Life has been difficult.
Why?
Because I’m a film critic and a Transformers fan. And while the live-action Transformers movies have been entertaining visual spectacles, it’s also been hard to reconcile the quality of the storytelling and characterisation with cinematic expectations (except for the first live-action Transformers movie in 2007).
So it’s been absolutely amazing to get Transformers: One, which not only features the Transformers in massive, epic battles – but also characterisation, social commentary, and plot twists. It’s a proper movie, even if you removed the Transformers branding from it.
Most importantly, it’s a movie with a proper story.
Synopsis
Transformers: One is a 3D-animated science fiction action comedy film in the Transformers franchise. It is a standalone film that does not follow existing Transformers continuities. The film tells the origin story of a two miners who live on a planet of robots. When they discover a planet-spanning secret, they go from best friends to worst enemies – Optimus Prime and Megatron.
Director: Josh Cooley
Writers: Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari, and Eric Pearson (screenplay credit)
Voice Cast:
- Chris Hemsworth (Orion Pax/Optimus Prime)
- Brian Tyree Henry (D-16/Megatron)
- Scarlett Johansson (Elita-One)
- Keegan-Michael Key (B-127/Bumblebee)
- Steve Buscemi (Starscream)
- Laurence Fishburne (Alpha Trion)
- Jon Hamm (Sentinel Prime)
- Isaac C. Singleton Jr. (Darkwing)
The tragedy of foreknowledge
You’re probably going into this movie knowing that Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry) eventually become Optimus Prime and Megatron, respectively. It’s this awareness, this knowledge that they’re going to be bitter, bitter archenemies, that makes their friendship so tragic. All the happy moments they share together, all their affirmations of each other, and all their promises of having each other’s back – all this is underscored by the foreknowledge that they will be enemies. They will fight. And however strong their friendship is no – it will be torn apart.
The inevitability is painful and almost Shakespearean in its tragedy. To be able to use such a commonly known fact (Optimus Prime and Megatron’s rivalry) and turn it into such pathos was truly impressive storytelling.
A true friendship
What makes the tragedy of foreknowledge work so well is that Orion Pax and D-16 are really friends. Best friends, even. There’s that wide-eyed naiveté and refreshing innocence that makes their friendship ring all the more true. They’re physically smaller when they’re friends, and only start growing apart when they become physically larger, making this seem like a metaphor for growing up. It’s also a metaphor for how we make the best of friends as children, only to be driven apart by ideologies and perspectives when we’re older. But the movie’s draw really comes down to their authentic friendship for most of the film. It forms the foundation for the tragedy that will occur, and helps us to empathise with both main characters.
Megatron is sympathetic
At his core, D-16 has been deeply hurt by the betrayal that he and Orion Pax experienced, which is the catalyst for his transformation into Megatron (and Orion Pax’s transformation into Optimus Prime). But as the adage goes, “hurt people, hurt people”. That’s what D-16/Megatron is – a hurt individual, who never wants to be so badly betrayed again. And because you’ve seen D-16 at his most innocent, his most naive – it’s understandable why he becomes Megatron. He wants peace through tyranny, so that he can protect himself from ever being hurt again. That’s something that everyone can understand with.
Optimus Prime? More like Optimist Prime
Optimus Prime can be a difficult character to write – after all, he’s supposed to be the icon of goodness, the Autobot that all Transformers look up to. But as Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson) tells Orion Pax in the movie, his greatest strength isn’t physical or mental. His greatest strength is his optimism, his ability to envision a better future for everyone. Optimus Prime is an amazing leader, and we see the root of that here. It’s that he’s an Optimist Prime. It’s that he brings and embodies hope.
And for that, for that love for his fellow man (Transformers) – Optimus Prime is my hero again. He’s not the greatest Autobot because of power or intelligence – he’s the greatest Autobot because of his care and compassion for all sentient beings.
Cameos and references galore
I thought the film would only centre on the four characters we’ve been seeing in the posters, with a random scattering of characters here and there. But no! The film surprised me by dropping in famous characters in their classic forms from different eras of the franchise. There were also iconic lines that were sneaked in through wordplay and iconic moments sneaked in through visuals. While Transformers: One forges a new way forward, it also remembers its legacy audience with its cameos and references.
Finally, no humans
This isn’t the first Transformers show without humans. But thanks to a film budget, it can depict crowds of Transformers with enough variety to finally be believable (rather than the audience going, “oh they reused so-and-so’s character model for this”). It also means that minor characters can be transformed into delightful cameos, complete with the proper appearance.
Can we please eschew humans in future Transformers shows, please? I said “please” twice ✌️.
Bumblebee can be grating
Got to admit, wasn’t too fond of this rendition of Bumblebee (Keegan-Michael Key). While he still retains the energetic and upbeat outlook that most Bumblebees have, he’s also been saddled with character traits that aren’t… the most endearing. While his talkative mannerisms are played for laughs as something that annoys everyone – it is actually really irritating. It makes Bumblebee come across as needy, oblivious, and less competent. It felt like a joke that went very, very wrong.
Should you watch it?
Yes, even if you’re not a Transformers fan. It starts small but ends large, both in terms of scope, character development, and literal character sizes. It gives us a Megatron we can identify with, and reminds us just why Optimus Prime is great – because he has hope and vision. Transformers: One, thank you for restoring my faith in the film franchise, for reminding me why I love these Transformers characters so, and for being a good film.
Till all are one.
Score: 7.5/10
Transformers: One is out in cinemas 6 Sep to 8 Sep, then 12 Sep onwards.
You might also want to read:
- [Movie Review] ‘Bumblebee’ finally gives us what we want in a ‘Transformers’ film
- [Movie Review] Transformers: Age of Extinction leaves unanswered questions
- [Movie Review] ‘Transformers: The Last Knight’ is epic but confusing
- [Transformers] Unicron – the biggest (and most expensive) Transformers toy ever – smashes all expectations
- [Transformers] The Ark, the Autobots’ spaceship, finally gets a toy with a robot mode
- [TV Show Review] ‘Transformers: War for Cybertron: Kingdom’ sees beasts and vehicles duking it out in an epic finale
- [Television Review] Netflix’s Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy is a modern, mature series for fans new and old
- [TV Show Review] Optimus Prime and Megatron take center stage in Transformers: War for Cybertron Chapter 2: Earthrise
- [Television] New Netflix Transformers series showrunner talks about putting Transformers on the pedestal it deserves
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