Transformers One

The success of Bumblebee seems to have breathed new life into the Transformers films, resulting in the sequel Transformers: Rise of the Beasts and the prequel film Transformers One (TF One), which marks the franchise’s return to theatrical feature animation since 1986. Despite a more tempered reaction to the initial trailer, thanks in part to the mild confusion over the overall timeline post-Bumblebee caused by executive flip-flopping, I remained cautiously optimistic for TF One, enough to pick up an Optimus Prime popcorn bucket from a local Cinemark as well as jump at the chance to purchase tickets for an early TF One Fan Event for the Wednesday of release at a local AMC. Within that time, though I had heard positive word of mouth from previous early screenings, I also went so far as to hold off on buying any actual toys until I had seen the movie for myself to form my own opinion, regardless of availability. Upon finally getting the chance to see it, I genuinely found it to be the best piece of Transformers media I had seen (aside from the current Skybound comic) since Bumblebee.

Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) is an Energon miner who continually sneaks into the Iacon archives on Cybertron to look for any sign of the fabled Matrix of Leadership so that Energon can flow again, but he keeps coming up empty. As he is chased out after getting caught, he is aided in his escape by D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry), his closest friend and a fellow Energon miner, all of whom lack a Transformation Cog. On a day off, Orion gets D-16 to crash the Iacon 5000 race alongside him to prove the strength of cogless bots, only to get sent to the deepest sub-level where they meet B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key). The three of them manage to stumble upon the lead to the Matrix that Orion had been looking for, only for fellow miner Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson) to get dragged into it as well.

While borrowing from other interpretations of Optimus Prime and Megatron’s backstories in which they were friends before becoming enemies, this film takes familiar elements and does something unique with them, making for an emotionally gripping experience. There is some heavy influence taken from G1, however it manages to have some unique interpretations of some characters, alongside working in some elements from later iterations of the franchise, suggesting that the team behind the production were fans of the greater brand at large rather than just one specific era of it. Though the trailers emphasize the comedy aspect, the jokes are actually a lot funnier in context and are used more for comic relief amidst a far more serious story. It also proves to be far more welcoming for newcomers, as it efficiently lays the groundwork for the origin of the Transformers within the setting.

 

D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry), B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key), Elita-1 (Scarlett
Johansson) and Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) search for the Matrix of Leadership
to save Cybertron.

TF One also takes full advantage of the power of animation for telling its story, showcasing an interesting take on Cybertron that feels very much alive in ways that only that medium could accomplish. The character animation is a major highlight, with each character having their own body language that matches their personality, not to mention some amazing transformation sequences and fight choreography. Some attention is also given to minor details that enhance the visuals when you notice them, including Alpha Trion (Laurence Fishburne) realistically struggling to move, complete with some visible shaking, as well as the animations of individual grains of a sand-like substance.

The voice cast largely comprises of celebrities, however they all turned out to be perfect casting choices, thanks in part to some incredible voice direction. Chris Hemsworth’s Optimus Prime doesn’t have quite the same timbre as Peter Cullen (in the specific context of the previous films), but he works well as a younger version of the character. Brian Tyree Henry also puts his all into D-16, making his transition into Megatron as we know him more believable and having amazing chemistry with Hemsworth. Seeing his scenes in context, Keegan-Michael Key turned out to be a perfect choice for playing Bumblebee, as did, surprisingly, Steve Buscemi in the role of Starscream.

If you are already a fan of Transformers, Transformers One is a must-see. If you aren’t, Transformers One is a perfect starting point. With plans for a trilogy in the works, I am cautiously optimistic in the film series’ future if it can maintain this same level of quality.