“Destiny is no matter of chance. It is a matter of choice. It is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” - William Jennings Bryan
I’m still learning at thirty-five years-old. I told myself I need to start giving different kinds of movies that might not interest me a chance before simply writing them off. Today I convinced myself to see the new animated Transformers One movie for which I had absolutely no desire to see. I’m not crazy about animated features and Transformers just isn’t a property I care about, at all. But after stellar word of mouth I decided at the very least it’s an opportunity for more content for Nerd Alert. I like to think I’m pretty good at picking what is and is not going to be even decent simply based on a movie’s trailer or reading the premise on IMDb. Clearly I’m nowhere near a hundred percent and One is even more evidence that sometimes I just don’t know what I’m talking about. Hey, who among us is perfect?
Transformers One is a resounding example that animated films do not have to be torture for the adults in the room. The kids can appreciate the visual spectacle, the crazy sound effects and kiddie jokes. Their parents, or lonely losers like myself, can enjoy those things too but we would also be grateful for a well-crafted story, charismatic and complex characters and a fully realized concept for which the characters can thrive and grow in a way that feels natural to the story. One provides all of that and more. It is genuinely one of the great cinematic surprises of 2024.
Visually One is a vibrant, rainbow road of colors and unceasing imagination. The world of Cybertron feels authentic as if years of battles have reigned over a brutalized species of sentient robotic lifeforms. The relationships are human and relatable. The ebb and flow of their lives, dreams and relationships are nuanced and fascinating to watch as everything grows or disintegrates as a result of their decisions. There is a consequence to how they behave and the paths they choose. There is immense betrayal that feels Shakespearian never allowing an animated medium to dictate the level of maturity and complexity that is considered allowable.
Animated or not, One feels weighty and never patronizes its younger audience. It proceeds forward in a way that allows everyone to enjoy it and for the more adult themes, the kids will grow into understanding the intricacies of becoming more involved as time goes on.
One of the best things the story achieves is allowing even the most unfamiliar of Transformer enthusiasts to find the progression to be engaging, easy enough to follow and highly entertaining. I’m no expert but I knew who Orion Pax is just by sight alone. I recognized B-127 immediately as Prime’s right hand robot. I knew the destiny of D-16 and recognized that Sentinel Prime wasn’t the hero Cybertron needed him to be. I could pick up on the paths hinted at by who joined specific sides and held certain beliefs. But it also has a new feeling creating an elaborate origin story that makes you understand who they will one day become and how their decisions would dictate where they would end up. It was the birth of two factions destined to battle for years to come over the fate of Cybertron itself.
The voice cast is emphatic and bubbly conveying both sincerity and a welcomed kind of sense of humor the live-action movies forgot about long ago. It’s meant to be fun and with One, it’s undeniably funny as well. Keegan-Michael Key as Bumblebee is a comedic highlight as a character just so happy to be a part of something and to have so many new friends. Every character is witty in fact but without ever disparaging the integrity of the film. It never becomes fart jokes and silly innuendo. The humor is authentic to the relationships we watch grow and connect becoming more intricate as they experience triumph and tragedy.
Chris Hemsworth as Orion Pax is silly when it’s required but he can convince an army to join his cause with a lowering of his voice commanding loyalty as only a leader of Transformers could do. Scarlett Johansson as Elita-1 is strict but curious and demonstrates her future as a leader early on, establishing a contentious but blossoming friendship with Pax. And as funny as every character can be, they are never denied their moments as heroes establishing their legends in these early days of Optimus Prime and Megatron.
In the beginning, they were friends. Orion Pax and D-16 were inseparable and believed they would conquer their futures together. D-16 was the sensible, possibly broken one. Orion Pax was the dreamer and instigator. He was the troublemaker. But through his dangerous curiosity they would find their true paths to saving their world and becoming legends in their own right. Along the way they would encounter adventure, beauty, betrayal and loss. They would discover a world worth fighting for but side by side with the most unlikely of Transformers. Their origins are humble, their future complex but their legend, undeniable. This is only the beginning.
This is a true pleasant surprise. It’s an animated feature that goes to great lengths to carve out an interesting premise, fully realized characters with fascinating arcs, a massive, wonderfully alien world and dramatic heft establishing adult themes of friendship, betrayal, triumph and failure. Transformers One is far and away the best Transformers movie ever made. It creates a perfectly contained story with ramifications that could stretch into future stories naturally for years to come. And perhaps most importantly, all the talk of story and characters and visuals aside, it’s just a damn entertaining movie with a whole lot more than meets the eye.
Rated PG For: sci-fi violence, animated action throughout, and language
Runtime: 104 minutes
After Credits Scene: YES!
Genre: Action, Adventure, Animation, Family, Sci-Fi
Starring(voice): Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Brian Tyree Henry, Keegan-Michael Key
Directed By: Josh Cooley
Out of 10
Story: 9/ Acting: 9/ Directing: 9.5/ Visuals: 10
OVERALL: 9.5/10
Buy to Own: Yes.
Check out the trailer below:
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