“Transformers One” is the 8th movie since the series began in 2007; yes, I’ve seen all of them. They are based on Hasbro toys and can be changed to any form. The robots change to a car, plane, or even a bumblebee, which includes superpowers of flight and strength. The powers are controlled by a round cog that is located in their chest. The exciting news is about the new director, Oscar® winner Josh Cooley (“Toy Story 4”); he says the goal is to create a movie that will appeal to most ages. You can imagine my excitement when I read the press notes as, finally, we can enjoy a kid-friendly ‘Transformers’ movie.
The script is based on the origin story of Transformer legends Optimus Prime and Megatron. The setting is the alien world of Cybertron, and the younger versions have different names; Prime is Orion Pax, voiced by Chris Hemsworth, and Megatron, and D-16 is voiced by Brian Tyree Henry. The young friends dream of earning their own cogs someday so they can transform and have powers.
There’s so much to champion here, starting with the vision of director Josh Cooley to the groundbreaking animation; the set designs introduce a new level of cinematic artistry to the franchise as the new look is stunning, not to mention realistic. The artistry is gorgeous, as each character that’s introduced is given a signature look and unique script lines. The animation, in particular, is a visual feast, with each frame a testament to the skill and dedication of the animators. The voice cast also includes Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne, and Jon Hamm.
The back story gives us the reasons why Optimus Prime and Megatron are at odds, as their world as mining bots in the alien world Cybertron is pretty dismal. They both hope that Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm) will someday let them earn cogs so they will have the ability to transform. Although, when an act to prove their worth lands them in an even lower, more depressing level of the mines, they discover the only way is to find the Matrix of Leadership themselves on the planet’s surface. Their mining supervisor, Elita (Scarlett Johansson), goes along for the ride as they discover the hidden truths of their stratified society, including the unfair distribution of resources and the suppression of individuality.
The voice cast is excellent; I was pleased to see that Elita (Scarlett Johansson) was given so much screen time and a central character as she helps in their plan. Here, for the first time, she becomes an authentic female Transformer. Bumblebee is mostly a silent character in other films, although director Cooley wanted to feature him as well. Saying, “We decided to make him extremely talkative. In fact, he never stopped talking, and I immediately thought of Keegan for the role. While watching the film, the line I wrote on my notepad about Bumblebee is when his captors say, Lita asks, “Why is he gaged?” the reply is, “He wouldn’t stop talking!” Lita says, “Even when he was unconscious?” the reply, “Especially when he was unconscious.” This brought uproarious laughter from the audience, which included myself.
“Transformers On” is the best of the series. It is relatable to all ages, humorous, and features fully fleshed-out characters. The gorgeous animation is the icing on the cake. Just know that the word “Hell” is said a few times. The characters are not just robots, they are individuals with their own hopes, dreams, and struggles, making them easy to connect with.
Sarah Knight Adamson© September 15, 2024
Hollywood 360 Radio Network Podcast: Transformers_One_H360