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Normally, I would mock the making of a film that adds to an already oversaturated entertainment franchise.
So when I first heard about the release of a new “Transformers” movie, my initial thought was: Another one?
However, upon watching the trailer, I was intrigued by the telling of an origin story that not only paid homage to well-known Transformers but delved into the evolution of a brotherlike bond-to-enemies relationship.
What appeared to be a simple, comedic and action-packed origin story was an emotional commentary on friendship and the potential use of knowledge and power for good and evil.
“Transformers One” was originally released in theaters on Sept. 20, 2024. The film was directed by Josh Cooley and was written by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari.
In addition to taking credit for being the first Transformers film to be completely CG-animated, it is voiced by well-known stars such as Chris Hemsworth and Scarlett Johannson, who have made their mark in the Marvel superhero universe.
Other actors who participated in this star-inundated project are Brian Tyree Henry, Keegan-Michael Key and Laurence Fishburn, to name a few.
Summary
“Transformers One” takes place in the city of Iacon, an underground civilization on the planet of Cybertron.
The opening scene introduces Orion Pax who is easily identified by his red and blue metal exterior. He is a bot who is not afraid of trouble and longs for something that will help him become more than who he is— more than just a miner. As he rummages through the city’s archives in search of more information on the Primes, he discovers a recording which shows the origin of Cybertron, but is quickly spotted by security bots.
The Primes were the first generation of Transformers ever made by the creator Primus. They possessed vast power which was channeled through a token— the Matrix of Leadership. However, after going to war with the Quintessons, an enemy alien race, they were killed and the token was lost along with them. As a result, the planet’s Energon flow ceased, leaving them without a constant power source.
During Orion Pax’s getaway, his best friend D-16 comes to save him from the trouble he’s created for himself — again.
From early on in the film, it is clear that Orion Pax and D-16 have a strong brotherly bond.
However, their contrasting personalities also become abundantly clear—Orion Pax is an idealist who hopes for a better future for Iacon and himself, while D-16 is the more logical, straightforward half of the duo, who is happy doing the work he knows.
In order to compensate for the lack of Energon, the city is forced to put their bots to work in the mining and distribution of the resource. Mining bots are defined by their lack of cogs, which grants the power of transformation.
Regardless, the citizens of Iacon maintain hope in Sentinel Prime— their well-respected leader and the last known Prime alive. While access to the surface is prohibited because it is too dangerous for all others, Sentinel Prime has been voyaging above to search for the Matrix of Leadership, in hopes of restoring their Energon supply.
When Sentinel Prime returns from his unsuccessful voyage, he calls for a race to celebrate the defeat of some Quintesson aliens they fought while on the surface.
In Orion Pax’s quest to show that he is more than just a miner, he gets D-16 and him into more trouble, using jetpacks to enter them into the celebratory race meant only for Transformers.
While Sentinel Prime admires their efforts and claims he will reward them for boosting miner morale, Darkwing, one of their superiors, is fed-up with their antics. He throws them down to a hidden lower level of the compound where scrap metal is disposed of— here they meet B-127, also known as Bee, who is ecstatic to finally have guests.
During a tour of the junk that B-127 has saved, the three bots stumble upon a recording that reveals the coordinates of the war which led to the death of the Primes and potentially the location of the Matrix of Leadership.
This moment sets the three bots on a journey to the forbidden land. Orion Pax, D-16 and Bee smuggle themselves onto a train that takes waste up to the surface, but not before a superior spots them. However, before Elita-1 can report them and turn the train around, they have reached the surface.
As they look around, they are amazed by the beauty that has been kept hidden from them for so long. However, their astonishment is quickly broken as the train is derailed by the shifting landscape and they are stuck on the surface, when they spot a Quintessons ship.
After successfully evading the ship’s scanner, they follow the map and discover a dark cave which holds the Primes, still in position from when they lost the war.
They begin to search the cave for some sign of the Matrix of Leadership until Orion Pax notices a blinking light and discovers the body of Alpha Trion. They use a small dose of Energon in order to revive him.
He awakens abruptly, only to find the corpses of his brethren around him. Eventually, Alpha Trion reveals the truth of the war to the four cogless bots in front of him and they find that their lack of knowledge extends far beyond the surface.
