I was a Transformers kid. I had the toys, watched all the cartoons, and if it was Transformers, I had it. Years went by, and while I kind of fell out of the franchise, it still held a special place in my heart at least up until the Michael Bay films. I will admit the first one was fun, but what continued to come after just kind of spoiled everything. Sure, I still had the original movie, but I, along with millions of others, wanted something fun and fresh, and this just wasn’t cutting it. Thus, I was cautiously optimistic when promos for Transformers One started to drop, and I’m happy to say that this is the Transformers movie I’ve waited for my whole life.
Life on Cybertron isn’t exactly that great for Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and his best friend D-16 (Bryan Tyree Henry). Born without cogs which would let them transform, they spend all their days mining for Energon which is needed for survival. Orion is hoping for more though, and after finding a map to the missing and legendary Matrix of Leadership, he drags D up to the surface of the planet to find it. Once there, they along with their former boss Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson) and fellow slave B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key) discover Alpha Trion (Lawrence Fishburne), one of the last remaining Primes long-rumored to have been dead. As Alpha spins his tale of the past, the veil is lifted from Orion and D’s eyes, and the truth begins to drive a wedge between them that will change them as well as Cybertron forever.
Do you know what we don’t need in Transformers movies? People. They don’t matter, and we didn’t come to see them or their drama. We want robots turning into vehicles and jets and fighting each other, and that’s exactly what we get. Having the whole story take place on Cybertron with just Transformers is absolutely wonderful. We get to dive deep into the mythos of their world, and even for those unfamiliar with it and their history, it is easily accessible. I would go so far as to say that anyone who really doesn’t care about them and was just dragged along for the ride are going to walk out as newfound fans.
This world is fast and frantic, and the story whisks along at a pace that barely gives you time to catch your breath. Even during the slower parts, there is so much going on in the background, that you’re constantly looking for all the clever and cool details added to make everything feel like a real place. It all just works.
The characters are also beautifully brought to life by their voice actors, and the emotions they bring feel authentic and lifelike. We know how this is all going to end for Orion and D, and as their friendship begins to fall apart and decay, it’s gut-wrenching. The tale of two brothers turning into enemies is one of the most common tropes in storytelling, but it doesn’t make it any easier to watch when it’s done as well as it is here, and none of that would have been possible without the right cast.
Simply put, this is nearly perfect. The only flaw I can possibly think of is that D’s turn to darkness felt a bit rushed, but then the anger he feels about his whole life being a lie is identifiable. Anyone with a hint of darkness to them would probably walk down that same road. Aside from that, I have no complaints. It’s funny, poignant, full of fantastic characters and visuals, and sets a new standard for animation. It’s always wonderful when high expectations are met, but it’s rare that a film not only meets and exceeds them but sets the bar to a new level and makes us wonder what could come next that can top it.