Last night saw the release of the full length teaser trailer for Transformers: Age Of Extinction, which was pleasantly longer than expected, and filled with plenty of new footage. Having repeatedly watched the trailer we bring you a trailer analysis, but first we have some new posters to showy you; the first of which (shown below) is part of the viral website Transformers Are Dangerous that has been launched to promote the film.
The viral website requires you to sign up and supply your date of birth for up-to-the-minute news, but other than that doesn't seem to offer much more than the ability to download the above poster in a choice of resolutions.
The second poster however is a continuation of the posters that we have seen up until now of the human cast. This new poster however features the leader of the Autobots himself Optimus Prime (still voiced by Peter Cullen), sporting his brand new look...
As for the trailer (above); well for fans of the first cartoon series that first appeared on TV way-back-when in 1984, there is an obvious wink with the appearance of a rusted Marmon 97 semi-truck, which looks reminiscent of the semi-truck that Optimus Prime transformed into in the generation 1 TV series and toy line. Though, as fans already know Optimus Prime will change his transformation choice later in the film to a blue and red-flamed Western Star 4900 Phantom Custom semi-trailer. Though to-be-honest as a fan of the original series I personally would have liked it if Optimus remained with the former choice of vehicle-mode throughout the movie. Hell, I would like to see all the other Transformers change into their original choice of vehicles from the generation 1 series, but I guess Chevrolet are willing to pay more for product placement than Volkswagen, and a bunch of vehicles from the 80's is really that good a disguise.
Another inclusion that will put a smile on the faces of generation 1 fans is the return of the Dino-Bots, though presumably their origins have probably differed from the original TV series, and of course Michael Bay has made them all pointy and jagged-looking, but as long as we get the line "Me Grimlock" then I will be happy.
another little easter egg is the phone number shown on a billboard at aproximately 13 seconds into the trailer. Allegedly ringing the number will play a message, maybe one of you can fill us in as to what the message says?
From the narrative of the trailer it seems the US government have grown brasher and bolder than they were in the last instalment, to the point where it seems they have turned against the Autobots and are now hunting them, hence the tag line "Things Have Changed". Yet ironically after proclaiming that they no longer need the Autobots help an invasion begins, though whom is invading isn't made clear. Yet this all feels too familar; didn't the last movie Dark Of The Moon have the exact same storyline, or is there something else going on we don't know about. Here's to hoping that the story isn't a repeat of the last movie.
Finally, the appearance of Stanley Tucci (captain America: The First Avenger) in the trailer is golden - his smarmy, obnoxious character is reminiscent of John Tuturro's Agent Simmons from the previoius trilogy, though it is a shame we did not get chance to see Frasier, The Simpsons and X-Men III: The Last Stand actor kelsey Grammar, though fingers crossed he will appear in the next trailer. In the meantime we will keep our eyes peeled for more posters and any new content on the viral website.
