DVD Corner

Transformers One 4K UHD Steelbook Review

“Transformers One” should have been a bigger hit. 

Written by Eric Pearson, Andrew Barrer, and Gabriel Ferrari, “Transformers One” is a CGI animated origin story about Optimus Prime and Megatron. Set on Cybertron, the story revolves around Orion Pax (later known as Optimus Prime) and D-16 (pre-Megatron). The two work as Energon miners and do not yet have the ability to transform, but they both have big dreams. When the two encounter a distress call from Prime Alpha Trion, they go on a quest to investigate only to discover dark secrets about the absence of Primes, the villainous Quintessons, and Cybertron’s ruler Sentinel Prime. They also encounter the High Guard (a group that rebels against Sentinel Prime). Realizing things are not as they should be, Orion Pax and D-16 start a revolution, but the two find themselves on different paths which leads to a confrontation.

Prior to release, the marketing made “Transformers One” look like a joke filled buddy comedy. To say it was entirely misleading is an understatement as this animated feature is exactly what Transformers fans have been wanting to see. Sadly, moviegoers burned out on live-action TF films didn’t show up to this one and, as a result, it underperformed at the box office. Those that did see it (including hardcore Transformers fans) rallied behind it with many calling it the best TF film. While “Bumblebee” still stands as my personal favorite, this is still a top tier TF film to be sure.

There’s no doubt “Transformers One” brought forth a lot of skepticism. An origin story about a young Optimus Prime and Megatron WITHOUT Peter Cullen voicing Optimus? It seemed like a risky move, but luckily director Josh Cooley more than delivered. Yes, one can argue this is an exposition heavy “The Matrix” esque story in which Megatron’s turn is a bit forced and rushed, but at its core, this is very much a beautifully animated character centric TF film with an immense amount of world building. Fans of the TF universe will be especially pleased to see a thriving Cybertron while also seeing the heartfelt and ultimately tragic friendship between Optimus and Megatron erode. Of course, there’s plenty of easter eggs and a host of other bot appearances from Bumblebee to Starscream. On top of that, this movie is massive in scale. We get to see plenty of bot action without having to worry about human characters bogging down the story ala the live-action films.

As mentioned above, Peter Cullen does not voice Orion/Optimus here. Instead, Chris Hemsworth does. He fits right in and does an especially fine job at capturing both Orion and Optimus. Likewise, Brian Tyree Henry is superb as D-16/Megatron as is Scarlett Johansson as Elita-1. The most inspired casting here is Steve Buscemi as Starscream. It’s pitch perfect.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 2160p. How does it look? From the colorful Iacon city to the shine of the bots, this 4K disc provides a perfect transfer.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? Transformers films always deliver incredibly immersive audio experiences and “Transformers One” is no exception. 
Extras:
* Digital copy and Blu-ray copy
* “In The Beginning”- A general rundown of the plot of this origin story.
* “World Building On Cybertron”- A featurette on the visual design of Cybertron.
* “Together As One”- A behind-the-scenes look at the voice cast.
* “The Iacon 5000” covers the big race in the film.
* “The Battle For Cybertron” is all about the climactic battle.

December 16, 2024 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | animation, Chris Hemsworth, Megatron, Optimus Prime, Transformers One, Transformers One 4K UHD Steelbook Review