After the release of Transformers: Age of Extinction, Paramount set up a writer’s room for future films in the franchise. One idea that gained traction was an animated prequel that explored the origins of the Autobot-Decepticon war. Following his departure from Pixar in 2020, the studio hired Toy Story 4 director Josh Cooley to helm the project. Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari signed on to write the story, and Eric Pearson joined in on co-writing the script. Like the ’86 animated movie, the cast included stars like Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry, Scarlett Johansson, and Keegan-Michael Key. Industrial Light & Magic handled the animation, blending the look of the G1 cartoon with Art Deco. Paramount gave the film a $75 million budget, though some sources claimed it’s closer to $147 million. Regardless, Transformers One premiered in Sydney in September 2024, with its US release following soon after.
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Synopsis
On Cybertron, the inhabitants have been suffering from an energy crisis after their power source, the Matrix of Leadership, disappeared. Their leader, Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm), has led expeditions to the planet’s surface to find the Matrix without much luck. Meanwhile, mining robots Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry) uncover a hidden message with embedded coordinates. Said coordinates lead to the last known location of The Primes, a group of robots tasked with guarding the Matrix. Along with Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson) and B-127 (Keegan Michael-Key), Orion and D-16 explore the surface of Cybertron. They find Alpha Trion (Laurence Fishburne), the last of the Primes, who bestows great power on our heroes. Unfortunately, he also reveals truths that shatter their reality, with D-16 furious and declaring vengeance. Will Orion and D-16 remain friends, and how will their decisions shape the future of Cybertron?
Review
The last few years have been great for the Transformers film franchise, and Transformers: One is no exception. I’d put this film on par with The Transformers: The Movie from 1986, which shares many similarities. For one, they can tell their stories in under two hours, putting them above any of the Michael Bay movies. Also, while both have a young audience in mind, older audiences can enjoy aspects of the film. In some regards, I’d say this is even better than the ’86 movie, though not without some caveats. Despite the ’86 movie’s enjoyability, the story feels cobbled together, and unless you’re a fan, you’ll be lost entirely. Here, the story is much more cohesive, and general audiences can get invested without prior knowledge of the franchise. There are plenty of nods and references for the fans, but most are not so overt that they’re distracting.
Given that this was his first animated feature, Chris Hemsworth does a great job voicing Orion Pax. While there’s some influence of Peter Cullen, it’s clear that Hemsworth injected enough charisma to make the performance his own. Brian Tyree Henry is the biggest stand-out as the voice of D-16, bringing a side of Megatron never seen before. You see how he started as someone content with life and slowly grew to resent the authority he initially admired. The film shows how their lifelong friendship gradually deteriorates until it reaches a boiling point without feeling forced or sudden. Jon Hamm is also great playing an over-confident and smarmy Sentinel Prime, though it makes sense why he’s beloved. Scarlett Johansson and Keegan Michael-Key are solid in their respective roles, and Laurence Fishburne is excellent, as always. In general, the cast is great and helps to bring these characters to life.
While known more for their effects work than their animation, ILM did a fantastic job bringing Cybertron to life. It looks incredible between the bright and colorful Iacon City, the dark and dinghy mines, and the organically rich surface. One of my only complaints is that some of the humor overstays its welcome, with jokes repeated ad nauseam. Thankfully, the film never knows when to dial the jokes back and focus on the more dramatic moments. Also, it’s easy to get lost in the action sequences, between all the bright colors, quick cuts, and flashy visuals. Still, the story and characters are strong enough that you still care what happens during the more action-heavy scenes. Still, regardless of your knowledge of the franchise or how old you are, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Overall, Transformers: One will satisfy lifelong fans and newcomers to the ongoing franchise.
Transformers One is currently playing in theaters nationwide.
