Transformers One Review (2024)

What if the greatest enemies in the universe started out as best friends?

This intriguing question lies at the heart of Transformers One, the latest entry in the long-running franchise about shape-shifting alien robots.

As a prequel to the entire saga, this animated film aims to shed new light on the origins of the Autobot-Decepticon conflict that has driven the series for decades.

Metric	Rating (out of 5)	Justification
Plot	4.5	The origin story was described as intriguing and emotionally engaging.
Pacing	4	Generally fast-paced with a slightly slow middle section.
Themes	4.5	Explored deep themes like class struggle and identity.
Character Development	4.5	Strong focus on the evolution of Orion and D-16.
Conflict	4.5	The gradual deterioration of the friendship was well-executed.
Direction	4	Josh Cooley was praised for balancing action and character moments.
Cinematography	4.5	Described as a “visual feast” with detailed animation.
Editing	4	Not explicitly mentioned, but pacing suggests good editing.
Production Design	5	Cybertron was brought to life in unprecedented detail.
Special Effects	5	Animation and transformation sequences were highly praised.
Acting	4.5	Voice acting was consistently highlighted as strong.
Chemistry	5	The friendship between Orion and D-16 felt authentic.
Soundtrack	4	Brian Tyler’s score was described as “big like the movie”.
Sound Design	4.5	Praised for its immersive quality and attention to detail.
Engagement	4.5	The reviewer was consistently engaged throughout.
Emotional Resonance	4.5	Unexpectedly emotional for a Transformers film.
Target Audience	5	Appealed to both children and adults, fans and newcomers.
Cultural Relevance	4	Touched on themes of class struggle and identity.
Entertainment Value	4.5	Described as both fun and thought-provoking.
Rewatchability	4.5	The reviewer expressed desire to watch it again.
Memorability	4.5	Set a new standard for animated Transformers content.
Lighting	4	Not explicitly mentioned, but implied in visual praise.
Originality	4	Fresh take on established lore.
Message	4.5	Explored themes of friendship, power, and identity.
Cohesion	4	Story elements and themes were well-integrated.
Overall Rating	3.5	Consistently praised across multiple aspects.
Recommendation	Yes	Highly recommended for various audiences.

Verdict

I was kinda worried bout Transformers One at first. The movies been good and bad before, and I thought maybe they ran outta ideas. But I was real wrong. This movie made me happy in lots of ways.

The way it looks is super pretty. They made the robot planet look so cool, better than I ever thought it could.

The people doing the voices are real good too. Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry make Orion and D-16 feel like real folks.

What I liked most was how the story made me feel. It aint just robots fighting. Its about being friends, people being mean, and making hard choices that change who you are.

Some parts made me feel sad, which I didnt think a Transformers movie could do.

If I gotta say bad things, maybe the middle part is a little slow. And some of the other robots coulda been more interesting. But thats not too bad compared to all the good stuff.

I think this movie is pretty great. Id give it 8 outta 10 stars. Its fun and makes you think, and it looks real nice too. Old fans will like it, but new people can watch it too and understand whats going on.

If you like Transformers or just want a good space movie, you should watch this. It might make you think different about what Transformers movies can be.

I wanna say it’ll transform what you think, but that’s a silly joke.

My friend asked me if they should see it. I said yes cause its good for lots of people. Even if you dont know much bout Transformers, you can still have fun.

The story is easy to follow but also has lots of cool stuff for people who know all about the robots.

Here’s my breakdown of the film’s strengths and weaknesses:

Strengths	Weaknesses
Stunning visuals	Slightly slow middle section
Strong voice acting	Some underdeveloped side characters
Emotional depth	Occasionally overpowering music
Engaging action sequences
Thoughtful additions to lore

An Origin Story with Heart

When Transformers One started, I didn’t expect much. It’s set on Cybertron, way before the Autobots and Decepticons even showed up on Earth. There’s Orion Pax (voiced by Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry), both working hard in the energon mines.

Even though they’re not important on their planet, these two have big dreams. Orion is always trying new stuff, always curious, always thinking of something bigger.

