Transformers One: This Entry has the Touch

Even after 40 years, Transformers One shows that the bots still have the touch. 

Set upon the planet Cybertron, Transformers One introduces to world to Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry), two mining bots who work together with a brotherly bond. However, when an error in judgment leads to them losing their jobs, the two set out to prove their worth. As they uncover a secret that threatens their entire way of life, the two bots set out on journeys that lead them to become the hero and villain that we know them to be: Optimus Prime and Megatron.

Directed by Josh Cooley, Transformers One is a delightful return to the franchise. Bolstered by its return to animation, One simply works. Though it may not reach the emotional heights of 1986’s The Transformers: The Movie, this is easily one of the best entries into the franchise. Even with its darker moments, this is a story that leads with fun and—dare I say it?—creativity. From robotic wild deer to reckless races across the city, One is fueled by colours and chaos that pop onscreen.

But, most importantly, what One does right is the very thing that so many of Michael Bay’s infamous live action films have gotten wrong. By focusing on the relationship between the-bots-who-would-be Optimus and Megatron, Cooley realizes that the characters that matter most in Transformers are… well… the Transformers. Whereas Bay (who, incidentally, serves as producer here) seemed to think that the magic of the franchise was its epic battles, fans of the franchise knew that there was more to these bots than meets the eye. Instead, the true joy of the Transformers was the personalities of its mysterious bots. It was who they were that made them special, not merely what they could transform into.

In short, we didn’t fall in love with Optimus Prime because he looked cool. We loved him because of his character.

By resetting the franchise on Cybertron, Transformers One allows for genuine character development with the robots in disguise. Instead of (only) watching them fight, we spend time with them, learning their strengths and flaws. As D-16 and Pax evolve into the characters we love most, Cooley’s film takes us beyond their robotic skins and show us their souls. We see the seeds of D-16’s admiration of strength and power. At the same time, although Pax is impetuous at first, there’s a heart of integrity that burns within him. It’s this relationship that lies at the heart of Transformers One. They are brothers-in-arms who would die for one another, joined together at the hip and supporting each other in all things.

Even so, for a film that has a higher degree of humour than other entries into the franchise, it still manages to bring the gravitas when require. For example, as the divide between Pax and D-16 grows, their inevitable rise to power (or fall from grace) has genuine impact. In short, their conflict feels authentic. Without giving too much away, D-16’s disillusionment sparks a bitterness within him that he can’t control. These are young ‘men’ who believe the world should be (and is) a place of hope and dreams. Yet, as they begin to discover the evil around them, how they respond will determine their fates. For kids, this becomes a lesson in courage. For adults, it’s a lesson in how to deal with trauma. There genuinely is something here for everyone.

Admittedly, it’s a little strange to hear the voices of stars like Hemsworth and Henry emanating from classic characters. However, their vocal turns throughout the film manage to create the necessary intensity that’s required in the moment. (Though, to be honest, anyone but Peter Cullen’s will never quite meet expectations for Optimus Prime.)

Suffice to say, Cooley is given us access into a corner of Cybertron that we haven’t seen in many years. By re-inventing their world, he has also re-invigorated it once again. Although Bay’s live action films claimed that these characters are ‘more than meets the eye’, those moments were few and far between. Thankfully though, Transformers One take us under their hood once again, proving that maybe this decades-old franchise still has gas in the tank.

Transformers One is available in theatres on Friday, September 20^th, 2024.