I’ve been told legends never die, and if that’s the case, then the autobots and decepticons have long since flown past any sort of expiration date. In an era where the most famous properties don’t ever really go away, Transformers is perhaps the poster child for this phenomenon. But what was once recently a franchise with a clearly defined place in pop culture by way of Michael Bay’s nostalgic and bombastic adaptations, current day sees the Transformers keeping the IP alive, but without a definitive identity. The films have been a mixed bag as of late, due to having to fight public perception towards the worst of the Bay sequels, with Bumblebee (2018) becoming a moderate success, but 2023’s Rise of the Beasts earning a much more lukewarm response, including a polarizing would-be crossover with G.I. Joe.
While the brand itself remains popular, there isn’t a specific property that is currently garnering acclaim or pointing the franchise into a defined path for the future – at least not in live action. Transformers One, long in development and bolstering an all-star cast, is a return to the franchise’s 1980s roots in animation, but this time of the 3D animated variety. The voice cast is rounded out by the likes of Scarlett Johansson, Laurence Fishburne, Steve Buscemi, Keegan-Michael Key, Jon Hamm, Brian Tyree Henry, and Chris Hemsworth as Optimus Prime – a role usually reserved for the legendary Peter Cullen. However, star power doesn’t automatically = good movie, and for a property that has been as up and down as this franchise in the past fifteen years, it seems like the general public is in wait-and-see mode in regards to excitement and interest in this film. The synopsis itself paints the movie as a soft reboot for Transformers lore:
An origin story set on the planet Cybertron centering around the history of the Transformers race, and the relationship between two workers named Orion Pax and D-16, going from brothers-in-arms to archenemies as Optimus Prime and Megatron.
That’s a rather safe, predictable creative choice, but one that isn’t without controversy. For some who have voiced their opinions online, they are not particularly eager to watch a reboot, or ready to consider the implications of this new film possibly writing its own new history for the likes of Optimus Prime and Megatron. However, there’s also pushback in the other direction from long-term fans who are willing to give the movie a shot, and don’t feel that “Transformers mythology” has ever been an endeavor worth taking all too seriously. That sentiment is evidenced by their clever meme game:
Nonetheless, I can picture die-hard Transformers viewers having mixed feelings about this project and whether it’ll fulfill their tastes as fans. However, the writing is pretty much on the wall here, as Transformers One looks to be Paramount’s attempt to reinvent the franchise while appealing to newer, younger audiences, some of which may be first-time viewers of the property. Prior to San Diego Comic-Con, our best glimpse at whether this new approach will work has been the official trailer:
Man, they’re laying the humor on thick. The movie looks watchable, although not must-see. While the animation is somewhat slick and colorful, the overall presentation would probably remind you more of a Nickelodeon cartoon show rather than a feature film in theaters. As for the story, going back to before this cast of characters had the ability to transform can be somewhat interesting. Overall though, considering the plot and the cast they chose for this, it’s clear that this is more aimed at kids who may be uninitiated with Transformers, and thus this origin serves as an introduction that explains this world. While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with aiming this project towards kids, I can also see why some long-term fans may feel a story like this just isn’t worth their time.
Regardless, the film has trucked along, attempting to convince audiences that this is a new vision worth investing in. That includes all the pageantry that comes with San Diego Comic-Con. The film’s panel in Hall H was your typical SDCC fare, including dramatic introductions:
Insights into the cast’s creative process:
As well as a sit-down with Entertainment Weekly:
It’s interesting in this interview that Hemsworth is aware of the delicate balance in tone the movie must strive for. The fans want action, but there’s also the age-old challenge of incorporating the humor in an adequate way. Said humor, of course, being a key part in attracting families and younger viewers. Hemsworth’s bit about slowly morphing into a performance that’s more reminiscent of Cullen’s portrayal is also intriguing; he certainly doesn’t need to mimic Cullen at all. But it seems the filmmakers want to establish that this Optimus Prime (or, uhh, Orion Pax) is very different at the start of this story, but may have some of the cadence in speech we associate with the character towards the end of the story.
We’ll see if, in practice, that’s actually the journey the voice performance goes on. Often, press tours can show that a production is feeling pressure to both establish the new creative directions while simultaneously promising familiar elements that will appeal to die-hard fans. And to reiterate, Cullen’s shadow doesn’t need to be an influence on the performance at all, but it will be interesting to see if what’s being sold on the press tour is actually present in the final product; have an honest, healthy relationship with your fan base, whoever that may be.
But the biggest piece of new material that San Diego Comic-Con has provided is the release of Trailer 2:
I could see this being a worthy final trailer, if the studio chooses to go that route, and one that does a better job than its predecessor at showcasing the film’s action scenes. After all, the biggest appeal of this property is seeing colorful metallic Gods go Rock ’em Sock ’em Robots on each other. The humor is dialed back here, although we can anticipate they’ll be closer to a 50/50 balance between comedy and action in the final cut. The key is rather or not those jokes land and if they avoid cutting the tension too much. But so far, the jokes we’ve seen have been a little rough and bland, certainly trailing the unique writing in another Paramount animated film – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem (2023).
With that said, I sincerely hope the internet can be sane & rational (LOL!) about this, avoiding any toxic gatekeeping in favor of just giving an honest assessment on if the movie is well made, or not. It will be an uphill climb regardless because the creative direction is still relatively new for Transformers movies. That includes the blocky animation, which does admittedly show potential in the brief action setpieces we’ve seen but may not be visually interesting when the characters are just standing around and talking. Overall, if I happen to catch this movie, I’ll go in with an open mind, but will still prepare myself for a movie that has shown signs of chasing trends established by other franchises, which explains why the trailers thus far feel somewhat formulaic. But that’s how media evolves sometimes; either it adapts successfully, or it proves to be obsolete and you can move on with your lives.
Transformers One hits theaters everywhere on September 20, 2024.
