Let me take you back to Christmas of 1986, there was a big box right next to the tree and I excitedly opened it up and it was Metroplex, the transforming Autobot City! The Transformers have been part of my life for the better part of 40 years and I think they will until the day I pass my Matrix of Leadership onto someone else. Getting Metroplex that Christmas is one of my fondest childhood memories and to this day, when something new Transformers related gets announced, I get excited.
How to Download Transformers One
Transformers One was released on September 20, 2024. You can expect to be bale to download or stream it from Paramount+ or another digital platform in about 45 days from that date. Click on the Download button at the end of this review and make your choice. If you like xxxx, check out also his other films- film one and film two.
The Movie Review
However, the first trailer for Transformers One was terrible! I say this as someone who loves this franchise and still thinks that the soundtrack to the original Transformers movie is the greatest soundtrack of all time! Yet, that first trailer made this movie look so dumb, like a silly movie for made just kids…. Do not get me wrong, Transformers is certainly aimed at children in many ways, but the tone in that first trailer did not click with me at all.
Chris Hemsworth as Optimus Prime
I love Chris Hemsworth, but I have been listening to Peter Cullen’s gravelly voice performing Optimus Prime since I was a kid so I had a hard time hearing someone new voice one of my most beloved characters. To be honest, Megatron has had many different voice actors over the years so I had no issue with Brian Tyree Henry voicing him at all.
A Much Better Second Trailer
Anyway, they released a second trailer and this one was so much better! The second trailer still had some of that silly, almost slapstick humor in it, but I felt that it had a more serious tone to it. It still kind of looked like a Transformers buddy movie, but there was just something about that second trailer that clicked with me more.
The Story of Orion Pax and D-16
What we have here with Transformers One is the story of Orion Pax and D-16, two Transformers who live on Cybertron and are pretty much nobodies. They, cannot even transform! This is the story of how these two become Optimus Prime and Megatron. Throw in Arcee and Bumblebee as well as a few other iconic characters in much earlier forms and you have something that many hardcore Transformer fans will get a kick out of.
A Movie for Kids and Adults Alike
However, I also think that this is a great movie for kids as well, they manage to appeal to everyone here and that is not an easy thing to do. While it is a completely different kind of movie, I would say the tone here is kind of like the Despicable Me movies where that they are a blast for kids and adults alike.
The Heart of the Movie: Prime and Megatron’s Friendship
This is a movie that just got me right from the start! The real heart and soul of Transformers One is the friendship between Prime and Megatron and how it was fractured, leading to them becoming bitter enemies with very different points of view. This is some pretty brutal stuff, but there is also enough humor and action so that it is not going to be too hard for kids to sit through.
Fantastic Pacing and Voice Acting
The movie has a little bit of everything and one thing that is pretty amazing about it is that this is a movie with a near perfect runtime for the story they wanted to tell. The movie has fantastic pacing and there are no scenes that feel like they are here just for the sake of being here or to pad things out or sell a few more toys.
While I have already mentioned Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry, the movie does have a fantastic voice cast. Keegan Michael Kay is awesome as Bumblebee, he is like the little brother who makes you laugh, and cringe and also wants to punch him in the face sometimes. We also have Scarlett Johansson, Steve Buscemi, John Hamm, and Laurence Fishburne who I thought was awesome as Alpha Trion.
Visually Stunning: Transformers in CG
All of the live action Transformers movies are visual spectacles and look amazing and I am happy to say that as the first CG Transformers movie, this also looks great. The action scenes are epic and the characters are able to show a ton of personality thanks to the great facial animations. I love the design of Cybertron, it kind of reminds me of the various locations that we saw in Transformers: Fall of Cybertron and Transformers: War for Cybertron…. Now if only Activision would somehow re-release those epic games.
A Fun Experience for All Ages
I had to go and see Transformers One all by myself and I had a fantastic time! I will say that the theatre was pretty empty so I hope that this does well as they do leave it open for a sequel, a sequel that I would love to see. No matter your age, if you are a Transformers fan, you have to go and see this. I also feel that this would be a super fun movie to take the kids to as well.
