The Energon Pub

[Sabrblade]

Just saw it tonight. Two thumbs up for me.

[Whifflefire]

I went to see the early screening today. I can confirm that this is a really good Transformers movie, and just a good movie. It's very character driven, which was something the live action movies lacked due to the medium. This film does a great job of presenting the motivations and conflicts of the main cast. It's very easy to sympathize with Orion Pax and D-16.
This version of events is distinct from previous iterations, but takes just enough cues from established lore that it still resonates with how we long-time fans (or at least me!) feel the story is supposed to go. No aspect of this movie feels out of place or foreign.
Tonally, it rests on an admirable balance of accessible-to-kids and appreciable-to-adults. Other people in the theater, child and adult alike, laughed and gasped at the same parts.

I really liked the film, and I think it will have a positive impact on the perception of the franchise on the general public. It may even be the greatest movie of the year. Or maybe the decade.This will be a culture-shaping moment that will impact the philosophies of the coming years. When people of the future think back on the year 2024, they will remember that Donald Trump was shot and Transformers One graced our cinemas. This film will likely break the record for highest-grossing film of all time, soaring past Endgame and Titanic. This film could spawn a whole franchise that will last 40 years.

[Novus]

Crap. THat's not a good sign. If the critics like it, that usually means the fans and general public won't.

What are you talking about? I could name you dozens, probably even hundreds of examples where thats not the case. And tbh i trust critics more than I trust the general public

[Sabrblade]

The way I see it, after seeing the movie for myself, the fans most likely to dislike this movie are those who feel strongly that The Transformers should be only ever be one particular way that should never be deviated from in their minds. Those with more open minds who are more accepting of different versions and different interpretations should easily be able to find this movie enjoyable.

This movie is one big love letter to the brand, paying much respect to the past 40 years of history while also trying to do its own original take on familiar ground. Without spoiling anything, let's just say I was pleasantly that a lot of my personal predictions about the movie's plot were proven incorrect, as it's a lot less similar to the specifics of the Aligned backstory lore than the trailers initially made it appear to be. The broadest of broad strokes are similar of course, but so much of this movie's plot was either completely new or given a new spin.

[Glyph]

I'm encouraged by the broadly good reception to the film among reviewers and fans who've seen it, but I must admit I don't get attaching much importance to the few negative reviews (especially on genre sites that, AFAIK, don't drive much public viewing choice). I'll only look at the broad trend, and maybe a few people whose tastes historically seem to be similar to mine if I'm on the fence. People can just... like what they like because it worked for them, or not? Lit-crit of why it's a good movie or otherwise can wait for afterwards.

All of which said, I'm looking forward to checking it out when it finally gets to the UK.

[-Kanrabat-]

The way I see it, after seeing the movie for myself, the fans most likely to dislike this movie are those who feel strongly that The Transformers should be only ever be one particular way that should never be deviated from in their minds. Those with more open minds who are more accepting of different versions and different interpretations should easily be able to find this movie enjoyable.

I wasn't around when the original Bay 2007 movie was revealed and released. (I came back to the fandom only after ROTF.)

The shitshow in the forums must have been GLORIOUS.

[Glyph]

It was something, and didn't help that there was a lot of edgy beefing-with-the-Don-Murphy-forum going on in the fandom.

[william-james88]

The way I see it, after seeing the movie for myself, the fans most likely to dislike this movie are those who feel strongly that The Transformers should be only ever be one particular way that should never be deviated from in their minds. Those with more open minds who are more accepting of different versions and different interpretations should easily be able to find this movie enjoyable.

I wasn't around when the original Bay 2007 movie was revealed and released. (I came back to the fandom only after ROTF.)

The shitshow in the forums must have been GLORIOUS.

lol, it was. It even got to the point that the owner of this site banned one of the producers.

[william-james88]

Well Transformers One was finally seen by a slew of fans this week-end thanks to early screenings and here is our review for the film.

