Review: “Transformers: Robots in Disguise” Two-Part Pilot EpisodeBy
QBKiller94“Transformers: Robots in Disguise” draws upon several of its predecessors while carving out a unique place in Hasbro’s animated lineup thanks to a striking art style, talented voice cast and promising plot lines.
“Transformers: RID” made its North American debut with a private screening at the TriBeCa Theater in New York City on Saturday. I watched the two-part pilot with my 5-year-old daughter without commercial breaks in a small theater with about 60 fans of all ages.
The pilot opens up on Cybertron with two Autobots racing down a path together -- a familiar scene for fans of the original G1 series. Bumblebee, brilliantly voiced by Will Friedle, is a veteran street cop accompanied by the young and inexperienced Strongarm. An indeterminate number of years have passed since the events of “Transformers Prime.” Optimus Prime is dead and it appears the war is over.
While Optimus is no longer leading the Autobots, his presence is felt throughout the pilot and marked physically by a giant memorial statue on Seibertron. Bumblebee sees Optimus in a vision during the apprehension of the law-breaking Sideswipe near the former Autobot leader’s memorial. The message from Optimus is loud and clear – Bumblebee must return to Earth.
The scene shifts to Earth where a boy named Rusty laments living in a salvage yard with his father, Denny. Denny is a nostalgic collector, a hoarder of things others have grown tired of and he’s not keen on throwing any of it out. It’s a subtle wink at seasoned Transformers collectors, for sure. Rusty yearns for life in the nearby city to take him away from the boring salvage yard. Rusty is a plucky, rebellious kid and Denny is a laid-back dreamer who provides comic relief. Thankfully, neither one detracts from the action of the pilot episode.
Things pick up when an Autobot prison ship crash lands in a wooded area near Denny’s salvage yard shortly before Bumblebee, Strongarm and Sideswipe arrive on Earth. Hundreds of deadly Decepticons have escaped and they’ve got to be recaptured.
On Earth, the Autobots team up with the Minicon Fixit and Grimlock, whose back story is given a fresh new spin. Grimlock, like some of the other characters, is a mash up of several previously seen Transformers personality. Grimlock, voiced by Khary Payton, is a combination of his G1 namesake and “Transformers Animated” Bulkhead. He’s massive, dumb and super kid-friendly.
Bumblebee is the reluctant leader of the group and it’s clear early on that his maturation and growth in that role is going to be one of the overarching story lines for this series.
“Entourage” actress Constance Zimmer voices Strongarm, the young, by-the-book cadet who’s eager to jump into the action despite Bumblebee’s constant coddling. She’s peppy and green as grass, basically the complete opposite of Arcee’s role in “Transformers Prime.” Sideswipe is aimed squarely at the preteen crowd. He’s a cross between “Transformers Prime” Smokescreen and Ted Theodore Logan. The diminutive Fixit rounds out the crew. He stammers and stutters comically, which makes you wonder how he ended up being in charge of a prison ship full of the universes most dangerous Decepticons in the first place.
“Do you know who I am? I’m Underbite, the Chompazoid who devoured Nuon City!” “Transformers RID” is set up for the Autobots to embark on endless missions to hunt down these escaped cons and if the rest of them are as colorful as Underbite, then we’re in for fun ride. Underbite is a Chompazoid who is incredibly proud of his strength, which grows each time he chomps down on some metal. Undrebyte flexes, preens and exclaims: “Feel the burn!” just as you’d expect an arrogant muscle head from Venice Beach or the Jersey Shore to. Underbite is a hefty Decepticon who gives the Autobots all they can handle all the while looking for validation of his past misdeeds.
The art style for “Transformers: RID” has a strong anime vibe to it with a bright color pallet to give it a softer feel than “Transformers Prime.” It’s a mix of CGI characters and painted backgrounds that works well on screen. The action scenes are animated with skill and each characters transformation is expertly executed. There is a scene where Sideswipe saves Rusty while transforming that is reminiscent of one of the more famous live action movie scenes. There’s hope that we may get some of the cinematic quality action sequences that “Transformers Prime” made common place.
Overall, it’s clear “Transformers: RID” is aiming for a younger demo graphic, but it succeeds in both entertaining the under-10 crowd and having enough meat to keep parents and older fans engaged. The pilot episode does an excellent job of setting the stage for the series with well-written characters, laugh-out-loud moments and a solid plot foundation. If you’re looking for it to be as weighty as “Transformers Prime,” then you may be disappointed. However, if you can get past the tonal change you’ll be treated to a host of original characters and a fresh new voyage into the Transformers universe.
