MPAA Rating: PG/Genre: Animated Sci-Fi Action/Voices of: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, Jon Hamm, Vanessa Liguori, Jon Bailey, Jason Konopisos-Alvarez, Evan Michael Lee, James Remar, Isaac C. Singleton Jr., Steve Blum, Jinny Chung, Josh Cooley, Dillion Bryan/Runtime: 104 minutes
It might come as a bit of a shock to some of you out there, but whenever I go through the various streaming services I have access to or just turn my TV on in general I don’t always do it for the purpose of finding a new movie to review for you guys. In fact, there are times where I will just sit back for a couple of hours at the end of a really hectic day and just unwind to some classic cartoons. Now when I say “classic cartoons” I don’t mean stuff like Chowder, Adventure Time, Camp Lazlo, or whatever in the heck that Wee Bare Bears show was. Rather, I mean (among other examples) Scooby-Doo, Codename: Kids Next Door, Dragon Ball Z, Johnny Quest, Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League, Full Metal Alchemist, and the animated Transformers show from the 80s. Indeed say what you will about the quality of the show, but I’m not kidding when I say that hearing Peter Cullen’s deep rich voice emanating from a giant Decepticon butt-kicking robot has been the cure that my mild case of insomnia never knew existed yet is immensely thankful for all the same. Suffice it to say then that, with such love for the OG 80s animated series, it should not really surprise you to learn that when it comes to the Transformers film franchise….I am someone who, to put it as calmly and politely as possible, has mixed emotions at best as to how things have gone. Yes I thought 2018’s Bumblebee, 2023’s Rise of the Beasts, and (of course) the animated movie from 1986 (Orson Welles as freaking Unicron man!) were all entertaining, but other than that let’s be honest: the other 5 live action Transformer films are at best mindlessly engaging and at worst something that I hope would not survive in a post-apocalyptic Fallout-style world. As you can imagine then, when I first found out that audiences would be getting yet another Transformers movie I resigned myself to what I felt for sure was going to be another cinematic miss for this franchise and when the news broke that it was to be a prequel detailing the origins of fan-favorite characters Optimus Prime and Megatron…well I’m not going to lie I might have cried a bit into one of my pillows especially when I heard that Peter Cullen was being replaced by none other than Chris “Thor” Hemsworth himself. Imagine my own sense of surprise then to tell you that the film in question, and slice of cinema I happen to be reviewing for you today, 2024’s Transformers One is actually not that bad. To be sure, it is not flawless, but with the aid of well-done work both behind the camera and by a well-chosen cast of vocal talent Transformers One is sure to be one film that both long-time fans of the franchise and newbies will want to roll out and watch in equal measure.
The plot is as follows: A long time ago….in a far-off part of the universe (admit it though: you absolutely thought the next words were going to be in a galaxy far far away) there was a planet known as Cybertron. A place that, among other things worth knowing about it, is home to a group of extraterrestrial robotic life forms that are powered by a substance known as Energon (gas is apparently limited only to Earth) and who the majority of its denizens are gifted with a special cog that allows them to (get this) transform into other forms including an assortment of vehicles. It is also a planet that, at one time, was a beautiful and truly picturesque place, but after being invaded by another ruthless alien force known as the Quintessons, has fallen on hard times. Not just because the vast majority of the planet’s rulers known as the Primes have mysteriously disappeared with only the brave and heroic Sentinel Prime still around to try and lead the planet’s denizens to a better future, but because their most prized possession, the Matrix of Leadership, has vanished too. As a result, not only is Energon not flowing as freely as it once did much to the detriment of life on the planet, but it also has resulted in a group of the robots being assigned to mine for it instead. Thus it is in this world that we are quickly sent to the city of Iacon so that we may be introduced to a pair of cog-lacking robot miners, and best buddies, by the names of Orion Pax and D-16 respectively. A pair that, in their own individual ways, would love nothing more than to do their part to try and help restore both their city, and Cybertron overall, to its former glory. A feat that, despite their best efforts, they sadly have not been nearly (if even remotely) as successful at as they would like to be. Yet when a situation causes them to inadvertently uncover a long-hidden message from the Prime known as Alpha Trion along with a set of coordinates that seem to point toward his location on the planet’s surface, we see that both Pax and D-16 view this as an intriguing opportunity to at long last prove themselves and in the process achieve the recognition that they have desired for so long. Thus can our dynamic duo, with the aid of 2 other robots that wind up getting caught up in their adventure named Elita-1 and B-127 respectively, get to the bottom of this mystery and, in the process, maybe find the opportunity they have been looking for all this time to be the heroes that Cybertron so desperately needs or is this one situation that not only is there more to it than meets the eyes, but which could also wind up costing them more dearly than they could ever begin to imagine? That is something that I shall leave for you to uncover for yourself dear reader….
