The Transformers Mystique

I just went to see the Transformers. I loved it. But why?

Why is a story about alien robots who choose to take the form of cars, and stereos, and other mundane stuff so compelling?

(image from MajorSpoilers.com)

I don't know about everyone else, but for me, it's the great simplicity of it all.

Autobots = Good
Decepticons = Bad

That's it. In the movie, there's a sequence when the Autobots (Good) arrive on Earth in a series of firey crashes. If you grew up watching the cartoon, then this scene might make the hair on the back of your neck stand up just a little. It's cool! The Good guys are coming to beat up the Bad guys.

The Decepticons (Bad) are already here - the movie opens with them visiting all sorts of nastiness on American troops (Good), who eventually get a little revenge by calling in air strikes against their attacker.

Way more fun to watch than American troops (Good) sent abroad by an administration (???) that lacks the good sense to win a chess match, never mind a war against a far sneakier opponent than Megatron.

I will watch this movie again and again. Particularly on days when I'm not sure who's Good or Bad in real life.