![The Red Right Hand Movie Reviews [Matthew Stogdon]](https://reviews.theredrighthand.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/cropped-header1.png)
Director
Josh Cooley
Starring
Chris Hemsworth
Brian Tyree Henry
Scarlett Johansson
Keegan-Michael Key
Jon Hamm
Before the events of every other Transformers film to date, the planet of Cybertron was divided into two socio-economic tiers: those with transforming cogs who patrol the dangerous surface of the planet looking for the lost matrix of leadership (led by Sentinel Prime [Hamm]) and cogless miner bots who harvest the sparse energon resources to fuel these expeditions. One such miner, Orion Pax [Hemsworth], is determined to find the matrix himself and help in any way he can. But, of course, that’s above his station – and his bold actions often get him and his friend D-16 [Henry] in constant trouble. While being punished for their latest stunt, the pair are united with the eccentric B-127 [Key] and uncover a map to the matrix’s possible location. But this requires a trip to the forbidden surface, along with all the danger and surprise revelations that it will bring.
For the last three decades, fans have been asking for one specific thing: a big screen Transformers film that doesn’t have the human characters pulling centre-focus. Obviously, based on the mammoth box office return of the live-action Michael Bay movies, the evidence is stacked to the contrary. And it was only at the end of that run, where we got Bumblebee – easily the best crafted movie in the entire franchise. But, much like Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse or TMNT: Mutant Mayhem, when an animated feature was announced, there was scepticism. Which was enhanced tenfold when early marketing material and trailers were released. But, underneath that, Transformers One actually forges a path for a new audience rather than cannibalising what came before, while still tipping its cap to longtime fans of the series. In essence, doing the impossible by making Transformers new, funny, refreshing, thrilling, heartfelt, and direct.
A big step to achieving this was putting Cooley in charge: a Pixar veteran and the director of Toy Story 4. Now, I’m not saying this movie looks, flows or operates at the heights of a Pixar release but it injects those simple, character-driven storytelling devices that help audiences really latch on to these familiar characters. And, when paired with some well choreographed action, Brian Tyler’s Jablonsky-reminiscent score, and subtle references that are planted more like genuine Easter eggs than slaps to the face (even short dialogue exchanges like “you don’t have the touch or the power” is going to have people fist-pumping), you end up with a feature that is decently crafted, engaging, and appealing to both new and established audiences.
But in order to truly accept this movie, you need to get past the casting choices. There’s such fondness for the portrayals that have come before, that to insert big names like Hemsworth and Johansson will ruffle feathers. But to dismiss it because of that is a mistake. Audiences are used to the raspy, pure-evil Megatron and the heroic, unwavering Optimus Prime; and while these clear-cut personalities work for a Saturday morning cartoon, they lack the depth and nuance that this stage affords them. As such, we’re given personalities that humanise these characters in a way that could admittedly initially be considered an excess. But once you get over the “Hemsworth doesn’t sound like Cullen” frostiness, it quickly becomes apparent that the core attributes of why you like these individuals are deeply rooted here. More so, in fact, for the tragedy of seeing the downfall of a friendship.
In a sense, Transformers One pulls an X-Men: First Class, illustrating how two friends are driven apart by their conflicting methods for combatting some very relatable themes of social inequality. One driven by mercy, the other by vengeance. It’s such a simple conceit and yet it is the strongest element to the whole film and repaints the entirety of how you view this franchise. No longer an uncomplicated story of good vs evil, but a schism between oppressed peoples and how they believe the future of their race should best be achieved.
Some will say these micro-adjustments aren’t enough to get them back to the franchise, that the levels of comedy take the film too far from an entertaining feature, that Elita-1 (who I haven’t mentioned much here) is underdeveloped, and that the developments are too rigid and rushed. But I’d counter that by highlighting that the movie is simply straightforward in its execution. The usual stack of overly convoluted subplots and complications are substituted for coherent explicitness that, frankly, feels both overdue and harks back to the undemanding manageability of the 80s cartoon. The most immediate issue doesn’t actually stem from the film itself, but from the fact this movie has been poorly marketed as a comedy rather than a genuinely engaging adventure piece. And the last time audiences were handed a good Transformers film, they slept on it. I have to hope that won’t happen again this time because we deserve to see these iterations grow and develop over time.
Release Date:
11 October 2024
The Scene To Look Out For:
**spoilers within**
For a tight 100 minute feature, there are plenty of great set-pieces and surprisingly amusing moments. But for so many viewers, our leads being kidnapped by the former High Guard to the Primes is going to stand out. Not only because it introduces plenty of familiar characters, but because we see a distinct parting of ways between Orion Pax and D-16. And Starscream. Obviously. Perfectly presented and portrayed.
Notable Characters:
Transformers One does a great job of showing how a bold misfit rises to the challenge of being a good leader. And in that sense, Orion Pax’s evolution and arc are fantastic. But that pales in comparison to D-16’s journey to Megatron. With each encounter, revelation, and scene, his eyes shift from yellow to amber to red and you see the frustrations take hold. To the blunt point of no return where D-16 is fully gone and only Megatron remains with a cold and irreversible “I’m done saving you.” And none of that would not be possible without the exceptional escalation and (more importantly) affability of Brian Tyree Henry. The man is such an underrated talent and even in the simplest of roles, injects such a weight and depth to them.
Highlighted Quote:
“I want him to suffer and die in darkness. But it doesn’t matter what I want.”
In A Few Words:
“An honestly unexpected instalment in a weary franchise that stands as a prime example of the powers of great characterisation and simple storytelling.”
Total Score: 4/5
