'I came to watch robots, not people' — probably the most popular comment in live-action film discussions. So why do human characters get so much screen time?
Viewers need a guide
Writers believe a human is the easiest way to bring audiences into an unfamiliar world. Through the eyes of Sam, Charlie or Noah we marvel at Transformers alongside the heroes and feel the scale.
Technical reasons
Every minute of robots on screen means expensive CGI. Scenes with actors are cheaper and simpler to produce, so even big blockbusters tilt screen time towards humans.
When it works
The best example is Bumblebee (2018): Charlie and Bumblebee's friendship is the film's heart, and the human doesn't get in the robot's way but reveals him. The same goes for Sam in the first film.
When it doesn't
Problems start when there are too many human storylines unconnected to the robots: soldiers, officials, side characters. That's why many fans saw Transformers One, which has no humans at all, as a long-awaited answer to this complaint.
