I love Transformers. From having my mind blown at the first movie when I was four years old, to the toys and cartoons that came out after, and the recent Michael Bay movies that brought a new perspective on the series, I’ve always loved the idea of these alien robots that lived in our world hidden in plain sight. So when trailers for this new movie started coming out, I was initially worried that the movie would be too childish, or act as a a soft reboot, making the history of the franchise that I cared about irrelevant. But I’m happy to say that the new installment does very well, keeping the same ideas and nostalgia but adds a youthful energy that I really enjoyed.

“Transformers One” is a fresh new addition to the Transformers franchise that released in theaters on Sept. 20, that offers a vibrant and visually appealing take on the origin stories of the beloved Autobots and Decepticons. 

Directed by Josh Cooley, the animated film explores the early days of Optimus Prime and Megatron, back when they were brothers-in-arms on Cybertron, before the civil war that would change everything.

I believe the voice cast brings an exciting blend of new talent and opportunities. Chris Hemsworth voices a young Optimus Prime with surprising depth and charisma who becomes a leader, while Brian Tyree Henry’s Megatron captures the internal conflict of a leader torn between ideals.  Scarlett Johansson, as Elita, and Keegan-Michael Key as the young and hyperactive Bumblebee add a lot of energy and excitement to the story. The dynamic chemistry among the cast stands out, adding weight to the character-driven narrative. 

People on social media were upset that the original voice actor of Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen wasn’t returning to his role as the leader of the Autobots, but I feel like Chris Hemsworth delivered his role very well being young and having a lot of energy in his voice giving a new opportunity in the future. 

Visually, Transformers One strikes a perfect balance between nostalgia and modernity, combining a vibrant animation style within the characters. This film is a fully animated movie and is amazing in its presentation, through both the battles and calm moments. The overall experience was smooth and fast paced. The emotions of the characters are much more visible with the characters faces and body language, from eye colors to symbols as well as the actions they make. You can tell who the good and bad characters are before you even finish the movie.  

One thing that really surprised me was the humor the movie delivered. Most either thought it was going to be childish or have horrible jokes, and I thought the same. But the jokes ranged for all ages and had a very funny atmosphere, giving a nice place for everyone to laugh. The simple jokes were sometimes a nice break from the tense and heavy moments. Key in the role of Bumblebee was perfect for the young role being funny and almost childish at times. The laughter in the audience from kids to adults was a cherry on top. 

What I loved most was the story. From the beginning to the end, I was on the edge of my seat with each battle and interaction. Throughout the whole movie, the final battle was the best by a long shot, due to it acting as the buildup to all the dramatic tension and fighting leading up to it. I feel like the characters are younger in every sense physically and mentally. The beginning shows how the characters had their own jobs and duties before the major events that changed the world, Cybertron. 

I loved the turn of events at the end, showing the outcome and separation of the two sides. The twist of events with the characters is, in my opinion, almost perfect. The characters mature or become someone in the end that will shock you, with new characters and new problems that we were unaware of before. The evolution of the characters over time, with many having different names until after a significant moment, was really interesting. It helped me relate to the characters more. 

However, I did feel after the climax, the movie had a short and quick ending. The movie may leave some fans wanting more depth in its secondary characters, as some arcs feel underdeveloped given the rich lore of the Transformers universe. It wasn’t as bad as other movies, but it was still upsetting that there wasn’t much more after the final battle. It was a bittersweet ending for me, but  there was a pretty amazing after-credits scene that hints at future battles to come.

“Transformers One” is now in theaters.