The newly-released Transformers One is an awesome movie, but I've been around the block enough to know that some people are apprehensive about seeing it despite liking the franchise. It doesn't matter if critics praise the new Transformers movie or if it just hit a milestone the franchise hadn't previously; there is a certain type of adult who doesn't want to see something they consider a "kids film." Hey, it's a free country, though I can't in good conscience let those with that stance keep that mindset without at least adding my voice to say there's plenty for adults to love in it.
As someone who took my daughter to see Transformers One, I can 100% confirm I walked out of it enjoying it more than she did. To be clear, she enjoyed it, but I was the one geeking out while watching because the animated Transformers movie ended up being way cooler than any of the live-action movies have ever been for a few reasons.
The Movie Feels Like A Massive Homage To The 80s Era Of The Franchise
The first thing people will notice when watching Transformers One, assuming they've followed the franchise for a long time, is how much it evokes the aesthetic and style of the '80s era. There were many times while watching this movie where I felt like it was reminiscent of the animated The Transformers: The Movie, which many would consider a classic.
The good news is that while the aesthetic is there, Transformers One doesn't lean on using '80s nostalgia in its script. Instead, the movie remains wholly committed to immersion in telling the origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron on Cybertron. There are no meta winks to the camera about this being a toy franchise, and any comedy of the movie is backed with real thrills and dangerous moments.
I won't sit here and pretend there aren't a few moments where an adult viewer will be reminded this is a movie for kids, but I will say that Transformers One arguably takes itself more seriously than past live-action romps in this franchise. There's an honest manner of care taken in the world-building that shows throughout this movie, and more than a few scenes and animations will amaze people, especially if they see it on the big screen.
The Action Scenes Don't Pull Punches
A frustrating trend that can crop up in kids' shows with action is that studios shy away from showcasing violence. I totally get it, and I'm not saying that we need to be exposing children to levels of violence we'd see in The Boys or anything of that nature, but sometimes it just gets a little ridiculous. I think of Star Wars: The Bad Batch as an example, where the main characters used stun blasts despite those rarely being used at any point in Star Wars' other movies and series.
There were a few points in Transformers One in which my jaw dropped because I couldn't believe the movie was allowed to do it. Sure, there's no blood and gore because it's all robots, but you'll see more than a few Autobots get dismembered throughout this movie. I won't get too specific, but there's one especially brutal scene that's done in a way that drives home a necessary part of the story.
If we're talking about kids movies, I would liken the action in Transformers One to Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse. That is to say, there are many glorious action scenes that will both dazzle and satisfy. I'll also say that they look more fluid and natural than anything I've seen in the live-action movies, but I think that's just a natural advantage of doing a movie that is primarily animated.
The Lore Of Transformers Is Genuinely Interesting And Could Make For Great Sequels
I feel like I know the story of Transformers in broad strokes when it comes to Cybertron and the ongoing war between the Autobots and Decepticons, but I didn't go much deeper than all that. This goes into the origin of everything before these two, and it hooked me in way better than The Last Knight ever did.
What I'm most looking forward to if there's a Transformers One sequel is seeing how the planet may deal with the Quintessons, who have a notable, but smaller presence in this movie. I certainly had the sense that they were being teed up to serve as more prominent villains in a future adventure. Given the way that the movie ends, I could see them as major obstacles to overcome in addition to the various other troubles that Cybertron as a society is facing.
Of course, this is a story that is largely centered around the origins of Optimus Prime and Megatron. I would assume that future sequels will mainly revolve around the war between the Autobots and the Decepticons, and all the nuance that will grow along the way as the two former friends become more estranged. I am curious just how deep into this history the Transformers One franchise could go and if the plan is to take this story to the fall of Cybertron. I can say that, as of writing, I'm 100% down for that.
Of course, none of this happens without a strong audience to support the franchise at the box office. This is why I'm making this plea to any adult out there who can't find a child to take to this movie: just go ahead and see it. I promise there is plenty to enjoy even if you don't have a son, daughter, niece, nephew or grandchild with whom to enjoy it. It's truly the best thing Transformers has done in years, and I want to see more of it. So, let's all support it now rather than talk about how criminally underrated it was when streaming it with a Paramount+ subscription months from now.
Transformers One is in theaters, and if my arguments above weren't clear enough, everyone should make a point to go and see it. After that, check out what other upcoming movies in 2024 are on the way for the rest of the year, and start planning to see them.
