In 1984 the Transformers franchise introduced robots who could turn into weapons and vehicles. Noble Optimus Prime led the good guys. Power hungry Megatron led the bad. The 1986 film killed them off to sell new toys. The 2007 film focused on their obnoxious human allies. The delightful prequel, Transformers One, puts the rival bots center stage and asks “What if they were once friends?”
Rebellious Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and obedient D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry) are introduced as lowly miners. Servants of the upper class and their leader Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm). Forced to spend their days digging up the planet’s dwindling energy sources. Orion cooks up a scheme to rise above their caste. This leads them to an ugly secret about their world’s history. The revelation will send them on different paths. The screenplay knows we know where this is going. But it has so much fun getting there!
The film’s best trick is getting us on D-16’s side. We want him to become Megatron and wreak havoc on his oppressors. Revenge narratives are satisfying and versatile. Friends to foes tales are harder to pull off, though many franchises have tried. The X-Men films understand Charles and Eric. Star Wars relied on silly misunderstandings to turn Anakin and Kylo against their pals. Wicked, on stage, was afraid to let its heroine do anything hurtful. Transformers One makes D-16 a threat. It gives him a genuine grievance. It provides Orion an honest desire to save him from himself.
To seek revenge may lead to hell,
But everyone does it, and seldom as well…
Sweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim
I have quibbles. There are too many coincidences. The female characters are underwritten. The pacing drags in act two. Yet the final showdown had me giggling like a child. It’s a love letter to any Transformers fan who genuinely cares about these characters. The red truck and the silver gun still fight. But this time you almost wish they wouldn’t.
You can read more of my reviews on The Avocado, Letterboxd and Serializd. My podcast, Rainbow Colored Glasses, can be found here.