They learn that Sentinel Prime is a traitor who made a deal with the Quintessons and was responsible for the death of the Primes, as well as the vanishing of the Matrix of Leadership. In return for his rule over Iacon, Sentinel Prime has been supplying the Quintessons with Energon mined by the bots and they are constantly demanding more.
With hopes of bringing the truth to light, Alpha Trion provides the four bots with cogs which affords them the power to meet their full potential.
Ultimately, this is the point in the film when a shift in character and dynamic begins to take place between Orion Pax and D-16. Both are provided with the same power and knowledge, which will allow them to go back to Cybertron and forge a better future for themselves and their people. However, they do not take the same approach to granting justice for all those who have been left in the dark.
They reveal the truth to their fellow miners and expose Sentinel Prime to all of Iacon, leaving him nearly defenseless.
D-16 quickly resorts to violence and irrational action to gain closure for the deception and lies he has been fed his whole life. He takes the lead of a rebel group of bots whose main goal is to kill Sentinel Prime. However, Orion Pax desires a positive future for their world—- knowing that there is a better way to solve their issue, he is forced to fight against his best friend.
When D-16 realizes Orion Pax is standing in his way, he chooses revenge over the person closest to him. In D-16’s attempt to kill Sentinel Prime, Orion Pax sacrifices himself and is killed in the process. However, D-16 feels no remorse and is fully consumed by his inner darkness.
Orion Pax’s sacrifice ultimately earns him the power of the Matrix of Leadership and so, Optimus Prime is born.
When D-16 believes he has won the right to reinvent and rule Iacon, Optimus Prime rises to stop him from creating further destruction.
In the end, the two bots go to battle and become completely divided, leading to D-16’s exile from Cybertron along with his fellow rebel bots. With Optimus Prime as his newfound enemy, Megatron is born along with his Decepticon army.
Two bots who once considered themselves like brothers, now stand on opposite sides of a new war.
My Take
Overall, I felt that “Transformers One” did not disappoint and was an incredible addition to the Transformers universe. It especially thrived in its depth in characters, strong plot development and its emotional appeal. In addition, the clear graphics and action packed scenes made the film especially appealing to watch.
I felt the character development throughout the movie was extremely well executed for both D-16 and Orion Pax. As the story progressed, it was clear that the mindset of the two closely bonded characters was beginning to deviate. Other than the obvious conflict, their contrasting mentalities drove the genuine tension of the movie.
Although the movie is animated, the story of two best friends becoming enemies is heartbreaking to witness. The close connection introduced from the beginning makes it even tougher to watch as the relationship unravels and quickly turns hostile. Admittedly, watching the battle and end scenes between the two characters was like cutting onions—maybe bring a tissue or two, just in case.
I also want to recognize the comic relief sprinkled throughout the film. While many parts of the movie called for a serious tone and many action scenes, there were still well-placed moments of comedy both in action and dialogue. Many of my favorite comedic moments were brought by Bee, a character who, from the beginning, is lighthearted and loveable. This included one-liners such as, “A cave with teeth, nothing scary about that” and “Knife hands? I have knife hands!”. I also enjoyed the early banter between Orion Pax and D-16, which added another relatable element to their relationship.
In addition, I think the film touched on the real-world experience of gaining knowledge on important topics and how that provides power to those now in the light.
While Orion Pax had a clear vision of how this new information could save Cybertron and would work for the greater good, D-16 only saw how he could use the information to his advantage.
The knowledge of the truth and the opportunity to take down Sentinel Prime made D-16 hungry for power and left him with little regard for who he hurt along the way.
I think this story has something to say about our current position as members of a technology-driven generation.
In this ever-evolving and progressive world, we develop better knowledge and understanding of topics our parents and grandparents may not have been able to. However, what truly matters is how we use that knowledge and whether it works for the greater good or the benefit of only ourselves.
As Francis Bacon said, “Knowledge itself is power.”
Although “Transformers One” appears to be another animated film reinventing a pre-existing universe, the movie’s heart goes beyond the cars and bots of Cybertron.
If you can, I highly recommend seeing this film. It will most likely leave you slightly teary-eyed and nostalgic for more Transformers content. However, it will also call you to reflect on the limits of friendship and consider the choices we make with our access to endless knowledge.
Spinnaker rates “Transformers One” 4.8 out of 5 Spinnaker Sails.
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