The Transformers: The Movie (1986)
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The heroic Autobots must face a desperate struggle against the Decepticons and a planet-sized threat named Unicron.
The story
Set in 2005, twenty years after the second season of the Transformers television series, the story follows the heroic Autobots. The robots are hunted by Unicron, a massive, sentient planet-sized Transformer. While the Decepticons, led by Megatron, have conquered the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron, the Autobots prepare a counteroffensive from the planet's moons. The conflict escalates when the Decepticons hijack a supply ship from Earth, leading to a violent confrontation between the two factions. Amidst the chaos, the fate of the Autobot leadership and the survival of their kind hangs in the balance as they face both their mechanical enemies and a cosmic threat.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 2005, the Decepticons have conquered Cybertron. The Autobots, stationed on the moons, prepare a counteroffensive. When the Decepticons hijack an Autobot supply ship from Earth, a battle ensues. Optimus Prime defeats Megatron but is mortally wounded, passing the Matrix of Leadership to Ultra Magnus before dying. The weakened Decepticons are found by Unicron, a planet-sized entity that transforms Megatron into Galvatron and creates a new armada. Galvatron eventually seizes the Matrix and seeks to use it to control Unicron. The Autobots are scattered across different planets, with Hot Rod and Kup captured by the Quintessons. Other Autobots land on the Planet of Junk, where they team up with the Junkions to rebuild Ultra Magnus. Eventually, the forces converge on Cybertron. As Unicron begins to destroy the planet, Hot Rod activates the Matrix, becoming Rodimus Prime. He defeats Galvatron and uses the Matrix's power to destroy Unicron, allowing the Autobots to reclaim their home.
- First release year
- 1986
- Runtime (minutes)
- 85
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Nelson Shin
- Writers
- Ron Friedman · writer; Flint Dille · writer
- Cast and characters
- Eric Idle · Wreck-Gar; Judd Nelson · Hot Rod/Rodimus Prime; Leonard Nimoy · Galvatron; Robert Stack · Ultra Magnus; Lionel Stander · Kup; Orson Welles · Unicron; Peter Cullen · Optimus Prime, Ironhide; Frank Welker · Megatron, Soundwave, Frenzy, Rumble, Wheelie
- Genres
- animated; science fiction; action
- Themes
- sacrifice; transformation; redemption
- Tone and mood
- dark; serious
- Premise and plot tags
- space_opera; robot_warfare; alien_invasion
- Source material / true-story basis
- Transformers television series
- Franchise connections
- Transformers
- Content notes
- violence
- Reception
- Initially received generally negative reviews from critics, it has since gained a cult following and is considered a milestone in animation history.
- Production trivia
- The film was the final role of Orson Welles.; The film was originally intended to be a commercial tie-in for the 1986 toy line.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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