I know what you’re thinking… does the world need another Transformers film? That thought also crossed my mind when I first caught the upcoming Paramount animated film Transformers One trailer. Having just binged the entire cinematic franchise with my nephew, I see that some are better than others, with many less-than-stellar entries happening more recently. With the most recent film, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, barely doubling its production budget and being deemed a financial disappointment, perhaps now is the right time for new life to be breathed into the almost two decades franchise. And what better way than with a new animated origin story about the robots in disguise!
Directed by Josh Cooley, who also directed Toy Story 4 and wrote the screenplay for Inside Out, and a screenplay from Eric Pearson, who has written quite a few Marvel films, Transformers One looks to set the Hasbro-owned franchise in an entirely new direction. The first animated theatrical film since 1986! Transporting audiences back to Cybertron, the decimated home planet of the Transformers, voices such as Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, and Keegan-Michael Key bring to life this exciting story of friendship, betrayal, and the quest for knowledge.
Transformers One should be at the top of your list for this weekend when it arrives in theaters! Want to know more about what to expect from this film? Read on to learn more!
[Warning: spoilers from Paramount’s Transformers One are below!]
A world of robots living in a caste system resides in Transformers One
Everyone who has seen a Transformers film or series knows who Optimus Prime is. The bright red and blue robot that transforms into a semi-truck has saved the Earth multiple times; however, it turns out that he wasn’t always the Transformer we’ve known him as. In fact, when we first meet Optimus Prime, he’s nothing more than a lowly miner on the planet Cybertron called Orion Pax (Hemsworth). While he is at the bottom of the social hierarchy in terms of job and status, Orion seeks something more out of life. He wants to rise up the ranks and become a true Transformer, like the heroes he grew up hearing about.
You see, not everyone can transform in this world, as the Prime Transformers went missing years before, taking with them the Matrix of Leadership. This piece of the puzzle stops the flow of energy, which is needed for life, and would also allow all the robots of Cybertron to transform into their full potential. It’s this missing Matrix of Leadership that becomes the McGuffin of Transformers One, as Orion Pax and his friend D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry) set off onto the surface of their planet to recover it, bringing glory and prosperity to Cybertron. Although they aren’t the first Transformers to do as, as the hero of Cybertron, Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm), has been looking for any trace of it for years.
Orion and D-16 gain some possible intel about its location and decide, what the heck! Let’s go and be heroes! However, they won’t be alone on this epic and dangerous journey, as they are joined by our bright yellow Bumblebee friend, B-127 (Key), and the reluctant and somewhat aggressive Elita-1 (Johansson). Together, these robots will traverse the world in search of the Matrix of Leadership, though it won’t be without its challenges. A danger lurks in the shadows, ready to stop these heroes in their tracks.
Can Orion and his friends succeed in their goal to find the shiny McGuffin, or does fate have something else in store? Obviously, as Transformers One is a prequel, we know where the story is going, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t twists and turns along the way.
Hasbro’s new animated film is exciting fun for the whole family
As I stated above, when I first heard about this film and then saw the trailer, I didn’t have high hopes. I have watched the franchise dwindle in excitement over the past couple of years, and I worried that Paramount and Hasbro were limping it to a disappointing end. Were they chasing the same energy that other franchises, such as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who also transitioned from live-action to animated theatrical releases? I know the before mentioned TMNT, and even films like the animated Across the Spider-Verse have done exceptionally well for the parent companies.
I think my biggest fear was that it didn’t feel like enough time had passed between Rise of the Beasts and Transformers One for there to be a lot of confidence in the success of the film. That being said, I’m here to inform all our readers that Transformers One should stand on its own, removed from past successes and failures, as the animated film is fantastic. Truly, I enjoyed this film way more than I ever thought I would, which is saying a lot because Transformers isn’t one of my favorite series.
Transformers One brings so much to the table, beginning with a wonderful story about found family and the extent to which we go to save those around us. Orion and D-16 are both ferocious in their desire to protect those around them, but they grow to see how differently such protection should be delivered. The narrative is sharp, with plenty of comedy and even more action. It felt just like watching one of the live-action films that came before it. However, the action is even more seamless as it doesn’t have to attempt to make robots look realistic.
Part of this film is a fun romp across the world as friends learn more about themselves and the gifts bestowed on them at birth. It’s also about the way people grow when forced to, which doesn’t always mean growing together. It’s this aspect that the psychologist in me loved, as we all knew where these characters were going, but watching the events unfold and how the psyches of our heroes and villains change with each choice was addictive.
Don’t miss Transformers One in theaters
You can tell that Transformers One is aimed at a much younger crowd, as most of the jokes are for 7-14-year-olds, especially with Keegan-Michael Key’s Bumblebee. Sometimes, some of the humor is over-the-top, with a few jokes making me roll my eyes, and still, the audience roared with laughter in all the appropriate parts. I can see this being your child’s next favorite movie, having to be replayed over and over. Even with the cringy jokes, there was still plenty for me to enjoy in the film, with an incredible cast who have done the most to bring about a new era of Transformers to the big screen.
Transformers One rolls into theaters on September 20. Let us know on social media @mycosmiccircus if you plan on seeing it!
Review: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
