Transformers One

• Directed by Josh Cooley
• September 11, 2024 (Sydney) / September 20, 2024 (US)
• Based on Hasbro’s Transformers action figures

Voice Cast

• Orion Pax/Optimus Prime-Chris Hemsworth
• D-16/Megatron-Brian Tyree Henry
• B-127/Bumblebee-Keegan-Michael Key
• Elita-1-Scarlett Johansson
• Starscream-Steve Buscemi
• Alpha Trion-Laurence Fishburne
• Sentinel Prime-Jon Hamm
• Airachnid-Vanessa Liguori
• Soundwave-Jon Bailey
• Shockwave, Archive Guard-Jason Konopisos-Alvarez
• Jazz-Evan Michael Lee
• Zeta Prime-James Remar
• Darkwing-Isaac C. Singleton Jr.
• Iacon 5000 Announcer, Archive Guard-Steve Blum
• Arcee, Chromia-Jinny Chung
• Skywarp, PA System Voice, Assorted Control Room Workers-Josh Cooley
• Injured Racer-Dillion Bryan

The search for the missing Matrix of Leadership leads to a startling revelation for the planet of Cybertron and the rise of two competing factions.

I greeted the announcement of Transformers One with skepticism. Partly because it has been some time since I have been deeply thrilled by anything Transformers and partly because the only person that is more undeservedly successful in Hollywood than Akiva Goldsman is Alex Kurtzman and Goldsman spearheaded the group that came up with the idea. To a certain extent my trepidation was validated but not entirely. There is plenty of good here but far too much bad to overcome.

I am unabashedly a Transformers G1 fan. At least the TV iteration and not the Marvel Comics run from which this clearly takes heavy inspiration both visually and in story. Transforming robots is silly but the heavy use of space magic and the 90s style attempts at edginess make this, well, dumb.

I understand this is its own continuity and uses elements from other things. I don’t didn’t go in expecting a continuation of anything. But I found it irritating that they called it an origin for Optimus Prime when he already had an origin in the G1 series at the minimum plus other times over the years. They treated it as the first time ever. But that’s another thing…

Plot progression. The story moves from Point A to Point B to force a certain endpoint rather than have things get there naturally. It is no different than completing a list leaving this film a bit soulless. They needed Orion Pax to become the leader of the Autobots Optimus Prime. They needed D-16 to become the leader of the Decepticons Megatron. You need Starscream to become the abused lacky. The aim was to tell an origin before beginning a more traditional Transformers story for another film. Given the Quintesson thread that was left hanging they were aiming for a sequel.

No effort was put into the characters. Director Josh Cooley works really hard to sell Orion Pax and D-16 as best buds to give the eventual separation impact but it doesn’t work. They are work friends and not genuine friends. They like each other. D-16 takes pity on his coworker, but they are not pals. What was needed were moments of bonding with some signs of the coming philosophical divide.

Orion Pax is just a dreamer. He has good dreams but has no real plan. It’s like he’s just winging it and hoping things will work out. This is the guy ending the movie as a leader? At least it’s not the murderous Michael Bay version of Optimus Prime screaming for blood but I’m not sure how this guy with no idea of what to do grows into a leader.

I need to believe that Elita-1’s change towards Orion is genuine and not just because. Or that Orion could be a leader for that D-16 had it in him from early on if not a little after the start of this movie to become an evil tyrant. I do not.

Transformers One makes the most of its CGI techniques to create intriguing and very alien landscapes. They are very weird with some definite influence of the original Tron in my opinion in the design. While that did not have unusual wildlife, the landscape in this film was evocative of that one.

The core of the story is good. The execution is weak. It sometimes feels very serious but most times like a fun adventure even when lives are at stake. There are themes of slavery and subjugation and betrayal, but it never gets as serious in tone as those topics deserve. It takes a surface view of them without even attempting to get a smidge deeper.

That causes Transformers One to have an inconsistent tone. I personally would’ve taken a more serious feel for the story. Bumblebee has been in isolation for so long he has gone a little crazy yet it is played for laughs. Characters are hunted for execution but they cheer and fist bump like bros playing volleyball. Sentinel Prime is supposed to be such a mastermind that he seized control of Cybertron by wiping out the leadership while keep the fact from the general population but has no ability to deal with his subordinates or a couple of inexperienced mining robots.

Yet I did like this enough to not be completely disappointed. It was fun. It was bouncy and stunning to watch. I liked it enough that I enjoyed my time watching it. It just needed to decide on what it wanted to be. They wanted to appeal to young fans or the simplistic ones rather than treat them as equals.

Transformers has been around for 40 years. Longer if you count the Japanese toys from which they were originally derived. There are numerous nods to the continuities and mythologies which have been used for one iteration or another of the concept. You don’t necessarily need to know them to enjoy the movie. It’s a nice treat for long-term and well-versed fans.

I wanted to completely hate Transformers One but that never happened. It’s certainly a flawed film but not a disaster. If it is decided on a firm tone. Maybe not great but enjoyable for something animated.