable as a Transformer. Generic pointy badguy yay!

Any excitement I felt towards this movie has really left me.

Replies

  • steady
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    steady polycounter lvl 18
    god damnit why cant movies just fuckin' stay true to the original material!?
    /me turns on Sin City and sheds a tear of happiness
  • Major Clod
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    Major Clod polycounter lvl 18
    I just don't get it....

    Transformers - Robots in Disguise.

    So a Transformer, on EARTH, disguised as an ALIEN JET..... Does anyone see a problem with that concept?
  • doc rob
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    doc rob polycounter lvl 19
    wow, what a horrible mess.
  • dfacto
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    dfacto polycounter lvl 18
    Hey, it doesn't look like a box!

    That's definitely an improvement over every other transformer ever. The movie will probably be better than every Transformers series put together as well.

    (Does it show that I'm not a big Transformers fan?)
  • JKMakowka
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    JKMakowka polycounter lvl 18
    *sigh*...what is that thing?
  • Malekyth
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    Malekyth polycounter lvl 18
    Oh boy, that sucks.

    I'm a bit shocked at how bad that design is, but not surprised at all that he's been given a new form. I think I read something about how they want to do away with parts shrinking and warping during transformation, and that would certainly cover Megatron transforming into a pistol. Which is really too bad, because I loved that aspect of Megatron, that in his disguised form he's utterly lethal but needs to be wielded by a lackey. Ohhhhh well.

    edit: but y'know, this IS just concept art. Maybe it's not the version they're using?

    edit2: and also, maybe this is his Cybertronian (er, Martian) form? The Transformers were pretty alien-looking before they came to Earth and reconfigured themselves to blend in here. Perhaps the others have freaky organic clusterfucky designs that we only see at the beginning of the movie too.
  • Ferg
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    Ferg polycounter lvl 17
    neat design... looks like a pile of alien junk... got no place in transformers though. Shame.

    edit: just took another look at the design. It's not even neat. It's just bad.
  • Rook
    Reminds me of a DC Comics villain by the name of Shrapnel. Sadly, I can't find any pictures of him on the 'net.
  • Jeff Parrott
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    Jeff Parrott polycounter lvl 19
    Ughh, he's ruining my childhood. I really wish they would release video recording of the marketing meeting for this movie.
  • [MILES]
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    [MILES] polycounter lvl 17
    The whole point of transformers...(the only reason they were cooler than the typical tyco dumptruck or radioshack robot) was not BECAUSE they could change from a robot into a dumptruck and then back to a robot. It was HOW they changed from a robot into a dumptruck and then back to a robot. The puzzle aspect of the toy was the alluring nature of the toy (for me). To now make a movie with a robot whose form nowhere resembles the object they shift into...takes away from the mystery and the selling point of what Transformers are/were.
  • TomDunne
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    TomDunne polycounter lvl 18
    I'm not gonna panic on this just yet. What I'm gonna do is agree with Mal and hope this is like the Cybertron version of Megatron, before he is modified for an Earth disguise. That's a stretch but at least a plausible one, and I think that the film will have to show some back story and the conversion process at least for the Autobots - I figure that moviegoers who hadn't watched the cartoon would wonder why alien robots look like cars and trucks, and ideally the script will show us that.
  • skankerzero
    hah, you guys sound like all the whiney g1 fans on all the fan forums.

    Yes this is his Cybertronian form. The script leak states that Megs is not revealed until the very end, in his Cybertronian form. Why would he want to blend in with humans anyways? He's not afraid of crap. My ideal Megatron doesn't blend in at all.

    Megatron as a gun? Bah. Megs has been changed in every single fiction there has been. He's only been a gun once. Hell, he was practically the freaking batmobile in Cybertron.

    Sure, I'm not crazy about this design, but I'm almost certain that this is a concept and that things might be different in the final movie. I've got a long ways to go before I begin to cry about an image that may or may not be final. It's busy? Yes it is. It could use some darker color to provide contrast as well. All I can hope is that they guys at ILM know what they're doing. Hell, Feng is reported to be working on these as well. I'll save judgement until the movie is released.

    Bay is not ruining your childhood. IF that was the case, then he would take your G1 dvds and re-edit them, just like Lucas does with the original trilogy. Your childhood is still there, safe, on your dvd shelf.

    People say 'this is not Transformers'. Well, guess what, by this time next year, it will be.

