Transformers: Limited Edition Steelbooks 6-Movie Collection Boxset Review
The Transformers: Limited Edition Steelbooks 6-Movie Collection Boxset distributed by Paramount Home Entertainment is perhaps the unprecedented 4K UHD Blu-ray Disc Boxset of 2023 if only until they make a 7-Movie Collection, which may not happen since the new film opens Friday June 9, 2023 in theaters only and when the eventual home video follows there has not been an official announcement and even if there was, it would probably not match the sheer build quality of the box set, which I will go into first. To begin with all six films in the continuing series are individually packaged within a real sturdy high quality cardboard box that has an internal magnet that keeps the openable flap that goes half way around the box closed and the contents safe. There is a wrap around external paper that details the contents on one side and has the production credits for all six films on the other. The artwork on the box itself says nothing and just has the Autobot and the Decepticon symbols with a blue head in the front and a red head in the back much like the cartoon series used to flip from one side to the next like a coin being flipped in between segments of the classic syndicated 1980s animated TV series.
There is artwork on the inner side of the wrap around flap too, which adds to collectibility of the set for fans. Within the box set are the six films individually packaged in beautiful different colored steelbooks photos from the individual films on the inside. Within the first Steelbook set are two discs. A 4K Ultra High Definition Blu-ray Disc containing the feature film and a 1080p Full HD Blu-ray Disc containing the special features. Exclusively within The Transformers Steelbook set are an inset containing codes for limited time only redeemable Digital Copies for 4K UHD with HD special features for either an iTunes or Vudu streamable copy of the films. I chose the iTunes copies because that is my preferred streaming choice and I love Apple products, A limited edition Autobot decal is also packaged within the set. I wish it was a magnet, but as is it’s a thoughtful inclusion too. The Transformers Steelbook is red while Transformers: The Revenge Of The Fallen is grey, Transformers: Dark Side Of The Moon is kind of burned orange or darker shade of gold, Transformers: Age Of Extinction is gold, Transformers: The Last Knight is purple and Bumble Bee is appropriately yellow. The two disc system of one 4K UHD and one Full HD Blu-ray Disc runs throughout all six steelbooks and with the exception of Bumble Bee, there are Roman Numerals numbered I through V are on the cover of the individually packaged Steelbooks within this Twelve Disc Box Set.
All of the films feature both 4K UHD and the extra value features are presented in 1080p Full HD presentations on their respective discs while the iTunes Digital Copies depending on the source being used will either feature DolbyVision with Dolby ATMOS Sound or Dolby Digital Sound with descriptive audio for the visually impaired and English Subtitles for the Deaf and Hearing Impaired coupled with French, Spanish and Portuguese Language Subtitles encoded as options. It should be noted that the films in movie only 1080p Full HD presentations on Blu-ray Discs are not included in this set so if you want those you will have to go for the 2017 Three Disc Sets that were sold separately. The Sector 7 comic included with the original Bumble Bee set is not included in the box set either. As can be expected, the more recent the film, the better the picture quality and particularly on Transformers, the CGI is slightly dated, but otherwise the DolbyVision presentations for all six films looks great and the Dolby ATMOS sound is clear and enveloping.
The extra value features are exhaustive and comprehensive so I will simply detail the contents of each found on the optical discs and Digital Copies. Transformers feature an iTunes preview trailer (2:28) and the theatrical teaser (1:51), trailer #2 (2:13) and trailer #4 (2:36) and these trailers found in the bonus feature can also be viewed as one reel via the Play All option (6:39). So if you include the iTunes trailer that is four trailers as a whole and that is something I love and wish was included more often with physical media/digital copy releases. There are eight Behind-The-Scenes featurettes that can only be viewed individually and are detailed as Human Allies (13:11), I Fight Giant Robots (14:01), Battleground (13:35), Autobots Roll Out (20:00), Decepticons Strike (14:33), Inside The AllSpark (17:00), Skorponok Desert Attack (8:54) and Concepts (2:11).
For Transformers: The Revenge Of The Fallen there is the iTunes preview (2:33) and within the bonus features under the heading The Matrix Of Marketing are the Reveal trailer (2:18) and Revenge Trailer (2:34) as well as galleries detailing the theatrical posters (1:59) and promo/marketing (3:29). The music video for Linkin Park’s New Divide (4:41) is also included along with three deleted/Alternate Scenes that can be viewed individually or as one reel via the Play All option (6:14). From here on unless otherwise stated you can assume all is the same on the bonus features for all six films. Three individual featurettes detailed as A Day With Bay: Tokyo (13:23), 25 years of Transformers (10:43) and Giant Effing Movie (24:03). The feature length documentary The Human Factor: Exacting Revenge Of The Fallen (2:13:16) and split into seven parts wraps up the extra value features for Transformers: The Revenge Of The Fallen.
Transformers: Dark Side Of The Moon include the iTunes preview (2:31) and the Teaser (2:35) and Trailer (2:28) under The Matrix Of Marketing submenu that also includes poster, Style Guide, Promo Items and Concession Items galleries. Another feature length documentary divided into five parts entitled Above And Beyond: Exploring The Dark Side Of The Moon (1:49:53) is included along with The Art Of Cybertron and The Dark Of The Moon Archive sections.
Transformers: Age Of Extinction includes the iTunes preview (2:25) and two trailers run a little over two an half minutes respectively and KRE-O Transformers: Take Us Through The Movies (3:43) as well as Angry Birds: Transformers Origin Story (1:16). Four Featurettes include Bay On Action (10:46), Just Another Giant Effing Movie (10:04), A Spark Of Design (15:25) and TJ Miller: Farm Hippie (19:43).
Transformers: The Last Night includes the iTunes preview (2:44) and six featurettes under the headings Merging Mythologies (19:57), Climbing The Tanks (8:47), The Royal Treatment: Transformers In The U.K. (27:04), Motors And Magic (14:46), Alien Landscape: Cybertron (7:14) and One More Giant Effin’ Movie (6:10).
Bumblebee includes the iTunes preview (2:24) and the Sector 7 Archive with Agent Burns: Welcome To Sector 7 ( :49) and Sector 7 Adventures: The Battle At Half Dome (9:18) motion comic. There are also nine deleted and extended scenes (19:13), five outtakes, Bee Vision : The Transformers Robots Of Cybertron (3:36) and Bringing Bumblebee To The Screen in five parts.
The interactive menus are well rendered and easy to navigate. Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts will debut in the United States on June 9, 2023. Transformers: Limited Edition Steelbooks 6-Movie Collection Boxset is available now at retailers on and offline courtesy of Paramount Home Entertainment.
(C) Copyright 2023 By Mark A. Rivera
All Rights Reserved.