It is very tough to assess if this is the best Transformers film. We have the 86 film which was literally as G1 as it can get, if you want to go by a purist standpoint. We have Bumblebee, which was a very well made film on a smaller scale and we had the 2007 Michael Bay film which did an amazing job at showing the potential of the Transformers franchise on the big screen, focusing on scale and spectacle.

Now we have Transformers One which gives us "EVERTHING" (said in the style of Gary Oldman from Leon The Professional). So does that make it the best film? Maybe the best Transformers film? Well definitely the MOST Transformers film.

If people wanted a whole film that was like the beginning of the Bumblebee movie, this is not far from it. The art style is a bit different, but aside from that your wishes come true. And it's even more brutal and violent than that Bumblebee opening. You know what, I'll say this: Transformers One is as brutal and violent as any Michael Bay film. The big difference here though is that those responsible for the brutality are the villains and not Optimus Prime.

Overall, the second trailer gives you a good idea of what is to be expected in the film, with a progression of D-16 and Orion Pax starting as miners and then ending up "evolving" twice in the film to finally end up as Megatron and Optimus Prime. And that is both a positive and a negative.

Positive-wise, it means the film accomplishes its mission of telling an origin story for not just these characters but for their factions too within just one hour and a half. Negative-wise, it means a lot of story beats are rushed. Optimus goes from a guy who doesn't really respect the rules to the Optimus Prime we know in a few days while Megatron also goes through a significant change in parallel. So take that as you wish. I personally would have wanted more time spent on this, but I also recognize how efficient the story telling is to convey all this in a short movie for all ages.

The conflict at hand was presented in a new way and is probably the best aspect of the movie. The writers found a very clever way for Orion Pax' and D-16's views and outlooks on their world to be completely changed and it's in how they react to these revelations that we see how they go on different paths, which are familiar to any Transformers fans. It's almost maddening how this "kids film" is more mature, lore heavy, and has more depth than any of the live action films.

I mention Orion Pax and D-16 a lot because the movie really does revolve around them. Bumblebee and Elita are more one dimensional but to be faire though, we've never had two compelling character arcs in a Transformers movie ever. And while less main, Bumblebee and Elita are a fine addition to the mix. Believe it or not, Bumblebee's more humoristic personality is explained as a product of his environment and the "Badassitron" line actually has a payoff. Generally, I didn't care for the humour but it didn't take away any enjoyment of the film for me; you could easily move on from what didn't land. I also want to mention Jon Hamm's Sentinel Prime who was an excellent version of the character and the bot that surprised me most. Oh and Steve Buscemi as Starscream worked well, even though he doesn't change his voice much.

In terms of animation, this is peak Transformers. I really loved seeing the characters use their alt modes as part of their fighting styles and specific moves, like converting just some parts to use them offensively and then converting back. As a longtime Transformers fan, this was a beauty to behold.

Speaking more about the plot and characters would dive into spoiler territory so I will end the review here by saying that this is a great Transformers film, probably the best, and I encourage all Transformers fans to give it a watch.

It gets 4 golden Rodimus stickers out of 5. While great overall there were some story beats that were too rushed for me, especially in the third act, and I felt that did take away some enjoyment.





We thank Supreme Convoy for the thumbnail

[-Kanrabat-]

The way I see it, after seeing the movie for myself, the fans most likely to dislike this movie are those who feel strongly that The Transformers should be only ever be one particular way that should never be deviated from in their minds. Those with more open minds who are more accepting of different versions and different interpretations should easily be able to find this movie enjoyable.

I wasn't around when the original Bay 2007 movie was revealed and released. (I came back to the fandom only after ROTF.)

The shitshow in the forums must have been GLORIOUS.

lol, it was. It even got to the point that the owner of this site banned one of the producers.

Oh God, too bad I missed it.

[Supreme Convoy]

I thought Transformers One was fun!

I was basically that Rick Dalton meme throughout the movie.

[william-james88]

I thought Transformers One was fun!

I was basically that Rick Dalton meme throughout the movie.

Amazing, using that for the review cover.

[Blastback]

I'm liking what I'm hearing, er reading. Looking foward to seeing it.

