Transformers: 10 Ways Michael Bay's Movies Strayed From Original Canon
The Transformers franchise already had a cult fanbase before the films, thanks to a slew of animated TV shows and movies, and video games. But it was director Michael Bay who gave the Cybertronic shape-shifting robots the Hollywood treatment when the first Transformers film released in 2007. Even though the first three films in Bay's franchise found some fans, the other installments, like Extinction and Last Knight, have been panned universally by critics and audiences alike.
Fans of the original series have also been heavily critical of the American filmmaker for straying a bit too far from the canon in favor of big-budget effects and larger-than-life storylines.
10 Bumblebee Doesn't Speak
In the films, the Autobot Bumblebee cannot speak. This is a major difference from the original series and the ongoing Transformers cartoons, in which Bumblebee actively takes part in debates and in devising strategies.
However, just like the canon, Bumblebee is still a pretty important figure in the films, often serving as Optimus Prime's second-in-command. The 2018 standalone film Bumblebee (not directed by Bay), serving as an origin tale, has helped bring the film series back on track. This particular film revealed that he lost his ability to talk as his vocal box got damaged in a battle with the Decepticon, Blitzwing.
9 Wheeljack Looks Like A Robotic Einstein
Wheeljack is an Autobot scientist and inventor and the brain behind the Dinobots. In the Michael Bay films, many feel that Wheeljack bears a caricaturish appearance, almost looking like some sort of robotic Einstein!
Complete with hair, glasses, and what seems like a mustache, Wheeljack looks vastly different from his original look in the cartoons. In fact, in his original form, Wheeljack doesn't even have a mouth, as the lower portion of his face is always shown to be covered.
8 Optimus Prime Is Angrier Than Usual
Optimus Prime can sometimes be shown as an impulsive decision-maker, but he still cares for his brethren and civilian lives around him. In the Transformers series, from Revenge of the Fallen onwards, one can see that the film-version of Optimus is slightly more violent. In Dark of the Moon, his plan to defeat the Decepticons ends in the loss of over 1,000 human lives, for which the Autobots are exiled from Earth.
In his final battle, he kills Megatron, even though for a change, the Decepticon was willing to help him. Furthermore, he kills the antagonist Sentinel Prime, even when he was injured. Such lack of mercy is a far cry from Optimus' usually tactical fighting style.
7 Shockwave Got More Action
In the canon, Shockwave is shown to be more of a strategist for the Decepticons, rather than an active fighter. In the earliest cartoon, Shockwave served as a lieutenant for Megatron, and as a whole weapon in himself, as he could transform into a gun that Megatron could use in emergency situations.
In Transformers: Dark of the Moon, he retains most of his faceless appearance but is given more runtime as a fighting Decepticon on Earth. This runs in contrast with his role in the Generation 1 cartoon and related series, where he's found to be mostly strategizing on Cybertron (even when it is ravaged and his Decepticon allies are on Earth).
6 Grimlock Is More 'Medieval'
Grimlock is the leader of the Dinobots. Even though he might seem a bit more archaic than the rest of the vehicle-turning Transformers, his visual aesthetic is still not as different as the other robots. In the canon, he wields an Energon sword, as well as a double-barreled rocket launcher.
Grimlock's major film appearance is marked with Age of Extinction. Even though his T-Rex mode seems pretty similar, his robot mode seems way more medieval in style, giving the appearance of a character from the fantasy genre rather than sci-fi. For instance, Grimlock wields a club and a sort of mace, rather than modern weapons.
5 Soundwave Is No Longer A Tape Recorder
The first-ever Transformers series was released in 1986. So, it makes sense for Soundwave to transform into a microcassette recorder. But this technology would seem outdated in the present day. The film's avatar of Soundwave, Megatron's communication officer, finds him serving as a Cybertronian satellite hovering above Earth.
Later, in Dark of the Moon, it's revealed that he can transform into a Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG (that belongs to Sam's girlfriend, Carly).
4 Change In Devastator's Form
In his Generation 1 form, Devastator was comprised of six robots called Constructicons. He was a humongous two-legged Decepticon - his body bearing the shades of purple and green.
His film counterpart (in Revenge of the Fallen), on the other hand, is multi-colored and four-legged. If this change wasn't enough, the film's toilet humor also gave way to a set of testicles for Devastator!
3 Facial Differences And Armor
The 'Bayformers' often appear to be more alien than robot, as some of them clearly have humanoid features and even secrete saliva or blood-like fluids in certain situations. Furthermore, the facial features of both Autobots and Decepticons were supposed to be robotic, but Michael Bay's films play a major part in differentiating between the two side's faces.
But while the Autobots look more human-like, the Decepticons appear more reptilian (at least in terms of their faces). Their armor also appears to be weaker, as the original versions can withstand damage from manufactured weapons, like bullets and rockets.
2 More Human-Driven Subplots
Of course, a large portion of the main storyline in the films revolves around the human characters, like Sam Witwicky and Cade Yeager. Supporting characters like Seymour Simmons and Lt Colonel William Lennox are also given considerable runtime with subplots.
The human conversations and backstories take the focus away from Cybertron way more than the comics and the show, which usually deal with only the robots. Ongoing shows like the Cyberverse series focus on the destruction of Cybertron and the history behind it, rather than dwelling on human history concepts, like the Pyramids or Moon landings.
1 Racial Stereotyping
The film versions of the twin Autobots, Skids and Mudflap, were criticized by some for being reduced to what seemed like "racial caricatures." Intended for comic relief, the robots often argue with each other in hip-hop-inspired slang. Neither can read and one even has a gold tooth.
However, others have found the robots to not be offensive. In his defense, Michael Bay has said, "It's done in fun ... These are the voice actors. This is the kind of direction they were taking with the characters and we went with it."