The Transformers are back on the big screen. It’s only been a little over a year since we last saw them — but this time, things look a little different.
While in the past the Transformers movies have been live-action, “superhero” type films known to target older teens and adults, the franchise has decided to go a different route with “Transformers One.” “Transformers One” is an animated film telling the origin of the Autobots and the Decepticons — setting up the story of how Optimus Prime and Megatron went from best friends to bitter rivals. Josh Cooley — known for directing “Toy Story 4,” screenwriting “Inside Out” and voice acting for other Pixar projects — directs a star-studded cast featuring Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Bryan Tyree Henry and Keegan-Michael Key.
What audience is Hasbro — the company that first introduced the world to Transformers toys — targeting? Knowing the history of the franchise, is transforming to animation a cash grab?
This is not the first time that Transformers has been animated, as the original media surrounding the toy line was an animated show from the 80s. Since the original “Transformers,” there have been countless other animated adaptations for TV. In 2007, Cartoon Network produced “Transformers: Animated,” which ran for three seasons and performed well.
“Transformers One,” however, marks the first animated feature film since “Transformers: The Movie” in 1986. It may be that, in making “Transformers One” animated, Hasbro has decided to appeal to the nostalgia of the franchise for the age group that grew up watching the animated show, also appealing to new youth audiences who do not have an animated version to call their own.
On the other hand, the live-action “Transformers” movies have had mixed reviews over the years. Critics are hard on the franchise, calling the movies nonsensical, but there are others who enjoy that side of the films. They may not be accepted as “good movies,” but the franchise is known for great action and better CGI than some movies that are put out today.
Overall, the live-action franchise has grossed $5.28 billion, proving that movies do not need to be good to make money.
With the success of live-action movies, is the transition to animation a cash grab? After reviewing the opening weekend box office numbers for each movie in the franchise, that may not be the case. With a budget of $75 million, “Transformers One” had the second lowest opening weekend box office for the franchise at $24.6 million. The lowest was the 2018 spin-off movie “Bumblebee” at $21.6 million, with the highest being the second installment of the franchise, “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” with $108.9 million back in 2009. While “Transformers One” may not be performing as expected, it still contributes to the successful family.
Within the telling of the Autobots and the Decepticons, “Transformers One” tells a story what it means to be “more than meets the eye.” Before they become Optimus Prime and Megatron, Orion Pax and D-16 are simple miners who couldn’t transform. Tired of living their lives in the mines, they are seeking to prove — to themselves and to everyone in Iacon City — that the ability to transform is not what defines them. When trouble arises at the film’s climax, Orion/Optimus — as he is famous for — gives a speech telling those to rise up and face evil, saying that you don’t have to be special to stand for what you care about as long as you stand together.
“Transformers One” does a great job at entertaining and drawing the audience in. Being an animated movie also provides more freedom to create visually striking moments and fluid fight scenes. The film takes advantage of being fun by providing comic relief after a tense moment. The visual and thematic symmetry is beautiful as Orion and D-16 are transformed into Optimus and Megatron, the screen splitting in half as each character rises to face their destiny: two best friends fighting each other for their beliefs, burning their bridges of brotherhood. Since it is a prequel, the audience knows that this is the only possible ending, but “Transformers One” still succeeds at moving viewers to either side.
The main reason people should go to the movies is to be entertained, and “Transformers One” does a great job of that. I went this past Tuesday and sat in prime seats with my popcorn bucket in my lap and Coke in hand. After watching the first three live-action movies this past weekend, the animation and light-heartedness — while still giving a moving story told from familiar voices — was a nice change of pace. While the change to animation may not be as much of a money maker for now with the movie’s “soft” box office opening, it is a great way to tell a story that is enjoyable for all ages. This change is not permanent — the franchise will be releasing a crossover movie with GI Joe in the coming years — but “Transformers One” left me excited for the future of the franchise.
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