And which producer was banned? Was it Murphy?

[Sabrblade]

The way I see it, after seeing the movie for myself, the fans most likely to dislike this movie are those who feel strongly that The Transformers should be only ever be one particular way that should never be deviated from in their minds. Those with more open minds who are more accepting of different versions and different interpretations should easily be able to find this movie enjoyable.

I wasn't around when the original Bay 2007 movie was revealed and released. (I came back to the fandom only after ROTF.)

The shitshow in the forums must have been GLORIOUS.

lol, it was. It even got to the point that the owner of this site banned one of the producers.

Oh God, too bad I missed it.

You ever read the initial reactions to Beast Wars that people had on ATT back in 1996? Madness. Absolute madness. And even throughout the show's run did some still whine that it wasn't like G1. Even when Starscream guest-starred and the Ark was found, it still wasn't enough for these people.

Combing through old ATT posts, I found one where the user was asking why Rhinox brought Optimus Primal back to life in "Coming of the Fuzors" instead of bringing back the spark of a G1 Autobot like Optimus Prime or Ironhide. Like, seriously? Why wouldn't Rhinox want to bring back one of his best friends? This person really was so hellbent on seeing more G1 characters come back in Beast Wars that he'd rather the show had forsaken its lead protagonist in favor of GEEWUN fan service.

And then there were the outlandish initial reactions (or "overreactions") to Beast Machines, which still continue to crop up every now and then to this day.

[Blastback]

The way I see it, after seeing the movie for myself, the fans most likely to dislike this movie are those who feel strongly that The Transformers should be only ever be one particular way that should never be deviated from in their minds. Those with more open minds who are more accepting of different versions and different interpretations should easily be able to find this movie enjoyable.

I wasn't around when the original Bay 2007 movie was revealed and released. (I came back to the fandom only after ROTF.)

The shitshow in the forums must have been GLORIOUS.

lol, it was. It even got to the point that the owner of this site banned one of the producers.

Oh God, too bad I missed it.

You ever read the initial reactions to Beast Wars that people had on ATT back in 1996? Madness. Absolute madness. And even throughout the show's run did some still whine that it wasn't like G1. Even when Starscream guest-starred and the Ark was found, it still wasn't enough for these people.

Combing through old ATT posts, I found one where the user was asking why Rhinox brought Optimus Primal back to life in "Coming of the Fuzors" instead of bringing back the spark of a G1 Autobot like Optimus Prime or Ironhide. Like, seriously? Why wouldn't Rhinox want to bring back one of his best friends? This person really was so hellbent on seeing more G1 characters come back in Beast Wars that he'd rather the show had forsaken its lead protagonist in favor of GEEWUN fan service.

And then there were the outlandish initial reactions (or "overreactions") to Beast Machines, which still continue to crop up every now and then to this day.

Some of that stuff is wild. I get not liking something, and certainly you have a right to critisise, (I didn't like the way Beast Machines handled Rhinox for example) but yeah. LIke the whole thing where people insist that that one writer said real hero's don't use guns, despite the fact that that's not what he said. Madness.

[-Kanrabat-]

And then there were the outlandish initial reactions (or "overreactions") to Beast Machines, which still continue to crop up every now and then to this day.

As a casual fan, I was already used to the concept of multiple universes in TF for some time when I finally watched BW.

I found Beast Machines so bizarre and unnatural. Especially because for some reasons, the captured Megatron instantly conquered and transformed Cybertron so quickly and radically. As a direct sequel to Beast Wars, Beast Machines simply does not work.
But as its own closed universe, any and all plot holes become non-existent and everything works.

WFC already did some multiverse storytelling (I still have top see it( but I really want to see a series where Classic G1 bots meet and clashes with their Bayverse counterparts. And I mean the first trilogy Bayverse.

[Sabrblade]

WFC already did some multiverse storytelling

Wait, what?

[-Kanrabat-]

WFC already did some multiverse storytelling

Wait, what?

"G1" and BW got mixed in the same universe, or rather, the same time period.
It's not really "multiverse", but it's kinda it.

