It seems like it was just yesterday that Black Girl Nerds was at CinemaCon in Las Vegas for Paramount’s presentation featuring Transformers One. Not only were we treated to a 10-minute clip from the flick, we were given 3-D glasses to enjoy it up close and personal. Five months later, the upcoming release has fans geeked, marking the first animated film from the franchise since The Transformers: The Movie back in 1986. Directed by Josh Cooley, the voice cast is led by Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Keegan Michael-Key. It doesn’t stop there, as the supporting talent is just as big, including Jon Hamm, Laurence Fishburne, and Steve Buscemi.
Transformers One explores the untold origin story of Optimus Prime (Hemsworth) and Megatron (Tyree-Henry), known to be sworn enemies with different principles. We are taken on a journey through brotherhood as the two once fought for a common goal side by side until things changed, ultimately altering the fate of Cybertron forever. Hemsworth steps in to replace the long-time voice of Optimus Prime, Peter Cullen.
BGN got a chance to interview the cast back in July at San Diego Comic-Con and when asked about filling Cullen’s shoes, Hemsworth said, “I didn’t speak to Peter Cullen but initially, I got the phone call and I was a little nervous about trying to follow what he had done… Then my kids said, ‘You have to do it, you have to do it!’” His kiddos were right because he delivered his own spin on the character, offering a more comedic personality. The decision to utilize an American accent over his Aussie one worked to isolate this role from association with that of Thor.
We’re used to Bumblebee not having a voice, thus opting for song lyrics and movie clips to express what he wants to say. Keegan Michael-Key not only gave Bee a voice, but his approach has the character be known to talk TOO much. It’s kind of an ironic nod to lead viewers to go, “Oh, maybe that’s why they shut him up.” While there are quite a bit of funny moments, Michael-Key is behind most of them, with a notable laugh-out-loud reference to his “Substitute Teacher” skit from Key and Peele (trust me, you can’t miss it). It’s without a doubt that Mad TV alum has made quite a name for himself, as he is always a fan favorite in any project he is cast in (some even argued he outshined Timotheé Chalamet in Wonka last December). This would mark the second time Cooley and Michael-Key have worked together, as they teamed up previously for Toy Story 4.
The impressive stand-out of Transformers One is without a doubt Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron. He is no stranger to voice acting as he hopped on people’s radar in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and kept the same energy in the sequel. Not only is he a talented actor, but he conveys emotions extremely well, taking Megatron to a whole different level. His character development journey is ultimately the main piece to the conflict of the film. Watching Henry go from portraying a fun, lovable buddy ol’ pal of a miner (transformers without transforming abilities) to a ruthless villain through his voice-acting skills is brilliant. He is truly an underrated talent within this industry and he deserves his flowers now and forever.
What was an underwhelming aspect of the film was Scarlett Johansson. While she exemplified a strong female role, truthfully, the project wouldn’t have been impacted positively or negatively if she was swapped out for any other actress in Hollywood. There were so many things to love about Transformers One that you forget she’s even part of the cast (especially when she has been noticeably absent from the press run while she is currently on location filming what we assume to be Jurassic World Rebirth). Looking back at it, if her character had been removed completely, it wouldn’t have been detrimental as she didn’t contribute to the film. It could even be said that she was possibly added to the bill just to avoid having an all-male cast. At some points, the dialogue between Johansson’s Elita and Hemsworth’s Optimus could easily have been distracting given their past work as Thor and Black Widow (again, great choice to suppress the Aussie accent).
Cooley crafted a beautiful visual experience that you can’t peel your eyes away from. Optimus Prime is the definition of inspirational, and Hemsworth delivered that message as he effortlessly embodied a leader. The third act was nonstop action with a score that complimented the tone. With so many sequences that pop out at you, it feels like it’ll be best seen in 3D.
I was pleasantly surprised at how each element of Transformers One was incredibly well done. It’s a great depiction of the cartoons and toys we grew up with as kids and now a whole new generation gets to experience the franchise in animated form. The potential for future installments is without question, as there’s so much more story worth unveiling. It’s a fun flick for kids with a deeper message that will resonate with people of all ages: always do the right thing while staying true to yourself no matter what.
Transformers One premieres in theaters September 14, 2024.