Transformers One Review
Transformers One (2024) Film Review, a movie directed by Josh Cooley, written by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari and starring Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Brian Tyree Henry, 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 and Josh Cooley.
Director Josh Cooley’s enormously entertaining new animated action picture, Transformers One, gives viewers an overview of the history of Optimus Prime and Megatron– back when they were once good friends. This new film doesn’t skimp out on lots of action scenes (which is what these movies are known for best) and it succeeds without the need for human characters which makes it an interesting achievement. By focusing on the Transformers with key emphasis on a mining group of bots who were initially stripped of their abilities to transform, Cooley’s film delivers something pretty profound in the interim. This is not your typical Transformers movie and this series has always changed things up a bit from time to time to keep things interesting and this entry is certainly no exception.
We meet the ambitious Orion Pax (voice of Chris Hemsworth), a miner bot who’s getting into trouble as he tries to make a new path for himself. His supervisor, Elita -1 (voice of Scarlett Johansson), gets in hot water, herself, as a result of Orion’s shenanigans. Orion’s friend is D-16 (voiced by Brian Tyree Henry) and both D-16 and Orion Pax enter a race with regular transformers despite the two buddies’ inability to transform themselves. They come pretty far but when it comes to crossing the finish line, one of them goes back for the other, vowing that they will finish the race together but, alas, they end up losing.
Jon Hamm expertly voices Sentinel Prime who plays a key role in the action here. Things take a turn for the worse as Orion Pax and D-16 are joined by now outcasts B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key) who you may know better as “Bumblebee” and Elita -1. Orion Pax is determined to blow the lid on some serious injustices that threaten to suppress his and his friends’ abilities to do more with themselves than they seem to be allowed to. Steve Buscemi is also on board and terrifically plays Starscream, a Decepticon. Buscemi’s voicing of this particular character is one of the new movie’s biggest strengths.
Without digging into all the specifics regarding the names and roles of the other characters and what they add to the movie, it’s best to analyze Transformers One from one specific angle: Does it entertain the viewer? This film does. Indeed, it moves at a quick pace and creates intriguing characters. Orion Pax is beautifully created by Hemsworth who plays off Brian Tyree Henry’s characterization wonderfully. Scarlett Johansson also plays a central character here who drives the plot and keeps the momentum of the film pumping. This film is always leading to a conclusion that is foreseeable for any fan of the franchise but people new to the series will admire the way the plot takes unpredictable turns that both thrill and captivate the viewer.
This film is not perfect, though. Some of the scenes are sloppily constructed and move so fast that it’s occasionally hard to keep up with the picture. That’s more a flaw of the fact that the Transformers were always designed in such a way that although they are very distinct, they are also not easy to relate to. With Hemsworth and Henry’s voices, their two characters are easy to associate with but people new to the series may want to either keep a scorecard or take notes beforehand of who each supporting character is. It’s OK not to know everything that’s going on at every single moment but to fully appreciate the movie, one should be aware of every single character and event that’s on the screen and their purpose within the script.
However, Transformers One fares best when it focuses on the reasons behind Orion Pax’s ultimate disapproval with the way he and those like him have been treated. Anyone can relate to this character because he’s been denied something that he so rightfully deserves by being stripped of his ability to transform. This is the future Optimus Prime and he’s well developed throughout. Henry adds anger to D-16 that feels like it comes from a place that’s understandable despite the character’s overall flaws. The end results of both characters’ actions come across in some fascinating ways by the time the movie concludes.
Transformers One is the origin story Transformers fans will need to see to complete their knowledge of the characters focused on in this film. The story line is relevant with class differences explored and how perseverance could make a big difference in one’s fate. In relation to the live-action movies, it holds its own with some of the best movies from the franchise but it’s certainly not the definitive Transformers movie. For what it is, though, it’s pretty exciting to behold nevertheless.
Rating: 7.5/10
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