Review: Animated Origin Story Transformers One Brings Heart and Character Depth to Robot Franchise | Third Coast Review
I’m at an age where the Transformers franchise—whether it’s the Hasbro toys, animated shows, or various movies—hasn’t really influenced me much. Because of this lack of background, the familiar characters and stories didn’t resonate with me when the films started coming out in 2007. However, without any reference point to judge them against, I’ve been able to enjoy each new release and analyze them solely as films. This has resulted in some delightful surprises, major letdowns, and distinct experiences that don’t rely on any prior familiarity beyond the earlier movies.
This leads us to one of the more surprising revelations in my journey through the Transformers universe. To be honest, I've really enjoyed the last two live-action films—Bumblebee and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Now, let's talk about the animated movie Transformers One. This film presents an original narrative that explores the origins of the long-standing rivalry between Optimus Prime and Megatron. (Here’s a little spoiler: they actually began as close friends.) It also sheds light on how they both gained their transforming abilities, with Optimus, originally known as Orion Pax and voiced by Chris Hemsworth, becoming the leader of Cybertron, while Megatron, known as D-16 and voiced by Brian Tyree Henry, transforms into his fierce adversary.
The two main characters are humble mining robots who admire and envy those capable of transformation through special devices known as transformation cogs, or t-cogs. Energon, the energy source powering everything on Cybertron, particularly the robots themselves, plays a crucial role in their existence. The supreme leader is Sentinel Prime, portrayed by Jon Hamm, who is widely regarded as a positive force. However, when Orion Pax and D-16 realize that Sentinel Prime’s motives for distributing t-cogs may not be entirely benevolent, they decide to join forces with Elita-1 (voiced by Scarlett Johansson), a skilled ally, and B-127 (voiced by Keegan-Michael Key), who is talkative but not as capable. Together, they flee the bustling city and venture into a restricted area, searching for answers or perhaps other Autobots who share their suspicions about the truth. Steve Buscemi makes a notable appearance later in the film as Starscream, the leader of a group of rebellious bots ready to challenge Sentinel Prime if necessary, laying the groundwork for Optimus Prime’s loyal following.
It might not be too surprising that Transformers One is as impressive as it is, considering that director Josh Cooley co-wrote the screenplay for the beloved Inside Out and directed Toy Story 4, which revitalized a franchise many thought had run its course. In this film, he explores the familiar theme of two characters who are like family turning against each other due to their differing views on achieving equality and freedom. This approach is refreshing for a series that has always defined heroes and villains in stark, black-and-white terms. The film actually features character development, meaningful growth, narrative arcs, and, dare I say, a sense of humanity in the portrayal of robots that possess morals and empathy.
They open up the chance for additional films set on Cybertron before the first live-action Transformers movie, which, to be honest, doesn’t need to be referenced again. I genuinely hope they delve into these narratives. There’s drama, excitement, mystery, humor, and an impressive cast of voice actors (I didn’t even bring up Laurence Fishburne until now), all of which has really made me enthusiastic about the direction of these films for the first time.
The movie is currently showing in cinemas.
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