'Transformers One' Review
“Transformers One” is my favorite animated film of 2024 so far. I don’t want to give away much of the story. What I will say is that it’s the origin story of these Transformers characters, including Optimus Prime (voiced by Chris Hemsworth) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry). They were initially friends. How do we get to the point when they become enemies?
This is a very interesting ride, especially when it comes to the complex story. And “Transformers One” is a visually stunning ride, with great-looking characters and such depth to the animation and the background artistry. The voice actors (also including Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Jon Hamm, Laurence Fishburne and Steve Buscemi) all deliver. So does director Josh Cooley (Oscar winner for “Toy Story 4”). He brings us into this Transformers universe very well.
You’re fascinated by the way they move and talk (though the screenplay is a bit chatty). A vehicle racing scene, which allows the momentum to amp-up a bit, is very cool. I love the details of a scenic mountain sequence (and kept waiting for the Paramount logo to make a cameo). And the final act is legitimately thrilling, a word I rarely use.
Transformers fans of all ages are going to be enthralled with “Transformers One”, which I think is going to have a similar impact to 2018’s “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”. You take a beloved brand and decide to put it into a CG animation format that will appeal to kids and the adult fans of that brand. You twist it up, doing things you’ve never done before with it, and you blow people away.
The audience at my screening was cheering and laughing at the appropriate moments. Key’s Bumblebee has a lot of the funny lines, and a lot of his dialogue is what kids would say if they were playing with these Transformers — and having them fight with each other. Cooley and the “TO” team embrace that spirit.
And for Paramount, this is the start of yet another successful animated feature franchise, joining SpongeBob, PAW Patrol, TMNT and live-action / animation combo Sonic the Hedgehog.
