Transformers One
review by Bobby Blakey
When the Transformers hit TV screens in 1984 who would have thought it would be the juggernaut franchise it is today. With numerous animated series, comics, toys and seven live action feature films. Now the first ever fully CGI animated film of the franchise, Transformers One is here and taking fans into uncharted territory of the legendary robots in disguise and features a great voice cast including Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm. Could this latest adventure be more than meets the eye or will it fail to roll out to success?
Transformers One follows the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
When I saw the first trailer, I was excited for this film’s existence, but at the same time it kind of came off sillier and felt like it was leaning towards younger audiences. Man, that was so not what this film is and is not only good it is easily the best Transformer film or addition to the franchise since the iconic 80s animated film.
The story is fun and does a great job of respecting the source material while giving us the back story we never knew we needed. There have been snippets of this relationship between Prime and Megatron in the past but getting to see it unfold into the enemies they are today is so much better than I thought it might be. This could have easily fallen a part not getting these characters how fans are used too, but instead we have a great buddy flick that slow builds to the darkness to come while letting them have their time to establish why it is such a big deal when it all changes.
​
The story isn’t overly complicated and brings just enough betrayal and character building to let it set this world up that we already know but packs all the punches it needs. It wastes no time pulling us right into Cybertron and its history to where we are in this story now. One of the best parts of this film is that we are finally getting to spend all our time on the planet without a human in sight. Finally, the robots in disguise get to be front and center and carry all of it and it works on every level. They have some great explanations to the bigger picture to why some can, and some cannot transform that I felt worked perfect for the evolution beyond this film.
Of course, the lack of Peter Cullen and Frank Welker as Prime and Megatron will always be a bummer, but I was surprised how well Hemsworth and Henry did here. Neither are trying to be those of the iconic voices, but instead bring their own take that works for this version and time of the characters while still respecting that which came before. The rest of the cast do a great job as well bringing all these beloved characters to life. Looking around there are so many easter eggs of characters both with and without dialogue. One my favorite moments is the blink, and you’ll miss it Key and Peele joke made by Keegan-Michael Key who plays Bumblebee aka B-127 aka Badassatron.
For this film to really work the look and feel of it all has to deliver and it does so in spades. This film is outstanding looking in its designs of not only the characters, but of Cybertron itself. It is a visual shock to the system with the amount of moving parts on screen and the perfection of the look, feel and action of them all. It is jam packed with action and iconic moments that are intensified and elevated by its brilliant visuals. Much like the Spider-verse films this one stands on its own with its unique designs and execution to create something that is truly more than meets the eye.
Witness the legendary beginnings of these iconic robots in disguise with Transformers One in theaters now and be sure to stay through the credits all the way to the end for hints of what is to possibly come.