    /rant
  • arshlevon
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    arshlevon polycounter lvl 18
    dont they look nuts untill they get to earth? i thought that was the deal. there are no semi trucks on mars or wherever in the galaxy they come from, so they get to earth and "disguise" themselves to fit in. at any rate it is a pile of crap of a concept.

    edit* after closer inspection the rendering quaility is not that bad up close but it falls apart horrible from a distance. looks like a crumpled up tin can.
  • KDR_11k
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    KDR_11k polycounter lvl 18
    Looks like a boss in a shmup.
  • McIlroy
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    McIlroy polycounter lvl 17
    I don't think th new design is terrible . I can see why they would not want him to stay a giant pistol . I just think the biped design really lacks . Also why would you design a robot who has his arms attacked to his torso ?
  • notman
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    notman polycounter lvl 18
    I would think it's pretty cool if it weren't supposed to be a transformer. I'm hoping it's like I think arsh was getting at, where this is his pre-earth design. That's the only hope of saving it.

    I was so hyped for this movie, but I'm slowly losing interest frown.gif
  • Malekyth
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    Malekyth polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    hah, you guys sound like all the whiney g1 fans on all the fan forums.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    We are the whiny g1 fans on all the fan forums. An' prooood of it.

    [ QUOTE ]
    Why would he want to blend in with humans anyways? He's not afraid of crap. My ideal Megatron doesn't blend in at all.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Your Megatron is brass, impetuous and foolish! Your Megatron trades tactical tips 'n' tricks with Starscream! Your Megatron's ass is handed to him when a stealthy Time Warner van transforms into Robo-Ninjasaur and twists his diodes into tinsel! Your Megatron blows!

    [ QUOTE ]
    Megatron as a gun? Bah. Megs has been changed in every single fiction there has been.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Pretenders. Lies.
  • oXYnary
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    oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
    Are we sure Hasbro Ok'ed this design? Im sure Hasbro has a toy line up in the works. Now, for them to actually have to try to make this thing transform versus some creature conceptor guy in hollywood who doesnt understand the intricacies of the engineering needed to get these things to fold correctly.
  • snemmy
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    snemmy polycounter lvl 18
    meh. doesnt do anythign for me

    anyone else think it looks like it was drawn over top of the Sentinel design for the XMen movies? -_o
  • swampbug
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    swampbug polycounter lvl 18
    Cool design alone, but not megatron.
  • Joshua Stubbles
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    Joshua Stubbles polycounter lvl 19
    WTF?
    He looks like a metallic root of a tree.....ugh
  • adam
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    adam polycounter lvl 19
    Yah this looks dumb... cause a guy that transforms to a giant gun is much more realistic. Suck it up Nancy's.

    I think it looks great, considering it to be the Cybertronian layout of Megatron.
  • Xaltar
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    Xaltar polycounter lvl 17
    All I have to say is this.
    Imagine that thing walking through a bush.
  • Malekyth
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    Malekyth polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    Yah this looks dumb... cause a guy that transforms to a giant gun is much more realistic. Suck it up Nancy's.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    He shrinks into gun form, silly.

    smile.gif
  • gauss
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    gauss polycounter lvl 18
    my question is, when does Andrew Jones get his royalty check for this design? laugh.gif
    i dont have much trouble with him looking alien, but please, this is what isolated industrial designers jerk off to. busy can be done well, but i dont think this does it.
  • skankerzero
    [ QUOTE ]

    Your Megatron is brass, impetuous and foolish! Your Megatron trades tactical tips 'n' tricks with Starscream! Your Megatron's ass is handed to him when a stealthy Time Warner van transforms into Robo-Ninjasaur and twists his diodes into tinsel! Your Megatron blows!

    [/ QUOTE ]
    You're assuming that my Megatron would put himself on the battlefield. No, my Megs wouldn't step on the battle field until all his 'cannon fodder' are dead and he has no choice left.
    My favorite Megs has been Beast Machines Megs. He had his flaws, but that really what I picture the leader being like.

    [ QUOTE ]
    Pretenders. Lies.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    There is no Megatron Pretender, at least not one that I'm aware of. There's no toy, I'm sure of that.
    And even then, Pretenders were an extension of G1 towards the very end of the line.
  • Mark Dygert
    It looks kind of cool, but its not megatron. Why do they have to screw with everything.
  • Luxury
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    Luxury polycounter lvl 18
    Wait. He is supposed to shrink down to normal handgun size? WTF?

    Design looks like a T-1000 reject.

    Only way I can see this guy looking good in a movie is if he starts off like a central core - and all of these matal dood-dads form around him and take shape magnetically. Sorta like the Boulder in Galaxy Quest. Transformers this isn't.
  • cholden
  • Mark Dygert
  • skankerzero
    [ QUOTE ]
    Wait. He is supposed to shrink down to normal handgun size? WTF?

    [/ QUOTE ]

    no. He's not a gun.
  • aesir
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    aesir polycounter lvl 18
    you people actually thought this was going to be good?!?

    This movie features a scene where the ARMY destroys a decepticon. A SCORPION decepticon of all things. They have some lame current popular rapper attacking it with a rocket launcher or something...

