After a series of financially successful, yet often exasperating live-action movies, which ranged from OK to HOLY SH*T THAT’S BAD, the Transformers have returned to animation for new movie, Transformers One. The film – directed by Josh Cooley – features the vocal talents of Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlet Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm, and details the origins of Optimus Prime and Megatron… or Orion Pax and D-16 as they are known here.
In the movie, Orion Pax and D-16 are robotic best buds. They live on the planet Cybertron and they spend their days mining for an enegry source known as Energon.
D-16 is mostly fine with this, but Orion Pax is getting a little restless. He wants more than the Energon mines can offer and is keen to move forward in life, even progressing to a stage where he can transform from a robot into another form (i.e. a bad-ass vehicle).
One day, after feeling particularly frustrated, Orion Pax convinces D-16 to take part in high-speed race, IACON 5000. Following completion of the race the duo are a hit, but they inadvertently get reassigned to garbage duties.
Here they meet fellow bot, B-127, and discover a hidden message about a missing Matrix of Leadership. This leads to the pair embarking on a mission to locate the Matrix, with B-127 and old pal, Elita-1 in tow, as well as a life-changing journey which alters their friendship forever.
OK, let’s cut to the chase here, because there is a lot of online discourse about this movie, specifically about whether it’s good, bad, or deserves to make more money at the box-office. Of course, every opinion is subjective, but as far as my two cents go, Transformers One is a perfectly enjoyable children’s movie, so yeah, it’s not bad.
It’s not amazing, and it’s certainly not the second coming of animated films, so I’m not entirely sure why some fans are claiming it should be making billions at the box-office, but yeah, it’s perfectly fine. Unlike many of the Transformers movies, which make me want to punch my own head off, I had no such desire here and I doubt you will either, so this is mostly a good thing as far as I’m concerned.
All good? No, but certainly not bad.
Where Transformers One falls down a bit is in all the TF lore and techno-babble which is constantly chucked at the audience. There’s some gubbins about a war, Quintessons, and transformation cogs, which is likely to go over a few heads, and unless you’re really invested in Transformers I expect you won’t really care.
Let me be clear: I don’t feel this film is aimed at general audiences; it appears to be aimed at the fans. That’s fine and all, but it does seem quite limiting – especially when you go to the effort of hiring a stellar voice cast of well-known names (Hemsworth, Johansson, et al).
However, irrespective of who this film has been produced for, the main thrust of the story is fairly easy to follow for newbies. Plus the core characters – Orion Pax, D-16, B-127, and Elita-1 – are all likeable and will no doubt sell lots of toys, which I presume matters the most.
The main thing is, the film looks good, the script includes some witty lines, and there is plenty of action. Even if your concentration begins to drift at times, it will inevitably move back when needed.
Highlights include Megatron’s journey from friendly bot to something more; appearances from some fan-favourite characters; and any scene featuring B-127 (aka Bumblebee). The big finale is also fun, with plenty of transforming, explosions, and bot smashin’ shenanigans, which is pretty much all you really want from a Transformers movie.
Will I remember it in a few months time? Probably not – but I will remember that it didn’t anger me like some of the other TF films.
If you’re a long-time Transformers fan, I’m sure you’ll find much to like with Transformers One. The film is fun, action-packed, and arguably much better (and less tiresome) than many of the live-action offerings.
Perhaps more importantly, if you have young Transformers fans in your house, and they are itching to see this film, then a weekend trip to the flicks wouldn’t be a bad idea. This film is catered specifically for young audiences, and I expect it’ll be a hit with the next generation.
Is it up there with the likes of Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, or the Spider-Verse movies? Heck no, it doesn’t push boundaries in animation, but it’s decent stuff regardless and looks slick.
Ultimately, it’s fine. The audience that wants to watch it will watch it, and they will no doubt enjoy it greatly.
Should this be you, and you wish to catch Transformers One on the big screen, the movie is currently playing in US cinemas (has been for a while) and will finally hit UK cinemas on Friday 11th October.
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