Transformers: The Ride Brings the Battle to Life

Note: Update to this story at the bottom.

Have you ever wanted to be right in the middle of a battle between the Autobot and the Decepticons? Universal Studios Hollywood is giving you the chance. Opening in May, Transformers: The Ride 3D is a state of the art experience that brings you right into the midst of the Transformers universe and the ongoing battles between Optimus Prime and Megatron.

The exterior to Transformers: The Ride 3D at Universal Studios Hollywood.

I recently took part in a press tour of the attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood (a version of the ride opened at Universal Singapore this past December) and was very impressed by what I saw. While we didn't get to actually ride it, even just walking through the track, and getting to see many of the visuals and FX, it was clear this was going to be an extremely effective experience.

The entrance to the building the attraction is held in.

The ride takes place within the world established by the Transformers live-action films. And even as someone who didn't like the second and third films, I was very happy with how the ride plays out, delivering the kind of spectacle you want from a theme park attraction.

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The line takes you into NEST headquarters, including orientation videos welcoming you to NEST from General Morshower (24's Glenn Morshower, reprising his role from the films), along with Autobots like Ratchet and Ironhide. You also see the Allspark on display – and as you progress through the line, a crisis begins, as Ravage manages to steal the Allspark.

Protect the Allspark!

The ride itself takes you on a turbulent journey to keep the Allspark safe, while the Decepticons attack and your Autobot friends attempt to protect you. Show producer Chick Russell, who took us on the tour, described the vehicle you ride in as a "Flight simulator on wheels." As the car pulls you along, 3D movie footage is used to put you in the heart of huge Autobot/Decepticon battles.

Real life pieces of vehicles like this will be extended by the film footage projected behind it.

We were shown much of this footage, displayed in 3D. And what really impressed me was how effective it was simply watching it while standing in front of the walls it is projected on, rather than in the confines of the vehicle, being tossed and turned. The sense of motion is incredible – even at points when the car (or in this case, just, well, me) is standing still, you can feel like you're hurtling forward.

A nice Transformers G1 shout out!

The action is incredibly dynamic. At one point, Starscream comes towards you, shooting down a helicopter. When other helicopters attack him, he turns away from you and leaps up, transforming into his plane form and blasting off into the distance. Other sequences, featuring familiar Transformers like Optimus Prime, Megatron, Bumblebee and Devastator, were similarly "Wow"-inducing.

Something bad happened here.

The ride's track takes you onto a second level, as the story has you pulled to the top of a skyscraper and then hurtling down to the streets below. While the majority of the action occurs via the 3D footage, there are vehicles, weaponry and other "real" objects used, along with immersive lighting and effects, that really sell you on the scenario.

Megatron shoots at you, while Optimus attacks, in a screen shot from the film footage of Transformers: The Ride 3D.

The mixture of a moving vehicle and 3D film footage reminded me of Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at Universal Studio Orlando's Wizarding World of Harry Potter. That ride, which deftly mixes all of its elements, has become perhaps my favorite theme park attraction of all time.

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The fact that Transformers: The Ride 3D evokes a similar feel and worked so well simply via a walk through has me very excited to check out the finished product when it opens in May at Universal Studios Hollywood.

Update: With Transformers: The Ride now officially open this weekend, I've been on the finished attraction, and I must say, it is awesome! It's impressively long, definitely giving you your money's worth (or your long line's worth, as the case may be), and the feeling of being right in the middle of a Transformers battle is palpable.

One very notable dynamic that the walk through couldn't convey is how fun it is to feel like you are riding inside an Autobot, who not only speaks to you, but fires his guns and extends his arm out in front of the car at a crucial moment. Some of the moments in the ride, such as when you crash into and drive through a floor of an office building and back out the other side, are extremely effective and appropriately capture the sensation of having jumped through the screen and right into the middle of a huge blockbuster summer movie. Thankfully, you've got Optimus Prime to help protect you!