Introduction

There’s no doubt that the Transformers film franchise has been a bit of a mixed bag. I adored the first one and liked Revenge of the Fallen. Also, I consider Bumblebee to be just a hair short of being a masterpiece of storytelling. I wasn’t excited for the new prequel film that they announced, despite the stellar voice cast. But I am here to tell you that Transformers One has the goods and delivers triumphal tragedy. Like the Spider-verse films and last year’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it is another nostalgic animated feature that punches way above its weight.

Synopsis

Transformers One starts on the planet of Cybertron, home to a humanoid machine society seemingly close to the end of its civilization. The planet was originally run by a regal group called the Primes that were able to harness endless energy and ruled with Arthurian gallantry. However, there is only one beloved ruler left, Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm), who searches for the lost source of energy.

On Cybertron there are the haves and have-nots. The have-nots end up doing the dangerous grunt work of harvesting a mineral that supports their society, while the haves are distinguished by their ability to “transform.” The main protagonists are Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry), miners who have a knack for getting into trouble. Eventually they meet up with other lower class machines Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson) and B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key) and embark on an adventure to try help find the energy source.

Review

This film feels like a combo of last year’s TMNT: Mutant Mayhem and The Hunger Games, albeit understandably less bleak. It definitely deals with class structure and even radicalization. I was struck with how effective it was at giving all the different villains legitimate and sympathetic motives. It is very easy for me to understand why they all ended up where they did.

If the film does have a weakness, it’s definitely its first act. The setup and world building are fine, but the two main characters were initially a bit too “kiddie” for my tastes. I suppose the filmmakers were trying to portray them as teenagers who eventually grow up, which does feel real. However, when the second act kicks in, it is epic goodness from then on.

This is director Josh Cooley’s second feature outing, after Toy Story 4 (a movie I dislike). This added to my hesitation going into the screening. Thankfully his strong storytelling voice came through on this project. He definitely knew what he wanted to say and the themes he wanted to explore and did both quite well.

Hemsworth, Tyree Henry, and Johansson do a fine job leading the film. The best voice work in the film is by far Laurence Fishburne as Alpha Trion. I also loved hearing Jon Hamm ham it up as Sentinel Prime. Steve Buscemi somehow got cast as Starscream, which is fantastic because Buscemi needs to be in more movies than Adam Sandler productions.

I liked Brian Tyler’s score for the film a lot. It pays tribute to Steve Jablonsky’s work from the original films, although not quite as good. But it also adds a little bit of 80’s synth into it, which is appropriate considering the origins of the franchise. You can give it a listen here.

The Bottom Line

Transformers One punches above its weight and really doesn’t have any right being as good as it is. It has some flaws, but the film’s highs more than make up for them.

Parent Guide

There is a running gag that involves a vulgar word (“bada**-atron”) that almost certainly will be mimicked by younger children.

 

4