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Note: I'm not sure it's really necessary to put spoiler warnings on a review of a 40-year-old-movie, but here it is because I'm going to be talking about specific scenes and plot points.

The cast

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Before we get into the film's sound and story, I think it's important to highlight some of the incredible voice acting that went into the Transformers movie (which is what I'm going to call it going forward). If the producers had simply retained the cast from the original first-generation cartoon — which includes legends like Peter Cullen (Optimus Prime), Frank Welker (Megatron, Soundwave) and others — and then plugged in any gaps as needed, that would have been totally fine. Instead, the producers went over the top and added some incredible names to the roster that elevated the movie to greater heights.

The Transformers movie stands as Orson Welles' final performance, as he died just five days after recording his lines for Unicron. And 40 years later, it's impossible to imagine anyone else in that role. His performance brought an otherworldly gravitas to the planet-eating menace while firmly cementing Unicron as one of the most memorable big bads in franchise history. Meanwhile, casting Leonard Nimoy as Galvatron during the height of Star Trek's success was a stroke of genius, as he managed to make Megatron's reincarnation as Galvatron somehow even more menacing. Then there's Robert Stack, who breathed life into Ultra Magnus, allowing him to be more than Optimus' second-in-command. When he said "But Prime, I'm just a soldier," you can hear the conflict in his voice between knowing what must be done and the burden of being asked to carry the Matrix of Leadership, a moment that sets the tone for the rest of the movie.

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But among all of these performances, Judd Nelson, hot off of starring in The Breakfast Club, felt like the perfect choice to voice newcomer Hot Rod. More than any other character in the movie, you can hear the growth along the way, from a brash young bot trying to prove himself to becoming the leader the Autobots really needed. Even more than the only two actual people in the movie, Nelson gave the role the energy and humanity it needed to essentially carry the entire film.

The soundtrack

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Even if you don't care about transforming robots, I feel like almost everyone can still appreciate this movie's soundtrack. Unlike the cartoon series, which relied more on orchestral pieces with big brass, woodwind and string performances, Vince Dicola's score leans more into synths and metal, encapsulating the sounds of the 80s in an unmistakable way. Other tracks like NRG's "Instruments of Destruction" is a downright headbanger while Weird Al's "Dare to be Stupid" provides a moment of levity before the final battle.

However, out of all of these, two tracks by Stan Bush stand out from the rest: "Dare" and "The Touch." These ballads aren't just catchy, they make you want to burst out singing in tandem and serve as the ideal accompaniment to our heroes' journey and the battle to save not one but two worlds. Some might say the soundtrack to the Transformers movie is the best thing about it; I don't think I could argue otherwise.

The story

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Like so many stories, the Transformers movie relies on three-act structure, though some arcs are more successful than others. That said, I will happily die on the hill that the first third of the film (aka the setup) is nearly flawless. The movie sets the scene just outside Autobot City while introducing Daniel and Hot Rod before immediately launching into battle. From there it's 25 minutes of masterful cinema. You have a dastardly sneak attack by Megatron, Hot Rod spotting the deception, the Constructions merging to form Devastator, Optimus Prime and the Dinobots swooping in at the last moment and finally the ultimate face-off between the leaders of the two warring Cybertronian factions. There isn't a single dull moment and yet the movie still manages to fit in little sequences like Kupp sharing the wisdom of a veteran and Blaster farming more aura in one scene than most main characters do in an entire series.

We also got what might be the most badass action sequence in Transformers history. When Optimus says "Megatron must be stopped," you know some serious carnage is about to go down. The leader of the Autobots literally trucks half of the Decepticon army before one-shotting the rest and hitting us with a signature pose that would be later reenacted later across countless adaptations. Modern movies could learn something from the choreography in this scene. And then the act closes with the death of Optimus Prime, a moment so traumatic that Hasbro is still apologizing for it 40 years later.

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That said, perhaps the biggest failing of the first third of the movie is something it didn't cover. Some versions of the script have Metroplex making an appearance as an integral part of Autobot City, which would have been the cherry on top of the movie's role as the ultimate exhibition of the G1 cartoon. However, it seems due to some miscommunication (and probably budget considerations), that part of the story didn't make the cut. That's a real shame as it would have delivered an even bigger impact to the idea of trying to transform Autobot City when the Decepticons attack. On the other hand, given the sheer number of continuity errors, missing bots and impossible physics in the Transformers movie (and the G1 cartoon for that matter), a mistake like this probably won't come as a surprise to longtime fans.

