Review: ‘Transformers One’ respects the legacy with its new perspective
‘Transformers One’ is the thrilling tale of friends on a world-changing quest to save their planet that will inevitably shatter their bond.
It’s a strange feeling to grow up and discover that many of the beloved animated television shows of your childhood were simply ploys by toy companies to sell more product. Most can attest to the fact that it worked, but luckily many of the creators tasked with developing the characters and generating the storylines cared enough to make them special. Thus, they’ve remained in the hearts of those early fans and several have seen a resurgence as nostalgia became a hot commodity in recent years. The Transformers seem to be one of the most enduring franchises, launching countless spin-offs and movies. And now Transformers One travels back in time to before it all began to recall the start of the series’ core rivalry.
Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry) are simple mining bots, lacking the cog required to transform. While D would rather keep his head down and get through each day, Orion has larger aspirations that generally get them both in trouble. At the top of Orion’s list is finding Cybertron’s long-lost power source, which would end the need for Energon mines and free the bots of Iacon City. When he finally finds a viable clue, the pair are joined by Elita -1 (Scarlett Johansson) and B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key) on a quest to find the machines’ holy grail. But along the way, they discover dark truths that endanger everything they believed.
The fact that Megatron and Optimus Prime are enemies has always been a given as the story began with them on opposite sides of the fight. But there was also a sense of history between the two that was never fully explored. This new CG-animated film imagines what some of the franchise’s most memorable personalities were like before they went to war with each other. It’s fun, but also a little sad, to see how close Orion Pax and D-16 were before their beliefs diverted, and one became the leader of the Autobots and the other formed the Decepticons. The dynamics of their relationship was somewhat skewed as D was usually the passenger on Orion’s crazy ride, often saving him when his obsession made him a little overzealous. Yet, Orion’s passion and playfulness is refreshing, particularly when compared to Optimus’ stalwart solemnity, which he must have developed over time as a leader making difficult decisions.
The voice cast is fitting with each actor bringing the appropriate tone to their character. Hemsworth displays so much range, expressing Orion’s highs and lows with total sincerity. Similarly, Henry experiences all the same moments while remaining comparatively more reserved, often communicating his disapproval, but also letting it live in the undertone of his speech. His devastation following their discovery radiates from the screen. B-127, a.k.a. Bumblebee, needed a big personality behind his voice and Key delivers, infusing the character with frantic energy and bringing some of the picture’s funniest dialogue to life. Johansson clearly understands Elita -1 is the voice of reason, frequently stern in her delivery, but also sympathetic to the difficulty of their situation. Other notable voice actors include Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm.
The film captures the spirit of the original television series, while embracing the improved animation technology that allows for larger and more intense action scenes. And even though you know it’s coming, the moment the brothers-in-arms turn to enemies is still heartbreaking (though not at as traumatizing as Transformers: The Movie).
Director: Josh Cooley
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Brian Tyree Henry and Scarlett Johansson
