Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Pictures – © 2024 Paramount Animation
Remember when Spider-Man and Nick Fury both appeared in the third installment of Marvel’s four-issue Transformers limited-series? That was when the comic company was the king of toy licensing deals. Of course, their four-part series extended into an eighty-issue run, developing its own separate and distinct continuity. Difference emerged between the weekly animated “Generation 1” television series and the comic book, but it all started at the same place: planet Cybertron. Fans of all incarnations of the transforming Autobots can travel back to where it all began in Josh Cooley’s new animated prequel, Transformers One, produced by Paramount Animation and Hasbro, which releases this Friday in theaters.
As fans already understand, Transformers are not robots or mecha suits. They are sentient metallic beings. However, at this point in Cybertron’s history, most Autobots are unable to transform, because they mysterious lack transformation cogs. Instead, the majority toil in Cybertron’s mines, laboring to supply energy after the ominous disappearance of Cybertron’s ancient power source. However, our slightly naïve hero, Orion Pax, has big ideas about discovering the lost power source and the fate of the revered warrior “Primes” who went missing-in-action while searching for it.
In contrast, his buddy D-16 simply wants to keep his head down and fill his quota. Their workaholic team-leader, Elita-1 prefers they exceed their quotas. Awkwardly, Pax’s rule-breaking gets all three into trouble. However, while demoted to menial labor assignments in Cyberton’s subterranean levels, they discover a clue to the missing Primes’ destination amid the scrap-metal sorted by the eccentric and poorly socialized B-127, who is obviously destined to become fan-favorite Bumblebee (you cannot miss his signature color scheme).
Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Pictures – © 2024 Paramount Animation
Unfortunately, instead of the power source, they discover evidence of high corruption, even implicating Cybertron’s presumed protector, Sentinel Prime. Of course, the audience already suspects his duplicity, even if they do not know the character’s checkered history in the franchise, thanks to Jon Hamm’s smarmy-sounding voice. During the ensuing fight to liberate Cybertron, the bonds between Orion Pax and D-16 fray, leading them to vastly different fates. (It is no secret the former friends evolve into the iconic hero Optimus Prime and his nemesis, Megatron. The question is how they get there.)
The screenplay, credited to Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari, shows surprisingly archetypal dimensions, building towards a rousing battle for freedom against an oppressive regime. Yet, it also reflects a traditional Edmund Burke-like skepticism regarding revolutionary violence. Indeed, like the Jacobins, D-16 and his followers threaten to plunge Cybertron into a comparable “reign of terror.”
Although the animation of Transformers One is entirely computer-generated, it was directly inspired by the original 1986 animated series. Cooley and the animators stage super-charged action sequences, but visually, they are clearly delineated and easy to follow. They also invest each character with a great deal of personality, while harkening back to their action figure roots.
Fans should also appreciate Chris Hemsworth’s work with Peter Cullen, the voice-over artist who portrayed Optimus Prime since the original series, to develop a consistency of tone for the heroic Transformer. However, Steve Buscemi sounds perfectly in character and still very much himself when giving voice to prickly Starscream, the leader of a band of rebel Autobot outcasts.
Similarly, Keegan-Michael Key fully captures B-127’s nebbish charm, while rattling out his manic, mile-a-minute dialogue. Scarlet Johansson’s frosty tones aptly suit Elita-1, tartly delivering some of the film’s best one-liners. However, as D-16, Brian Tyree Henry might have the greatest success vocally personifying his character.
Photo by Courtesy of Paramount Pictures – © 2024 Paramount Animation
In fact, the whole film shows a healthy understanding of what fans still love about the original franchise. Slyly, the dialogue deliberately references the franchise’s enduring marketing slogan and Stan Bush’s song for the 1986 animated movie (which Dirk Diggler infamously covered in Boogie Nights). Elita-1 also uses the name of one of the toys’ knock-off competitors in a suitably derogatory manner.
Frankly, even casual viewers can pick up on the filmmakers’ respect for the franchise faithful and the resulting good vibes. In fact, Transformers One will likely inspire a surge of new fandom. Frustratingly, the 1986 animated feature is not currently available on a major streamer, but the live-action films produced by Michael Bay and Steven Spielberg (who also co-produced Transformers One) are available on Paramount+.
As a prequel, Transformers One necessarily stands alone, but in this case, it works equally well inside and outside the pre-existing fandom. Viewers should keep in mind there is a post-credits stinger that directly ties back to the “Generation 1” series.
Arguably, this constitutes the best Transformers film yet, animated or live-action. The dynamic animation and the ultra-kinetic battle scenes are cleanly executed. Plus, the nostalgic hat-tips create goodwill without distracting or confusing new-comers. Highly recommended for its themes of freedom and optimism, as well as the colorful animation, Transformers One opens this Friday (9/20) in theaters.
Grade: A
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Here’s the trailer of the film.