With a mention of the Transformers movies, some people are greatly displeased or uninterested. Others who are fans will be glad to discuss the toy line from the 1980s plus the animated television series that followed it and subsequent films. These films made over the years since the 1980s have either been well received or dismissed to not be viewed again. Even though the stories were not well written from one film to the next, I found something to enjoy in each one, especially Bumblebee (2018)! With Transformers One, I can firmly state that screenwriters Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari have created an exciting and engaging origin story with a focus on how two very closely bonded bots changed and don’t agree about the future. The film is directed by Josh Cooley who is known for Toy Story 4 (2019), Inside Out (2015) and Up (2009). These three are some of my favorite animated films with great storytelling and now Transformers One is added to that list.
Action fans will certainly be impressed with the action sequences, including a great race. If there is comedy you seek, you will find some. And drama, of course there is as we learn the truth of what is going on in their society as led by Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm), on their home planet of Cybertron. There is a set of characters who are non-transforming bots and used as miners underground. Among them are Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry).
Orion Pax is most ambitious and ready to shake the establishment by showing others what they are capable of, while D-16 is much more conservative and not wanting to be in the spotlight. After a series of events and adventures, they decide to risk traveling to the forbidden surface with help from fellow worker Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson) and a newly discovered bot friend, B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key) who chatters and talks all the time. He is a smart bot and gave himself a nickname — and that is one of the funniest scenes. Keegan-Michael Key is excellent as the voice cast to interpret such a humorous bot. He can toss out those jokes. As much humor as there is, there is also plenty of emotion woven into the script with the reality of their lives that is discovered on their trip.
The animation is wonderful, and the movements of the Transformers are made to seem so alive and real in their day-to-day actions. The story is made to give life to the bots much like a human being and these features may be distracting to some, but I think that is fine especially for the younger children who are watching these characters for the first time.
I think adults will clearly see some things about society on Cybertron to be like some in ours. It is not hard to see when it comes to those who are greedy, seeking power for themselves and keep others set apart to do the labor that they require. It is especially hard to learn about the action taken when they were infants in efforts to keep bots from reaching their potential. They didn’t have a chance.
There are many characters in the film voiced by great actors, including Alpha Trion (voiced by Laurence Fishburne) and Decepticon Starscream (voiced by Steve Buscemi). The film is rated PG for sci-fi violence, language and animated action throughout.
Source: Paramount Pictures
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