By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
A franchise that has been steadily declining in quality and at the box office over the past three films is surprisingly rejuvenated by unlikely entry. “Transformers One” is an origin story, but unlike the previous installments, this is an animated feature film instead of live action. While the PG rating makes this a family friendly film, its story is compelling with depth and soul that will appeal to all ages.
Before they became the iconic enemies, Optimus Prime and Megatron, they were Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry), and they were best friends. Just like nearly every robot on planet Cybertron, they were born into the world unable to transform. They seemed forever destined to work the mines for the coveted energon that is the lifeforce of their metallic planet while their fearless leader, Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm), searches for the lost Matrix of Leadership, which holds immense power, the likes of which could bring energon flowing freely again.
Orion Pax feels he is destined for more in this life, so he looks for any way to break him and his friend out of the daily monotony regardless of the rules he breaks along the way. When he finds a clue to the Matrix’s whereabouts in an unlikely place, he takes it upon himself to go to the surface and find it, dragging D-16, as well as Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson) and B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key), along the way. As this journey unveils startling revelations, they soon find themselves in an adventure they are ill-prepared for with the future of their entire world on the line.
“Transformers One” is only the second feature animated film that Josh Cooley has directed, but his first was “Toy Story 4,” which won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. He follows that up with another contender here. Cooley once again harnesses a well-written story and captivates audiences by displaying the story in a cohesive and seamless manner. He crafts an elegant origin story that presents familiar characters in a less powerful form, showing their natural transformation into the good and bad robots they become. Their evolution is reminiscent of the first “Shazam!” movie, and Cooley captures that same magic and feeling of adventure.
As shockingly good as the story happens to be, the animation is equally terrific. It is computer-animated, and the level of detail is superb. Cooley crafts many action-packed scenes, flaunting stunning visuals that entrance the audience. He further enhances the entertainment of these moments by incorporating a good musical score/soundtrack and sprinkling in some humor.
For an added bonus, a star-studded cast bestows their vocal talents that bring these animated characters to life. Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johansson are reunited after their mediocre showing in “Fly Me to the Moon” earlier this year. Hemsworth actually worked closely with the long-time voice of Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen, in order to get the voice just right for the younger version, and he pulls it off quite well. Scarlett’s identifiable raspy tone makes her perfectly suited for voiceover work.
However, it is Brian Tyree Henry and Keegan-Michael Key who deserve the most kudos, each providing a different yet equally important vocal performance. Brian, who’s no stranger to voiceover work having starred in the two recent animated “Spider-Man” movies, perfectly demonstrates the inner conflict and bubbling rage that represents his character’s transition to Megatron. Key is also a seasoned veteran of voice acting, and he provides a lot of the comic relief as the character that will eventually be known as Bumblebee. Then there’s Steve Buscemi, who hits the perfect high-pitched tone for his renowned character, Starscream.
Yes, it is animated, yes, it is rated PG, and yes, it is the best “Transformers” film of the entire franchise. “Transformers One” offers all the nostalgia fans could ask for and it is the perfect entry film to reign in a whole new generation of fans. As astonishing as this may be, you will likely see this film among the nominees for Best Animated Feature Film come Oscar time, so don’t miss the chance to see it on the big screen whether you’re a kid or an adult. There’s also a couple of cool bonus scenes during and after the ending credits so don’t forget to stay for those.
This movie earns:
