Transformers one Rejuvenates excitement for the franchise. It’s not just a great Transformers movie but a great movie in general. There’s a lot to love—from the character dynamic between Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry) to the exciting action and gorgeous animation. Transformers one is an origin story for Optimus Prime and Megatron, so it’s not a requirement to have seen everything that came before to understand the story. As a film meant to start a trilogy of movies centered on the aforementioned two, Transformers one is a strong first entry.
Directed by Josh Cooley from a screenplay by Andrew Barrer, Gabriel Ferrari and Eric Pearson, Transformers one is set on the Transformers planet of Cybertron. Orion Pax and D-16 are best friends who mine Energon, the fuel that keeps Cybertron going. Orion is determined to find the Matrix of Leadership, which carries the power of Cybertron’s creator Primus, which was stolen during a long-ago war that killed Primus. Orion and D-16 try to prove themselves, but quickly find something far more sinister is going on, and must recalibrate after receiving shocking new information.
Transformers one’s animation is beautiful
The animation style makes the action scenes really pop
Transformers one Is nice to look at. Visually, Industrial Light & Magic, the studio that did the effects for the live-action films, knocks it out of the park. The artwork is imaginative and distinctive. The film may be set on one planet, but every part of Cybertron has a distinct look. From the dark edges of the mines, which are a contrast to the colorful individuality of the transformers designs, to the liquid sharpness of the planet’s surface, the animation does not hold back.
The animators’ use of light is also spectacular. Sometimes Orion stands tall amidst a dark background, the buildings upside down behind him, as the light pours in from the corner around him. In another scene, Elita (Scarlett Johansson) kneels against a red-pink sky that highlights her armor. But the animation is at its best when it’s in constant motion, like with its stunning action sequences. The use of color and space makes the action stand out, and our eyes are drawn to every detail. The action scenes are also exciting, never lasting long enough to become boring.
Transformers One tells a cohesive friends-to-foes story
Although D-16’s transformation feels a bit abrupt
I came into the movie with as little detail as possible, and I was pleasantly surprised by how upsetting the big reveal was. Transformers one Does a good job of setting up Orion and D-16’s friendship, as well as their differences. The first is energetic, hoping to find the matrix of leadership, and sure that it will change his life. While Orion isn’t bothered about breaking the rules, D-16 is more hesitant about stepping out of line. He is not as hopeless as his friend, resigned to making the most of his life as a minor.
The filmmakers created a fully realized world, and I appreciated that the focus was on the Transformers themselves and not on any human.
The characters’ differences are what make them such good friends; They complement each other, although this begins to change the more they learn the truth about their world. The film sets up the origins of the characters quite nicely, and I quickly became invested in their friendship. And while I understand where D-16’s anger is coming from, his transformation is even more sudden than it should be, especially since it comes so close to the end of the film that we don’t get to sit through the moment before the Last. Battle begins.
It rushes through D-16’s conflicted feelings, and I don’t quite believe the change. Transformers oneThe post-credits scene will be more to come, but a little more time spent on D-16 would make the final moments more effective. Hopefully, the next movie will give us more. But this criticism does not deter Transformers one From being an overall enjoyable film. The filmmakers created a fully realized world, and I appreciated that the focus was on the Transformers themselves and not on any human.
The story is rich, the world is lived in, and the voice cast is excellent overall. Jon Hamm seems to be having an especially great time as Sentinel Prime. Brian Tyree Henry gives dimension to Megatron’s journey, while Hemsworth proves a worthy Optimus Prime, his storyline being the most powerful of all the characters. Keegan-Michael Key is bubbly and bursting with energy as the lovable B-127, aka Bumblebee, and the rest of the supporting cast make a good impression, even if some of them have more limited screentime.
The folks at Paramount Pictures should be proud of that. Transformers one is simply good storytelling. It offers detail, solid action and narrative depth that longtime fans will appreciate while being a nice entry point for those new to the world of Transformers.
Transformers one Will be released in theaters on September 20. The film is 104 minutes long and rated PG for sci-fi violence and animated action throughout, and language.
Transformers One is an animated action-adventure movie that is the first animated feature-length film for the series in decades. The film will be a prequel to the franchise, and will tell the story of Optimus Prime and Megatron in their early years, how they met, and a closer look at the war on their home planet, Cybertron.
- Transformers One has a solid, engaging story
- The character dynamics are excellent
- The animation style is beautiful to look at
- The action scenes are thrilling
- D-16’s big reveal needs more time before moving on