After years of live action “Michael Bay action spectacle” films (often involving too many “comedy antics” from humans), hardcore Transformers fans have been pleading for years for a return of a fully animated feature film (like the iconic 1987 “Transformers: The Movie”, an animated film that defined a generation), and for a film that leaves aside the human interaction (“just tell us a war story between two different robot armies, how hard is that?!”).
Hasbro and Hollywood listened, and the answer they came up with is “Transformers One”, a call back to the original “Generation 1” cartoon series (with a timely release in 2024, the 40 year anniversary of the original Transformers cartoon). Unfortunately, when the initial trailer was released in April of this year, the overwhelming feeling from the fanbase was that this was a kids film, with a heavy emphasis on Bumblebee’s comedic role in the film. The online trailer also featured a introduction by actors Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry, as if their celebrity presence is their reason we should watch this trailer?!?
Casual “Action film” fans who had tired of the Michael Bay line of live action films felt this was more of the same, and they stayed home. Meanwhile, the more diehard Transformer fans (adults who grew up on the 80’s, 90’s and early 2000’s series) felt it looked “too kid oriented” and stayed home, and the film’s box office numbers were a massive disappointment. I myself also didn’t go to see it in theaters, but with the film’s recent release on Paramount Plus, I gave it a view, and I have to say: This is the best Transformers product we have received in years. This is the “Prequel” to “Transformers the Movie” I didn’t realize I needed in my life!
Yes, it’s an action packed spectacle (somewhat like a Michael Bay film, I suppose, in that regard). Yes, it’s also got lots of lighthearted moments. There are moments that did make me burst out laughing (including some from the trailer). But this was a deeply personal exploration of the early lives of Optimus Prime and Megatron (or rather, “Orion Pax” and “D-16”, as is their names before becoming leaders of the two warring sides). Yes, this also shows the early years of Bumblebee and Elita, but one is just around for comedy, while the other is around for “strong female character”, though they both serve their roles well. However, it’s Orion Pax and D-16 who are our emotional attachments, and it’s fascinating to see them filled with comradery, doubt, rage, injustice, hope and nobility.
Chris Hemsworth does a surprisingly good job here. I’m sorry, but I just hear “Thor” whenever he does his base voice, but as the film progresses – as Orion Pax changes into Optimus Prime – he somehow manages to do a fairly convincing version of Peter Cullen’s Prime. It’s not perfect, but it grew on me. Brian Tyree Henry, on the other hand, as he evolves into full fledged “Megatron”, certainly evokes menace and comes across as a Warlord, but he never attempts to mimic Frank Welker’s iconic Megatron from the 80’s. So it just doesn’t “feel” right (because it’s not the raspy, wicked laughing version Megatron), but there’s enough “oozing of hatred” in this version to still make this a worthy villain to watch on screen.
I won’t fully elaborate on all of them here, but there are tons of Easter Eggs for fans of the older cartoons. We’re treated to new versions of “deep lore” characters like Sentinel Prime, Alpha Trion, and the Quintessons. There’s a passing reference to Stan Bush’s “You’ve Got The Touch” song (the iconic song in the 1987 animated film). They use the classic lines of “Until All Are One” and “More Than Meets The Eye”. There’s even a quick potshot at “Gobots” (the other “giant changing robot” cartoon of the mid 80’s, which never quite took off like Transformers did). For long time fans of the franchise, the creators of this film knew how to “tip their hat” to the lore.
What’s interesting to me is that in the original 80’s cartoon, the creation of Optimus Prime comes about as a response to Megatron (who has already formed the Decepticons by that point and is attaching the good Transformers). Contrast that to “Transformers One”, in which if Orion Pax had just left D-16 alone, there wouldn’t be a Megatron. D-16 is constantly getting dragged along on Orion Pax’s quest, by his unquenchable desire to help the “working class”, to believe there’s something “more” to his life than just working in a mine. D-16, meanwhile, is content to work in a mine. While the “heroes journey” they end up on leads to Orion Pax being ever more determined to help out his world, it has the opposite effect on D-16, leading to his complete disillusionment and a rejection of society.
The use of Cybertron also proves to be an excellent setting for the film, with contrasting visuals between the underground city of Iacon versus the post apocalyptic (yet eerily beautiful) surface world. In the original 80’s cartoon, Cybertron is largely in ruins, and their natural resource of Energon is largely depleted, resulting in them seeking out new planets and eventually ending up on Earth. Here, there is an element of ruin to the world, but there is the possibility of renewal at the film’s end. If the timeline for this new spin on the lore plays out similarly, then eventually the war between the Autobots and Decepticons will result in the same ruin of Cybertron (and the two sides still eventually ending up on Earth). It’s all fascinating, and I wish there was a sequel, but with the low box office earnings, I fear that the chances of that occurring have been dashed. So it’s up to us now to spread the word and get more people watching this film.
“Transformers One” is available now for digital purchase and also for streaming on Paramount Plus.
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