Now right off the ol’ Autobot (or Decepticon dependent on your individual preference), it should be said that the work engaged in by the assorted units operating behind the camera on this particular cinematic outing is actually (and surprisingly I must admit albeit in a positive way) fairly well-done. Without a doubt whatsoever, this starts with the work done in the director’s chair by Josh Cooley (who also helmed the equally as surprisingly enjoyable Toy Story 4 back in 2019) and I think I can confidently say that this is most assuredly another win for him as a director. Indeed not only does Cooley bring a novel (and welcome) approach to this long-storied franchise that it had sorely been lacking, but he also does a great job at giving the world a Transformers film that manages to effectively walk the very thin line and be one that both franchise vets as well as people discovering this 40-year franchise for the very first time are sure to enjoy in equal measure. Alongside Cooley’s genuinely well-done effort at the helm, we as audiences are also treated to a fairly well-written script as penned by Eric Pearson (Thor: Ragnarok, 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong, and 2 of Marvel’s upcoming slate in Thunderbolts* as well as The Fantastic Four: First Steps respectively), Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari respectively. Yes the sense of tempo is a wee bit off, and yes the narrative can become a bit too complex for its own good, but overall I feel that this film’s screenplay manages to succeed at giving audiences a truly engaging narrative with a wonderful degree of character development especially where the two main characters Orion Pax and D-16 are concerned whilst also sprinkling enough winks and nods to the original franchise that are sure to leave long-time vets of this franchise such as myself smiling from ear to ear. Besides the highly skilled work done by the aforementioned pair of departments, this slice of cinema is also one that is aided immensely by the efforts of Christopher Batty in the cinematography department. Indeed not only does the cinematography do a masterful job of reinforcing the story being told in the film, but it also does a nothing short of stunning job of really showcasing for us these characters to say nothing of the larger than life world in which they reside in a way that I haven’t seen any installment in this franchise do before. Indeed this is truly amazing work on display and I hope this is a step forward for this franchise rather than merely a one-off for this particular film. Last, but most definitely by no stretch of the imagination least I feel like this section would most assuredly be lacking if I didn’t devote some time in it to talk about the contribution provided by 3-time Emmy nominee Brian Tyler (2001’s Frailty, Final Destination 5, the first 3 Expendables movies, and several of the Fast and Furious movies among others) on this slice of cinema’s musical accompaniment. Indeed through the combined efforts of both a choir and orchestra as well as a variety of electronic instrumentation including 2 distinct types of synthesizers, we see that Tyler is able to conjure up for audiences a score that is not only incredibly energetic as well as captivating in equal measure, but which proves to incredibly skilled at reinforcing both the kinetic action beats and genuinely poignant moments of pathos remarkably well. Suffice it to say that when you also take into account fairly skilled work in the editing department as headed by Lynn Hobson among others it’s clear that this slice of cinema might not be practically perfect in every way, but (and much like the titular robots themselves) trust me when I say that there is definitely more to the work done behind the camera here than might initially meet the eye.
