Transformers One

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Transformers One is an animated prequel following Orion Pax (Optimus Prime) and D-16 (Megatron), miner bot friends who spend their days digging for Energon. Orion Pax is relentless in his search for the missing Matrix of Leadership, which will allow the planet of Cybertron to return to its former glory. However, none of the Transformers are prepared for the dark truth surrounding their home.

 

The story at hand here is quite fun and really welcoming for new fans, while also having some cool surprises for classic Transformers fans. It was fresh to place the story with a much younger Optimus and Megatron, who have a long way to journey to the figures we know and love/hate. Watching Orion as this young, hot-headed champion for the people sets him up nicely for an arc about learning what it takes to be a leader. Orion moves through this film in a manner motivated by being good and acting for others. In a neat contrast, D-16 is happy in his life, content with living under the rule of his hero: Sentinel Prime. However, D-16 is confronted with some dark truths that lead him down a darker path of hurt and betrayal; by the end of the film, he can't align himself with the Cybertron that exists around him. Linking the origin of Orion and D-16 so neatly, in a way that forces you to see a dear friendship crumble is heartbreaking and satisfying. It was also extremely satisfying to see a feature set on Cybertron, an element fans have been dying to see on the big screen for a long time.

This film does for Transformers what Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse did for Spider-Man, entirely revitalises how the audience engages with the characters they know and love through the eyes of animation. I cannot stress enough how much I enjoy the designs of the characters, they are very expressive and have a lot of fluid movement for robots. I thought the way this film captured action was incredible; the final fight scene has so many incredible elements in any given frame that really sets some high stakes and puts some major blockbusters to shame. Likewise, I loved the variation in animated figures and settings in the major race scene. Yet, what really stood out for me was how the surface of Cybertron was designed; the moving landscape and the technological/biological blending was gorgeous. The hard work to make one of the finer looking features for animation in 2024 is only complemented by Brian Tyler's excellent score; the music here is adventurous and bold. The tracks in this film take you on a dramatic journey few Transformers films have previously achieved.

 

Brian Tyree Henry, who voiced D-16, really gives his all in this and marks an exceptional turn to villainy; the descent from mild good nature into bouts of uncontrollable rage are impressive to say the least. Steve Buscemi, who voiced Starscream, is an inspired point of casting; Buscemi really nails the power-hungry wheedling voice of the future Decepticon. Laurence Fishburne, who voiced Alpha Trion, invokes that ancient wisdom and strength of a Prime; Fishburne really comes off as this monolithic presence who once stood at the top of Cybertron as a great leader. Jon Hamm, who voiced Sentinel Prime, is quite a charismatic and inspiring leader figure at first pass; yet it is a lot of fun when Hamm gets to turn towards a smug and vicious antagonist. Vanessa Liguori, who voiced Airachnid, is quite creepy as the secondary antagonist of the film; Liguori's voice makes Airachnid innately scary and intimidating.

 

However, the best performance came from Chris Hemsworth, who voiced Orion Pax. I'll freely admit I had my doubts about Hemsworth, I really didn't think he could step into Peter Cullen's shoes at all. But from the start, Hemsworth defines this performance as being a little different; Orion sounds more youthful and a bit fresher in his years. This is a character who gets up to trouble and has to swerve his way out of it through quick talking and pleas. Orion is so passionate and earnest about the future of his people, he wants more than just mine work for all bots. Seeing Hemsworth present Orion as someone who believes in an idea to someone who leads people through his morals and ideas is quite compelling. The hurt and betrayal in the final act towards Megatron is a very impressive feat from Hemsworth and Tyree Henry both. I also really felt those final couple of scenes solidified Hemsworth's voice work, it felt like that point of transition from Pax to Prime happened perfectly. 

This film starts a little sloppy, it seems unsure if it wants to present a dramatic fun animated story or if it wants to really dumb it down for the younger audience. There are so many moments in which we have some goofy gag or a run of not super funny jokes because the film feels the need to play things safe. I really think D-16's tilt into antagonist comes very fast, the moment he gets his cog we get some very extreme behaviour shifts and I don't think that turn was worked on hard enough. Likewise, the bond between Orion and D-16 can be pushed back into the focal point quite abruptly sometimes, just to really drum home the eventual betrayal for the audience. It feels a little heavy-handed and obvious in places. The points of exposition and world building got excessive in places too, it was difficult to juggle the various ancient Primes, alongside invading species or mysterious planetary entities.

Scarlett Johansson, who played Elita-1, is quite a grating voice that doesn't sit well in the main cast; I found Elita-1 to be an annoying presence with little reason to partner in with the rest of the protagonists. Keegan-Michael Key, who voiced B-127, doesn't really do anything to play a character; it just feels like Key riffing some average comedic dialogue in his usual voice.

Animation finds the key and opens the door for a new era of Transformers in film. I would give Transformers One an 8/10.