    Michael Bay got in on this project because he could make some things blow up. He already publically stated that he was NOT a fan of the original series! The guy doesnt even understand that its supposed to be transformers vs. transformers. The army isnt supposed to be able to do shit!
  • skankerzero
    [ QUOTE ]
    Michael Bay got in on this project because he could make some things blow up.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    And, in all honesty, that's all I care about.

    This is not going to win oscars for it's screenplay or whatever.

    I just want to see giant robots fighting.
  • Major Clod
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    Major Clod polycounter lvl 18
    You can go off and have a whinge about G1 fanboys, blah blah blah. I couldn't give a rats arse that he isn't a gun, thats not my problem.

    My problem is the design is pure shit. He is a giant, messy, metal turd. It pays no homage or respect to any previous incarnations of the character, there isn't even a slight sense of familiarity that we get with the new Prime, and to a lesser extent Bumblebee... at least they got their heads correct.
  • Ninjas
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    Ninjas polycounter lvl 18
    Seriously though, the design is too busy and looks nothing like any of the previous versions of the character. You should at least leave the face somewhat the same.
  • skankerzero
    From Brian Goldner, one of the guys working on the film. (Not sure what he does though)
    [ QUOTE ]
    Megatron is an early style board. Without revealing too much of the story, there is a very important reason for his look to have evolved from pure G1; although the final look is a work-in-progress--ILM has just recently begun all their CGI development. Megatron has a iconic personality, and approach that dates back to G1. Throughout time he has had a very big gun....

    [/ QUOTE ]
  • Mark Dygert
    Swampy.jpg
    It works better as a Swamp Thing concept than Megatron.
  • oXYnary
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    oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
    [ QUOTE ]
    [ QUOTE ]
    Michael Bay got in on this project because he could make some things blow up.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    And, in all honesty, that's all I care about.

    This is not going to win oscars for it's screenplay or whatever.

    I just want to see giant robots fighting.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Cmon, what about the original TF movie. That had fighting and a plot. Sure, it could be said to be a reflection of Star Wars, but it didnt treat the audience to 90 minutes of pure fighting. It had style.

    What I have seen thus far this movie is a generic idea made by a generic director who has no idea what made Transformers popular in the first place. The characterization. The more I see, the more I wonder if its a just another Independence Day. Human kind versus the evil aliens..
  • Luxury
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    Luxury polycounter lvl 18
    He got hired because he does good car chases. And it only makes sense since the main characters ARE cars.
  • oXYnary
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    oXYnary polycounter lvl 18
    What about John Singleton then? Not that he would or would have not had interest. But that alone isnt the only reason Luxury. In short, M. Bay knows which asses to kiss.
  • Josh_Singh
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    Josh_Singh polycounter lvl 18
    basically Ive narrowed it down, that to be successfull in hollywood, you need to suck Harvey Wienstien's weiner. Michael Bay prolly did that.
  • Needles
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    Needles polycounter lvl 19
    Wow i know were ill be the daythat movie comes out....not watching it of course >.>
  • TomDunne
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    TomDunne polycounter lvl 18
    One thing I'm definitely not liking about these leaked TF movie designs is that all of the robots look surprisingly frail. I understand that they aren't out to clone the G1 designs, but the robots themselves seem almost like armored skeletons rather than mechanical 'people'. Take a look at the new Optimus Prime:

    optimus.0.jpg

    Narrow waist, scrawny joints... he just doesn't look like he could take a pounding, you know? It isn't the end of the world (I expect the script to deal the actual death blow tongue.gif), but the original designs gave a real sense of mass and strength. The new Optimus and Bumblebee look like T-800 Terminators with car parts welded onto them.
  • TomDunne
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    TomDunne polycounter lvl 18
    It just dawned upon me what the Megatron concept looks like - he's a metallic version of Swamp Thing. Bleh!
  • skankerzero
    [ QUOTE ]
    Cmon, what about the original TF movie. That had fighting and a plot. Sure, it could be said to be a reflection of Star Wars, but it didnt treat the audience to 90 minutes of pure fighting. It had style.

    [/ QUOTE ]

    Actually, I usually only watch up to the part where Megatron changes into Galvatron.

    I don't like the second half of the movie. I really only like the action scenes from the first part of the movie.

    I really don't like G1 overall I think. I'm more of a 2nd and 3rd season Beast Wars and Beast Machines type of guy. When it comes to story and plot at least.

    As for the movie, yeah, I don't really care, I just want to see big robots fighting and a chase scene involving the transforming gimmick.

    I've enjoyed movies for less.
  • The3DGuy
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    The3DGuy polycounter lvl 18
  • malcolm
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    malcolm polycount sponsor
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