'Transformers' duo deny fault in racism row

Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman have refused to take the blame in the Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen racism row.

A recent report claimed that some viewers have complained about robots Skids and Mudflap being racial caricatures.

Director Michael Bay said earlier: "[They] were kind of written but not really written, so the voice actors is when we started to really kind of come up with their characters."

However, Kurtzman suggested to FilmSchoolRejects.com that he and co-writers Orci and Ehren Kruger were not responsible for the controversial characterisation.

"It's really hard for us to sit here and try to justify it," said Kurtzman. "I think that would be very foolish, and if someone wants to be offended by it, it's their right. We were very surprised when we saw it, too, and it's a choice that was made. If anything, it just shows you that we don't control every aspect of the movie."

When asked if he was offended by the portrayal of the robots, who talk in street slang and are unable to read, Kurtzman replied: "I wasn't thrilled. I certainly wasn't thrilled."

Orci added: "Same reaction. I'm not easily offended, but when I saw it, I thought, 'Someone's going to write about that'."

Transformers: Revenge Of The Fallen is playing in cinemas now.