A genuine "multiverse" story would be if Legacy got an anime.

[Sabrblade]

WFC already did some multiverse storytelling

Wait, what?

"G1" and BW got mixed in the same universe, or rather, the same time period.
It's not really "multiverse", but it's kinda it.

That was just time travel, just like in the old Beast Wars cartoon.

[SkyFire Prime]

Half way through, I already knew this was the greatest Transformers experience ever.

[Sabrblade]

So, the trailers (and the movie itself, duh) showed what looked to be TF: Prime-styled Vehicons among the many background individuals seen in the movie. However, it turns out that they are not called "Vehicons" after all. This tweet from Blokees reveals what their actual name is:

https://twitter.com/BlokeesOfficial/status/1835505030201586162



They're "Death Trackers".

[cloudballoon]

Appreciates the non-spoilery review, william-james88. I look forward to this one. I think I haven't looked forward to a TF movie as much as TF:1 since '07.

'86 will still be the most beloved of TF media, nothing can unseat my love for the voice casts and hand-drawn animation. But if TF:1 can unseat BBM & '07 for either #2/3, I couldn't be happier. Right off the bat I thought TF:1 was the right direction to take the franchise forward. With animation as the "bread and better" main events and standalone "character spotlight" movies like the BBM as supplemental side projects ( think Star Wars Sequels & the Rouge One/Solo movies as parallel).

I'm not even looking at '86 with rose-colored glasses of nostalgia. I didn't grow up with much access to G1 TV (and had 2 toys: Grimlock & Slag) & never saw the '86 movie until the 30th anniversary DVD came out. the '07 Bay movie was the came back to the franchise point and sinced I catch up on everything except the Japenese ones (thanks, YouTube, Tubi & Netflix... er... maybe not Netflix, LOL) for TV shows (still going through IDW, no access to Marvel/Dreamwave on the comics).

[-Kanrabat-]

WFC already did some multiverse storytelling

Wait, what?

"G1" and BW got mixed in the same universe, or rather, the same time period.
It's not really "multiverse", but it's kinda it.

That was just time travel, just like in the old Beast Wars cartoon.

Oh?
Because inside the cover of a Siege Select set (Space trooper or something) there was a map of all the planets and the "Beast planet" was one of them.

It is semantics but when one is travelling through space at ludicrous speed, they also time-travel. It's science.

[ScottyP]

4.5/5 feels right. I might have gone with 4, but this is fine. It was a fun movie and imo, did its job of being a kids movie extremely well.

The score and music have like 2 or 3 short cool parts and are otherwise entirely forgettable. To be fair to Brian Tyler, he was probably asked to make a score of Generic Drama Strings, but it feels like a missed opportunity to elevate a good movie even further. The end credits song was easily the most memorable thing.

Since it isn't on the internet for me to validate my ears, was the music during Alpha Trion's exposition dump about the Primes a riff on Jablonsky's score from RotF? It sounded familiar but this isn't an area where I trust myself to be correct.

[william-james88]

4.5/5 feels right. I might have gone with 4, but this is fine. It was a fun movie and imo, did its job of being a kids movie extremely well.

The score and music have like 2 or 3 short cool parts and are otherwise entirely forgettable. To be fair to Brian Tyler, he was probably asked to make a score of Generic Drama Strings, but it feels like a missed opportunity to elevate a good movie even further. The end credits song was easily the most memorable thing.

Since it isn't on the internet for me to validate my ears, was the music during Alpha Trion's exposition dump about the Primes a riff on Jablonsky's score from RotF? It sounded familiar but this isn't an area where I trust myself to be correct.

Yeah I was between 4 and 4.5. The score was definitely weak, I agree, nothing too memorable. People say they heard the score from the Prime show but I didn't. And I didn't hear Jablonksy score, but to be fair the only thing I think I'd recognize would be his Arrival track.

I'm liking what I'm hearing, er reading. Looking foward to seeing it.

And which producer was banned? Was it Murphy?

I think so, but am not 100% sure. This was before my time here.