ANI-MOVIES, *Transformers One

Despite the cringy initial trailers, Transformers One turned out to be a decent enough addition to the entire Energon Universe, or at least for one that supposedly is connected to the established live-action movie franchise. Paramount Pictures released this full-length animated film that wasn't done by Dreamworks or Nickelodeon, so whether this might be one of the first of Paramount Animation's new line-up is yet to be seen since their prior film of Under The Boardwalk came out last year. Former Pixar animator Josh Cooley directed this new crack at the robots in disguise which was of course meant to sell more toys even though it honors the traditional lore that has been developed over the last four decades. The animation itself is all CGI as the entire film takes place on an alien world filled with robots, and the art deco design really works for the chrome plated commandos.

Set on the planet of Cybertron millions of years ago, the world is inhabited by sentient lifeforms in robotic bodies. The Cybertronians were created by a mechanical space god called Primus so massive he turned into the very planet of Cybertron, and the beings that spawned from this were known as Transformers. Their forefathers were the Primes that used the Matrix of Leadership, an item of great power that was like their holy grail. An invasion of the Quintesson forces have plagued the Transformers as their current leader Sentinel Prime has been looking for the Matrix after the Primes went missing after a battle. To maintain life, several Transformers were created without the special cogs they need in order to transform to act as miners to tap the planet's main resource, an energy called Energon. Two of these miners are Orion Pax and D-16 who toil their days away hoping to be something more than just cogless worker drones. They get the attention of Sentinel Prime after nearly winning a race wearing only jet packs, but are left to be forgotten by the bully officer Darkwing(what an "original" name)in a garbage sub-level with the overly chatty B-127. The three of them come across a chip holding the last distress call by Alpha Trion, one of the only remaning Primes, so they grab their former superior Elita-1 and set out to find the last stand of the Primes. Their quest leads them to a cave where the corpses of all the Primes aside from the dormant body of Alpha Trion and tells them they were all betrayed by Sentinel who made a deal with the Quintessons so he would be in charge if he lured the Primes into their trap. Orion and pals get their own cogs from the deceased Primes and make their escape as the cave is attacked by Sentinel's troops, even though they are captured by the surviving High Guard who assisted the Primes. D beats up the High Guard's leader Starscream and takes over just as Sentinel's forces capture most of them. Orion, Elita, and the leftover High Guard gather the miners and other Cybertronians to expose Sentinel's scheme. D plans on killing Sentinel, but Orion gets in the way and is nearly shot to death. D lets Orion fall into the planet where the spirit of Primus changes him into Optimus Prime. D finally slays Sentinel and proclaims himself Megatron after inserting the cog of former Prime Megatronus into himself. Optimus arrives and the former friends have the first of many battles which the peaceful Transformers winning. Optimus casts Megatron and all his supporters out of their capitol city where they become the Decepticons, while Optimus along with Elita and B form the Autobots waiting for the next attack by the Quintessons.

Transformers One could have been the beginning of a possible new line up, but parent company Hasbro stated they wouldn't financially support any further Transformers projects by Paramount, so unless the major studio is willing to pay the whole bill for any future installments there doesn't seem to be any plans for a sequel. There is the matter of having the main cast being composed largely with non-voice actors which doesn't help as there's been several different people performing Optimus and Megatron but replacing them with A-List celebrities is a trend that doesn't hinder this film overall. Chris Hemsworth is worthy enough to play Optimus, Brian Tyree Henry brings Megatron's pent-up rage, but Scarlett Johansson is flat as Elita-1, and Keegan-Michael Key's annoying take on Bumblebee would have even Deadpool telling him to shut-up. Some hardcore purists might have problems with the changes made to the lore, but altogether this remake checks enough boxes to fit it in the annals of acceptable Transformers history.