D-16, his best buddy, stays more careful but is super loyal.

Their friendship? It felt real to me. The writers made sure you understood how close they were. Watching them, I thought of those classic buddy movies.

You know something’s going to happen to mess it all up, though. That’s where things really start to matter.

One day, while working, they come across something that might change everything: hints about the Matrix of Leadership. It’s a thing of legends, and now they’ve got clues. So, off they go, searching for this artifact.

This quest? It challenges their friendship. Dark truths about Cybertron come out. Soon, we realize this path is leading them to become Optimus Prime and Megatron.

I didn’t expect to get so attached to their story, but I was. The journey wasn’t just about action but about them as individuals. There were moments when my heartstrings were pulled. I didn’t see that coming, not from a Transformers film.

A Visual Feast for the Eyes

Let’s be real for a second—Transformers always pulls me in because of those cool robots that transform and fight. And yeah, Transformers One doesn’t disappoint in that part at all. It’s all there.

The animation? It looks so good, really detailed, and it brings Cybertron to life in a way I never saw before. It’s like a whole new world, full of stuff to see.

The character designs? They’re like the old G1 style but newer, and they feel really fresh. I noticed how their faces show emotions, which is wild considering they’re robots, right? I almost forgot I was watching an animated movie.

But let me tell you, the action scenes? They blew me away. From racing through metal valleys to fighting in the middle of Iacon City, the animations just nailed it.

The way they transform looks so smooth. And those battles? Huge. I couldn’t stop smiling like I was a kid again.

Still, it’s not just about fighting. They also show how Cybertron works day-to-day. You see people at the market, or some serious buildings where the government sits.

It all felt like a real place. Those small moments made Cybertron feel like an actual world, not just a backdrop.

Also See: Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) Review

Voices That Bring the Bots to Life

A good animation can really be wrecked by bad voice acting. Luckily, that doesn’t happen in Transformers One. The voice actors here? They’re seriously talented.

Chris Hemsworth voices Orion Pax/Optimus Prime, and he’s got it down. He mixes the character’s early hopefulness with a little of the seriousness you’d expect from a leader.

It’s a tricky line, but Hemsworth totally gets it. He stands out.

Then there’s Brian Tyree Henry as D-16/Megatron. He makes you feel the weight that’s always hanging on D-16.

You can hear the tiredness in him, the low rumble of anger too. When he becomes a villain, you almost understand why.

The rest of the cast is just as strong. Scarlett Johansson plays Elita-1 with a lot of grit and strength. Keegan-Michael Key brings some humor as B-127, who will be Bumblebee later.

I really liked how the actors worked together. The back-and-forth between Orion and D-16 feels real, like these two have known each other forever.

Their friendship felt believable to me. Same goes for the rest of the team. You can feel that bond.

And when the conflicts start showing up? That made the emotional side of the story hit harder for me. These voice actors truly helped to sell the story’s heart.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the main voice cast:

Actor	Character
Chris Hemsworth	Orion Pax / Optimus Prime
Brian Tyree Henry	D-16 / Megatron
Scarlett Johansson	Elita-1
Keegan-Michael Key	B-127 / Bumblebee
Jon Hamm	Sentinel Prime
Steve Buscemi	Starscream

More Than Meets the Eye: Themes and Storytelling

What caught me off guard with Transformers One wasn’t just the action, but how deep the story got. They didn’t just make it a regular kid’s movie. It’s about more than robots fighting. Class struggle?

That’s a huge part. Orion and D-16 start out as nobodies, working in the mines. They want more, but there’s a big gap between them and the powerful ones on Cybertron. It’s hard not to think about real life, you know? That’s what gives it more meaning for me. It’s not just a cartoon.

There’s also the idea of identity. As the two of them rise, they begin to question who they really are.

They want to be leaders, but they also have to figure out if they’re being who they want or who the world expects them to be. That’s where a lot of the tension comes from in the second half.