Alongside the fairly well-done work by the various teams working behind the camera on this particular cinematic outing, it also does not hurt this slice of cinema in the least that their skill is matched admirably well by the well-chosen cast of vocal talent bringing this slice of cinema’s cast of characters vividly to life. Without a doubt in my mind, this starts with the work done by Chris Hemsworth (Thor in the MCU, 2015’s In the Heart of the Sea, and 2018’s Bad Times at the El Royale) in the role of Orion Pax and I must admit that, while I did have my initial reservations about him taking over for Peter Cullen, he did a really good job here. Yes there are hints of Cullen’s take on the character here and there, but overall Hemsworth does a wonderful job of giving audiences an interpretation of Optimus that is less the upstanding and heroic leader we all know and more someone who is a consistent rule breaker and a bit less likely to look before he leaps to say nothing of actively questioning the status quo at every chance he gets. As the film goes on however, we see that slowly but surely it does a wonderful job of really permitting Hemsworth’s take on the character to evolve to such an extent that, without going into spoilers, you can definitely see the seeds being planted for Cullen’s take on the character to one day come forth. Equally as impressive as Hemsworth however is the vocal performance given by Bryan Tyree Henry as D-16. Indeed, unlike Orion Pax, D-16 is someone who is a highly intelligent and dedicated worker who, despite not liking injustice as well as wishing to be more just as much as his best bud, would rather keep his head down than stir the pot by any means. As the film goes on though, we see that events occur which not only shake D-16’s idealism to the core, but which also permit Henry to start taking the character down a darker path that, by the end, leads to one of the more heartbreaking moments in the film. Suffice it to say it’s a truly gripping performance and one that Henry plays beautifully. Besides the work done by Hemsworth and Henry, this film also provides audiences with a truly delightful turn from Jon Hamm in the role of Sentinel Prime. Yes I can’t go too much into his role due to spoilers, but what I can say is that Hamm does a terrific job of giving this character a spot-on authoritative vibe albeit one that also comes equipped with a welcome degree of comedic self-importance as well. Suffice it to say that when you also factor in equally as well-done work from such talented performers as the always enjoyable Laurence Fishburne despite him once again clearly playing an authoritative character that is designed to be a deliverer of vital exposition to the audience, Scarlett Johannson (whose take on Elita-1 is perfectly in her wheelhouse of playing strong, no nonsense, authoritative butt kicking characters), Keagan Michael-Key (who does a fantastic job of providing the film with the majority of its laughs as B-127 or, as fans will know him as one day, Bumblebee), the always enjoyable Steve Buscemi (who I wish had been given more to do here as Starscream than what we are ultimately treated to), Vanessa Liguori, Jon Bailey, Evan Michael Lee, James Remar (Ajax from The Warriors), Steve Blum (the voice of Spike Spiegel in the anime take on Cowboy Beebop), and even the film’s director Josh Cooley among others it’s clear that this slice of cinema might have a few hiccups in its programming, but thankfully the work done by this group of individuals is definitely able to do what it can to make up for those and then some in the best way possible.
All in all and at the end of the day is Transformers One a perfect slice of cinema by any stretch of the imagination or, for that matter, one that would be bestowed with the Matrix of Leadership? Sadly, and as awesome as that would be, I am afraid that is not something I can in good conscience say that this slice of cinema is able to attain though most assuredly not for lack of effort by any means. With that in mind, does that make this the worst thing to ever happen to the Transformers franchise from a cinematic perspective? Oh absolutely not. Not even close though if you are someone who thinks that then I would be absolutely delighted to recommend to you at the very least Transformers: The Last Knight from 2017 …provided of course you don’t give it back to me any time soon if at all. All sarcastic joke aside, I must admit that I was very much pleasantly surprised by this movie dear reader. To be sure, the pacing can be a wee bit on the jarring side, a lot of the cast of characters in this are sadly not given nearly as much in terms of material to work with to say nothing of flesh their respective characters out despite quality efforts from the individual talents bringing them to life, and yes the plot is one that can at points prove to be just a bit too complicated for its own good if I’m being honest. With those particular ailments in mind however, there is also no denying that the work done at the helm by Josh Cooley is absolutely solid, the script (despite the complexity of the plot and wonky pacing) is fairly well-written, the cinematography and animation are both absolutely stunning, the score is very much on-point, and the vocal performances (with regard to the ones provided by Hemsworth, Henry, Johannson, Key, Hamm, Fishburne, and Buscemi) all manage to stick the landing regardless of how much or little material and/or screentime they are given to work with here. Suffice it to say then that it might not be a film that is sure to make you want to go and visit the planet of Cybertron anytime in the immediate future, but overall dear reader I feel that Transformers One “2024” is a more than welcome addition to this iconic franchise that is sure to be just as much a delight to people who (like me) have grown up with it from the very beginning as it will be for those movie goers amongst you who are just now discovering all of this for the very first time to say nothing of one film that you and the little Autobots (or Decepticons depending on how they are acting on the day in question) are sure to enjoy watching time and time again. Make of that what thou will dear reader! On a scale of 1-5 I give Transformers One a solid 3.5 out of 5.