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From there, I'll be the first one to admit that things get a bit wacky. The Autobots are forced to flee Earth, with Hot Rod, Kupp and the Dinobots going in one direction while Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Springer, Daniel and crew go in another, hounded by Galvatron and the Decepticons. It's an important section as it shows the growth of Hot Rod while Ultra Magnus struggles to fill the shoes of Optimus Prime, but there are a few too many tangents and side quests, resulting in the middle of the movie feeling a bit disjointed.

The Junkions go a bit too far in terms of campy comic relief, though I do appreciate the dedication to their 1980s-inspired speech patterns. Casting Eric Idle as Wreck-Gar was an inspired choice. but the giant robo squid and the Quintessons sort of come out of left field, even though Hot Rod and the Dinobots' excursion to Quentessa did provide the setup for Snarl's on-point comedic timing.

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Finally, the third act begins with Unicron showing his true form as the Autobots and Decepticons set aside their differences to protect Cybertron. Now as much as I like how the movie wraps up, it's clear the film is in more than a bit of a rush. I always wanted to see way more of the Dinobots' savagery and cameos from all the other bots like Bumblebee and Jazz that got fridged at the outset of the film. However, my biggest wish is simply a longer battle between Rodimus and Galvatron. The movie absolutely nails that handoff of the Matrix to Hot Rod. But after he ascends, he dispatches his foe in two hits. If you blink, you'll miss it. That should have been the penultimate triumph before Unicron explodes, the payoff for our new leader's growth. But I guess that's the sacrifice Hasbro made to keep the movie's runtime at a very brisk one hour and 25 minutes.

Legacy and aftermath

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The biggest strike against the Transformers movie is that it was a blatant attempt to sell new toys. In just the first 20 minutes, it feels like around half of the existing roster of bots was summarily knocked off. We're not just talking side characters either, as important names like Ironhide, Prowl, Wheeljack and others were essentially taken out back and dismissed with almost zero fanfare or even so much as a proper farewell.

But none of that even approached the death of Optimus Prime, which was so sad that people who witnessed it in 1986 recall "kids were crying in the theatres." The G1 Transformers cartoon had only started airing just two years before the release of the movie, and even in that short time, it quickly became one of the most popular kids' shows on TV. Writing off Optimus was never going to be a popular move, but to do it so soon felt like a betrayal. For children who saw it live in theaters without any warning, it might have been the equivalent of their parents watching the JFK assassination.

Granted, the movie does a better job with Starscream's removal, as it's a pivotal plot point of the film. But Prime's death, alongside the demise of a ton of other familiar bots, created negative reverberations that the franchise would have to combat in following seasons. Newcomers introduced in the movie — especially Hot Rod — weren't immediately embraced by fans, as he took a lot of blame for Optimus getting decommissioned. That fallout even became part of his character, as Rodimus Prime often struggled with trying to live up to his predecessor's legacy. Even when Optimus was revived in later TV episodes, the damage had already been done.

New bonus for the 40th anniversary

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Alongside its return to theaters, the Transformers movie is getting a bonus animated short called Optimus Prime: Awakening featuring 12 minutes of new content. I haven't seen it yet as I'm not scheduled to view the film in theaters until later this weekend, though most reports describe it as a love letter (and possibly a tear jerker for devoted fans) to both the leader of the Autobots and Peter Cullen's performance throughout the years. That said, there are some dissenting opinions who view it as a tragedy, so if you're planning on seeing the Transformers movie on the big screen, be prepared for an extreme reaction as the range of responses seems to be love or hate with nothing in between.

Wrap-up

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It's easy to dismiss the Transformers movie as a simple cash grab, because in part it was. But to write it off solely for that reason is a mistake, especially for anyone who's a fan of the franchise. There are so many elements from this film that helped shape and define the many shows and big picture releases that followed it and in my opinion, it's still easily the best full-length Transformers film to date.

But perhaps more importantly, The Transformers: The Movie is just a great example of a classic 80s action flick. It has cool cars, giant robots, spaceships, mechanical sharks with claws and a planet-eating bad guy, plus one of the most tubular soundtracks of the decade. It also has truly epic fight scenes, the kind that feel like they don't get made anymore. So while the original Transformers movie is a bit schlocky, to me it's right up there with other films like Evil Dead or Bloodsport, and it reminds of a time when high-octane blockbusters (or high-energon in this case) still had a lot of heart. And with the recent passing of Peter Cullen, I can't think of a better time to highlight some advice from his brother that inspired Cullen's legendary performance of Optimus Prime: "If you're going to be a hero, be a real hero... be strong enough to be gentle."