At the center, though, it’s the friendship. It’s what holds everything together. And shows how different ideas can drive friends apart, which was honestly sad to watch.

What I liked most was how the writers handled all this without making it confusing. Even younger viewers would get it.

Adults? We’ll appreciate the depth, for sure. The middle drags just a little, but the end? It’s both emotional and fun.

Action and Pacing: A Rollercoaster Ride Through Cybertron

I watched Transformers One and it was so good. The action was really big and cool. At the start, there was a race in Cybertron that made me happy. It showed us the world and the main robots.

The fights weren’t just for fun. They helped tell the story and show us about the robots. One time, Orion and D-16 went into a secret place with data.

They had to hide from flying guards. It was scary but showed how they work good together.

The movie went fast most of the time. Josh Cooley, who made it, knew when to slow down so we could see the robots talk and grow.

The middle part was a little slow. But then there was a big fight in Iacon City that made me hold my breath.

The end was really exciting. I can’t tell you what happened, but it was big and made me feel lots of things. There was some surprises too. The robots looked really good when they fought.

I liked how the movie showed us about the robots feelings. It wasn’t just about fighting. We got to see how they think and why they do things. That made me care about them more.

Here’s a quick rundown of some standout scenes:

1. The opening underground race
2. Discovering ancient Cybertronian ruins
3. Orion and D-16’s first major argument (the tension was palpable!)
4. The all-out brawl in Iacon City

Music and Sound Design: A Feast for the Ears

I wanna tell you bout the sounds in Transformers One. They was so good. Brian Tyler made the music and it was big like the movie.

The good robot music made me feel happy and the bad parts had scary music.

The other sounds was good too. When robots changed or went boom, it sounded real. I saw it in a big movie place with big speakers. Sometimes I thought the sounds was shaking me for real.

I liked how each robot sounded different when they moved. It made them feel more like real robots. The people who did the sounds did a real good job.

Sometimes the music was too loud and I couldn’t hear the robots talking good. But that didn’t happen much. Most times, the sounds was just right.

The sounds helped me feel like I was in the movie for real. When there was a fight, the noises made it more fun.

When the robots was sad, the music made me feel sad too. I think the sounds was almost as good as what I saw on the big screen.

Impact on Transformers Lore: Fresh Paint on an Old Canvas

I like Transformers a lot. I was happy and scared about the new movie. I thought maybe they mess up the robot stories. But they did good. The movie made the old stories better.

The movie showed me old Cybertron. I saw how the Primes lived long time ago. They told me why some robots can change and some can’t. It made the fight later make more sense.

I saw lots of fun things for people who know Transformers good. I looked real hard and saw three robots who gonna be big later. That made me happy.

I liked how Orion and D-16 stopped being friends.

It wasn’t fast. They just didn’t agree on little things. Then those little things got bigger. At the end, I could see why they gonna be enemies later.

The movie made me wanna see more. I hope they make another one. I wanna see how they start the big war we know bout.

The people who made the movie know lots about Transformers. They put in stuff that made sense with the old stories.

But they also made new things that was good. I think other people who like Transformers will like this movie too.

I’m glad I saw this movie. It made me think about Transformers in new ways. I wanna watch it again to see if I missed anything. Maybe I’ll see more robots I know next time.

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How It Stacks Up: A New High Bar for Animated Transformers

I seen new cartoon movies lately. Spider-Man and Ninja Turtles look real good with cool art. Transformers One is pretty nice too.

The way it looks ain’t as special as Spider-Man, but still real pretty. The robots look kinda old but also new at the same time.

I like how the movie makes me feel things.

It shows robots I know but makes em more deep. Orion and D-16 seem like real friends, which make me sad when they stop being friends. The movie is good for kids and grownups.

It gots action and funny parts for little ones, but also stuff for big fans to think about. That’s hard to do but the movie does it good.

My opinion is Transformers One is a good movie. It aint perfect, but it tries new things and makes the robots more interesting.

I think lots of people will like it, no matter how old they is. The way it looks and the story both work good together. It’s fun to watch and makes you care about the characters too.

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