I grew up with Transformers, I have seen at least most of the hit or miss Michael Bay movies, and I am always eager to see where the franchise goes next. I was not expecting Transfomers One to not just be the best piece of Transformers content ever released, but genuinely one of the best movies of 2024, animated, kid-focused or otherwise.
Transformers One tells the origin story of Megatron and Optimus Prime, a subject rarely explored in Transformers canon, and something that may seem like it may not bear all that much fruit given that we know what each character becomes. But you wouldn’t be more wrong if you thought that, as this is a lore-rich, action-packed, emotional sledgehammer of a movie that will please all fans, and even if you’re not a big Transformers person, I think it’s accessible enough to simply enjoy a cool robot movie. Maybe even as a jumping off point for your kids to be a new generation who gets into the franchise.
However, as I watched I was thinking is this a kids movie? It’s rated PG but it’s probably the most R-coded PG movie I’ve ever seen. Not really, of course. No swearing, blood or nudity. But these fights are brutal at times, despite being metal-only carnage, and the entire tone is just way more intense than anything we see at this rating level. I’m definitely not saying not to show it to kids, but just understand that you’re getting into something that is not as goofy or lighthearted as you may be picturing.
Transformers One
Transformers One is bolstered not just by industry-best animation, but a stellar voice cast with Chris Hemsworth filling in excellently as the iconic, now younger Optimus, even if the immortal Peter Cullen will always be the “true” voice of the character. There’s also Scarlett Johansson, Brian Tyree Henry, Jon Hamm, Keegan-Michael Key, Laurence Fishburne and even Steve Buscemi. An absolute A-list roster for this.
The film is available to rent now on paid streaming services, and there is a refrain among fans that it did not earn as much money at the box office as it deserved, just $124 million worldwide, maybe profitable on a pre-marketing $75 million budget, but it’s unclear. Yes, it deserved more though. Fellow robot-based kids movie, The Wild Robot, earned double that, and though great, I’d argue Transformers One is the better film.
When I say it’s one of the best movies of 2024, I’m not exaggerating. Yes, it may help that I have a connection to the franchise, but millions of people do, and if so, it’s impossible not to love this film. Check it out.
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Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy.
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