By Jack Ransom October 1, 2024
Transformers is a franchise that I have never been wholly invested in outside of the Bay cinematic outings (I was the perfect age for the first three flicks to become instant pre-teen favourites) and I have grown to appreciate both Age of Extinction & The Last Knight’s chaotic, bloated, nihilistic explosive fun. Both Bumblebee and last year’s Rise of the Beasts, I found simply fine to mediocre and I still have yet to see the classic 80’s animated feature.
With this 2024 reboot (I’m 99% sure it’s not set in either the Bay or Beasts-verse), the Robots in Disguise have easily their best big screen instalment yet and it once again continues a streak of standout animated features based on established properties (Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, TMNT: Mutant Mayhem & Across the Spider-Verse). Whilst it may be simplistic in its plot (and most older viewers will immediately see the reveal hurtling towards them), this offers genuine laughs, a palpable love for the source material and fantastic character moments that add to these iconic bots.
Synopsis
The ninth cinematic Transformers cinematic outing. Transformers One presents the untold origin story of Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Bryan Tyree Henry), better known as sworn enemies, but who once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
Review
It’s instantly refreshing to explore Cybertron and see one of its city’s (Lacon) thriving and filled with robotic life, for too long we have either been treated to snippets of their home-world in live action or with it being presented as a desolate and/or destroyed. The world instantaneously feels immersive and lived in as we follow our lead miner bots Orion Pax (Hemsworth) and D-16 (Henry), who are bots without cogs - which give them the ability to transform, on a quest for adventure and proving themselves to the mighty Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm), by searching for the Matrix of Leadership. This ragtag team up adventure zips along and surprisingly delivers high emotional and epic stakes in the final third.
The animation is excellent and I’m glad I got to see this on an IMAX screen. I was very much reminded on the late-2010’s video games at times, with the retro style blending with slick modernised CGI. The level of detail on Lacon, the excitement of the Ready Player One-esque Lacon 5000 race and the myriad of explosive chases and battles, culminating in a phenomenal final hand to hand brawl and an airborne set chaotic clash of armies on either side.
Orion and D are half of a ragtag team alongside the motormouth (and occasionally grating) B-127 (Keegan-Michael Key) and the snappy, commanding Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson). The four have great chemistry and the voice acting all around is superb. Most notably Bryan Tyree Henry, whose evolution from low-key and rule following to betrayal driven and vengeful as Megatron is excellent. Jon Hamm is clearly relishing playing the cocky and beloved messianic like figure of Sentinel Prime, Steve Buscemi nails the snarky, haminess of Starscream and Laurence Fishburne’s booming vocals fit Alpha Trion.
Transformers One is a jolt of fast paced robotic fun that packs a surprising amount of emotional punch in its final act. The animation looks fantastic, the action is bombastic and the voice cast does a great job. It may be simplistic in its storytelling, but does a solid job of balancing its more mature themes with family friendly fun. Roll out!
Star Rating
Transformers One releases in UK cinemas October 11
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