Transformers One (2024)

"Transformers One" stars Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Jon Hamm, and Laurence Fishburne.  Releasing on September 20, 2024, the film explores the relationship between Optimus Prime and Megatron on Cybertron.
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The film is directed by Josh Cooley, who is best known for directing "Toy Story 4" and co-writing the screenplay for "Inside Out".  It is a prequel to the Transformers franchise.  The Autobots and Decepticons have been battling for dominance since the franchise's inception, and it's all because they can't learn to get along.  It provides excellent entertainment for young and old fans but also makes us question how this centuries-long war began.  Obviously, it was due to the teams' leaders, Optimus Prime and Megatron, having different beliefs about bringing peace to their home planet.  Optimus sees it through unity and hope, while Megatron seeks peace through power and enslavement.  But did you know that they weren't always enemies?  This serves as the topic of the latest cinematic outing of the popular yet divided film series based on Hasbro's iconic Transformers toy line.  However, instead of continuing where the live-action films left off, the franchise is taking a different approach to exploring the world of the Transformers as an animated prequel.  This makes it the first theatrical animated movie in the franchise since "The Transformers: The Movie" in 1986.  Are you feeling old yet?  It'll likely satisfy those needing some robot-fighting goodness until the next live-action installment comes by, but does it also help reinvigorate the cinematic appeal of the Transformers?  Let's head back to Cybertron and find out.

The story takes place before the war of Cybertron, a futuristic planet filled with cybernetic, transforming aliens.  Orion Pax (Hemsworth) is a free-spirited yet reckless Cybertronian mine worker dreaming of making a difference outside his workplace.  D-16 (Henry) is Orion's work companion and brother-in-arms who attempts to keep him out of trouble.  After meeting the other Cybertronians, Elita (Johansson) and B-127 (Key), Orion and D-16 find themselves on the planet's surface beyond their city.  There, they encounter Alpha Trion (Fishburne), who gives them the ability to transform into their vehicular forms along with other forms of weaponry.  Orion and his new comrades must master their new transforming skills to protect Cybertron from a nefarious conspiracy.  However, Orion's intentions conflict with D-16's, changing the course of their friendship.

When I first heard of an animated "Transformers" prequel, I became curious about how it would compare with the live-action ones in quality and format.  The live-action ones weren't exactly critical darlings, save for "Bumblebee", but they also provided plenty of nostalgic and action-packed moments that made them enjoyable.  My curiosity heightened when Pixar veteran Josh Cooley was chosen to direct the film, who I thought did a damn good job continuing the "Toy Story" franchise.  But, of course, it's also not without some concerns that could dissolve people's interest in the animated prequel.  Regarding its celebrity voice cast and marketing, "Transformers One" posed the risk of being another disposable animated film made to distract young children and nothing else, similar to "Despicable Me 4".  That is until the early screenings from Paramount rolled along and changed our perspectives completely.

Many people who saw it very early last month praised the film as the "best Transformers movie yet", which is enough to reinvigorate my interest.  The studio must've had enough confidence to showcase the film that early to the franchise's fans, and regarding the reception, it paid off exceptionally well.  Thankfully, I was able to see if the hype was worth it ahead of its release via an early-access screening at my closest cinema.  So, after weeks of anticipation, was it worth rolling out to see?  Short answer: yes.  Long answer: yes, but only if you don't set your expectations too high.  The hype is definitely real, but I wouldn't call it the "best Transformers movie ever."  While it somehow lacked a few specific elements to make it a truly transformative experience, "Transformers One" offered plenty of fun and subtly sentimental moments to satisfy longtime fans and casual viewers.

If you've been following "Transformers" for who knows how long, you would already know that Optimus and Megatron wind up being enemies at the end.  While that is the case, what matters most is the journey to that crucial moment.  The movie explores how these two characters went from brothers-in-arms to rivals with different interests.  Orion's strive to become more than what he's built for leads him on the journey to understand leadership and inspire hope in others.  As for D-16, his journey is more tragic than Orion's, as expected, thanks to a pivotal reveal that sets him on a path toward a darker future.  The main aspect of this relationship is not just the likability of those characters.  It's also the humanity they possess and the heartbreak that comes from their actions.  We don't just feel bad for the protagonist, but also their soon-to-be enemy.  I'm happy to say that the film handled this broken friendship perfectly well.

I would describe this as the animated equivalent of "X-Men: First Class" in terms of its plot and character development.  Both movies showcase opposing characters starting as friends before leading their different teams against each other.  Beforehand, we love seeing these two butt heads with each other, but after watching their origins, we start seeing the rivalries in a much different light.  "First Class" showed that Xavier's rivalry with Magneto isn't always black and white.  The same goes for "Transformers One", which effectively examines a fallen friendship caused by discrimination and injustice.  As for the story within this relationship, it struck a healthy balance between kid-friendly fun and adult nostalgia to outweigh some of its malfunctioning shortcomings.  

