After many live-action films over the years, the Transformers franchise tackles its first animated movie since 1986 with Transformers One. The new feature goes back to the origins of the technologically enhanced species before making their way to planet Earth. It also dives deep into how Optimus Prime and Megatron went from brothers-in-arms to archenemies. This is the first animated feature from the franchise as the main characters are the Transformers living in their homeworld of Cybertron and the result is mostly positive. After experiencing this new chapter, Transformers One may ultimately help reinvigorate the film series in a bold new direction that brings heart and soul to these beloved characters.
Set in Cybertron, Transformers One follows the exploits of Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry) before they become the legendary leaders of the Autobots and Decepticons. The film shows the two of them as friends who work together in the mines helping collect Energon, the source that keeps their planet afloat. Feeling that he is meant for greater things, Orion sets out on a journey to find the Matrix of Leadership, an ancient power left by Cybertron’s creator Primus which has disappeared after a war that desolated the primes. Both Orion and D-16 go on a mission of self-discovery as they learn the truth about their world and how it affects their people and one another. As new information comes to light, the two friends unearth buried secrets that may soon change everything they know.
The animation on Transformers One is visually stunning. Very distinctive from their other animated works on TV and their 80s feature, there’s a lot of brightness that makes the characters vibrant in color. With the film taking place on an alien planet, each part of Cybertron is unique by design. From the mines to the surface world, both of those places are different in style and color showing the contrasting regions of these characters’ homeworld. Even the designs of the Transformers are incredible to see on screen, especially when they go into action. The animation is just top-notch all around and at its full potential.
The film goes into new territory in mythology to uncover the origin story of both Optimus and Megatron. Still, Transformers One goes far deeper with more revelations that may catch audiences by surprise. The friendship between Orion and D-16 is very well done, showcasing their similarities and differences. Orion is more of an optimist who hopes to find the Matrix of Leadership and change his life for the better. Orion loves to bend the rules while D-16 is more about keeping things in line without causing any trouble. He doesn’t see his life outside of being a miner and pleasing his superiors.
It is their differences that make both these main characters really good friends as they have each other’s backs like brothers. Once they discover the truth about their world, that’s when their friendship is put to the test. The film accomplishes the task of getting invested in their friendship as audiences learn more about their origins. D-16’s descent into a villain may come off as a bit rushed, but audiences can understand how this sudden change in his behavior came to be. It probably would’ve been helpful if the film shed more light on this development in D-16. Despite that, there are a lot of emotional stakes here once D-16 makes that drastic change, making it a tragic evolution of who he is set to become.
There is a lot of story to pack in here and it helps having an incredible talent of actors voice these characters. Hemsworth does his best as Optimus Prime without emulating too much of voice actor Peter Cullen’s performance as the character. It is a younger version of Optimus that we are seeing that helps Hemsworth make Orion his take on the Autobot leader. Brian Tyree Henry gives more depth into D-16’s journey to becoming Megatron, making him a worthy actor to play the role. Keagan-Michael Key brings in the comedic tone and high energy with his role as B-127 or Bumblebee as he soon is known to be. Even Jon Hamm is having some fun with his portrayal of Sentinel Prime.
The story goes through its highs and lows as it takes some time for the action to kick in, but it is well-paced. Most of the first half kind of goes into typical comedic territory with most animated films as some jokes land while others fall flat. There’s enough explanation in the mythology to have audiences up to speed on what is happening. Once the second half goes into full gear, everything goes loose, especially the action. The fight sequences are so fluid in animation, making it easier to follow the battles that take place. The story is rich and full of life with these characters and the origins of their journeys into what they are known to become in live-action films.
There’s a lot to love about Transformers One overall and it is perhaps one of the better entries in the franchise. From the storytelling to the animation, there is so much detail and depth that fans of the series will come to enjoy. The film has that balance of humor, action, and narrative that both a younger audience and longtime fans will thoroughly appreciate. The concept of this origin story is innovative and goes into some interesting directions in the second half. The animation quality is at its best and the plot is riveting enough to introduce a whole new era of Transformers that newcomers and fans alike will love.
Transformers One releases in theaters on September 20th, 2024.
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