Transformers One
Transformers One is playing in theaters at the time of writing. Rated PG. Common Sense says 9+.
Best friends Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry) are two robots forced to toil away in the mines beneath Cybertron. One day, they reach the planet surface and discover a terrible secret. Can they save their fellow Transformers while also remaining friends?
STORY: A
All other prequels - pay attention.
The problem with a prequel is that the audience almost always knows how the story ends. That’s true for Transformers One as well, yet the story still succeeds due to its big heart, big stakes, and a big respect for its audience.
PEOPLE: A-
Key and Henry lead a talented band of voices.
Keegan-Michael Key (B-127) will be the one you remember. He’s the comedic relief, and he steals just about every scene he’s in.
But Brian Tyree Henry is the film’s MVP. In a movie stuffed with yuks and metal-tinged earnestness, his anger and pain is the cog that fuels the film’s emotional arc. Along with his magnificent performance as Miles Morales’s dad in the Spider-verse movies, Henry is establishing himself as one of our great voice actors.
FILM NERD STUFF: A-
Greatest. Easter. Egg. Ever.
You might miss it. It’s quick and carries not one bit of flash. But that’s the big reason the allusion works. The screenwriters certainly have not “done messed up” deciding to name B-127’s robot friend: AA-Tron.
ONE BIG LESSON: A
Blazing your own trail may come with sacrifices.
Not everyone is going to join you when you stand up for the causes you believe in. Even those closest to you.
Leaving a friend behind for a principle is one of the toughest sacrifices a person can make. So just make sure that the thing you’re standing for is on the right side of love and justice.
FINAL COMMENTS:
If you were expecting a fun, kid-friendly romp through the Transformers-verse, you’ll find it here. The jokes are silly, and the action tame enough for nearly every age.
What I definitely wasn’t expecting was the film’s elite storytelling, epic art design, and well deserved emotional climax. It’s a movie I heartily recommend to kids and adults and everybody in between.