The main issue was the pacing.  "Transformers One" is the shortest entry in the franchise, clocking in less than two hours.  While it was suitable for those exhausted by the live-action films' bloated lengths, it also had the disadvantage of having an inconsistent and chaotic narrative flow.  There were a few moments of character depth that flew by faster than Starscream's jet mode, leaving me little room to breathe and take in the emotional moments and sceneries amid the fast-paced action.  Understandably, the pacing was intended to prevent the children from falling asleep. However, regarding the narrative, it can be a bit too much to handle for those looking for a narrative pace similar to that of the "Spider-Verse" movies.  Thankfully, the film didn't forget about the heart, or in this case, the spark that lies in its themes amid its flashy and vibrant chaos, even if the storytelling was far from perfect.  Even the movie's minor surprises and humor were enough to prevent its fundamental narrative elements from infecting its energon.

The film's voice cast also managed to surpass my expectations in honoring and rejuvenating our beloved Transformers characters.  Chris Hemsworth makes his animation debut as Orion Pax, aka "Optimus Prime".  When I think of Optimus, I always recall Peter Cullen, who has been voicing the Autobot leader since the beginning, and for good reason.  Cullen's majestic and deep voice is iconic in representing Optimus's leadership and…well, optimism.  So, it makes sense that we're hesitant about someone else voicing the character, let alone Thor himself.  On the other hand, Chris Hemsworth consistently captivates with his charismatic presence, especially in "Thor" and "Furiosa".  I will gladly say that his performance as Orion is another example of his exceptional talent and charm as an actor.  Hemsworth suitably embodies Orion's recklessness and goodwill while also honoring his mannerisms brought to life by Cullen, resulting in another entertaining performance by the actor.  Bryan Tyree Henry also did a fantastic job voicing D-16, particularly excelling in portraying the character's dramatic transformation caused by anger, pain, and deceit.  If you want another reason why Henry deserves more acknowledgment and appreciation, this is it.

Keegan-Michael Key as B-127 seemed like an odd choice at first, but he was able to make it work for me.  He's described as that one friend who chats up a storm due to his loneliness way before he loses his voice.  There were a few moments involving Bee that were quite amusing and fun, but he can also be a tad annoying in others.  Fortunately, those moments didn't make me want to rip his voice box off earlier than expected, although someone else might.  Scarlett Johansson was also pretty good as Elita, the mining captain who joined Orion on their journey.  The biggest surprise, in my opinion, was Steve Buscemi as Starscream, the leader of the banished Cybertronian High Guards.  Buscemi is no stranger to the Transformers brand, as he had voiced Autobot scavenger Daytrader in "The Last Knight".  Now, he's voicing a Decepticon in "Transformers One", so it looks like everything has come full circle for the actor.  Long story short, he did a respectable job voicing Starscream.  

Finally, we have the film's animation produced by Industrial Light & Magic, the same company behind the visual effects for the live-action "Transformers" movies.  The company proves to be top-tier in the visual effects industry in terms of creative and stunning CGI magic.  However, it also proves to be compatible with crafting 100% animated features full of immense detail and depth, thanks to the outstanding "Rango".  The craftsmanship in "Transformers One" further demonstrates its potential, mainly regarding its presentation.  The animation greatly benefits from its expansive scope, meticulous attention to detail, and lighting effects to fully immerse audiences into the film's larger-than-life world-building and visuals.  It also made miraculous use of its character designs, which paid tribute to the 1980s series, and exhilarating action sequences.  Although sometimes chaotic, the cinematography remains focused on amplifying the grandeur of Cybertron and the movie's violence to the fullest extent.  It may look cartoony based on the posters. However, the animation style and storytelling defied this assumption by making it accessible for both children and adults. It also showcases that Industrial Light & Magic should produce more animated films in the future.

Overall, "Transformers One" has the touch and the power to show that there's more to the animated prequel than meets the eye.  Some of its storytelling elements got a bit lost in its chaotic pacing and robot-clashing mayhem, but they're not enough to overshadow the good intentions of its themes and characters.  Thanks to its voice cast, suitable direction by Josh Cooley, engaging plot, and immersive animation, the film reinvigorates the IP to transformative heights.  As mentioned earlier, I wouldn't call it the best Transformers movie of the franchise, but I will definitely say it's in my top three, with "Bumblebee" still holding the crown, followed by 2007's "Transformers".  I know it sounds like a controversial opinion, but what matters is whether or not I like the film as much as everyone else, which I did.  If you love the "Transformers" brand or you're a newcomer to the IP, this family-friendly prequel is worth rolling out to see.

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