The untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron, better known as sworn enemies, but who once were friends bonded like brothers who changed the fate of Cybertron forever.
Oh, Transformers, you’ve done it again—taken a beloved 1980s toy commercial, slapped on some nostalgia, added a few big-name stars, and poof, you’ve got “Transformers One”! Let me just start by saying that the origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron is basically Cain and Abel meets The Odd Couple—except instead of feuding over dirty dishes, they're throwing planets at each other. And before we dive in, yes, Chris Hemsworth voices Optimus Prime. Which, of course, means half the time I expected Thor to come barreling in wielding Mjolnir, shouting something like, "Cybertron, ASSEMBLE!" But we’ll get to that. Spoiler: He doesn’t. Well, not exactly.
Let’s talk plot first. Because, shocker, there is one. This isn’t just two hours of ‘pew-pew’ lasers and robots punching each other (although there is a very satisfying amount of that). No, this is the untold origin story of Optimus Prime and Megatron before they were mortal enemies. Picture it: two young bots, bonded like brothers, just trying to save Cybertron—until one of them gets a little too power-hungry. You’ve seen it before, I know, but somehow this has a bit more...metal.
Now, let’s get one thing straight: The voice cast is absolutely stacked. You’ve got Chris Hemsworth as Optimus—he’s noble, he’s self-sacrificing, he’s longing for something greater. No, I’m not talking about Thor...again, although you could be forgiven. Then there’s Brian Tyree Henry as Megatron. The man knows how to voice a villain, though I have to say, his descent into evil felt quicker than my decision to quit the gym two weeks into a membership. There’s a bitterness there, but it feels like we needed more. His arc could’ve used a little more fuel, but instead, it’s like he woke up one morning, stubs his toe, and suddenly wants to obliterate entire galaxies. We’ve all had bad days, but this is a bit much, Megs.
And then there’s Scarlett Johansson as Elita-One. Look, she’s great, but I’ve got some thoughts. Why is it that while the male robots are out here tripping over their own gears, Elita comes in like she’s been reading Sun Tzu’s The Art of War since day one? She’s flawless, which, don't get me wrong, I love a good powerful female character—but can we mix it up a little? She’s so perfect that the only way she fails is because, surprise, surprise, the bumbling male bots screw everything up. Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.
But speaking of voices, let’s play a game of “Guess Who’s Talking” because, half the time, I wasn’t listening to Optimus or Megatron. I was listening to Thor and Paper Boi (shout out to Atlanta fans) going at it. It’s a little distracting when your animated robots sound like Avengers on their day off. And don’t even get me started on Keegan-Michael Key as B-127—I could not, for the life of me, stop hearing A-A-Ron from that iconic Key & Peele skit. It was both delightful and disorienting, which pretty much sums up the movie.
But hey, this is a kids’ movie, right? Wrong. Sure, there’s plenty of kid-friendly pew-pew and robo-jokes, but for the grown-ups? Strap in for some emotional therapy disguised as robot drama. The movie takes a turn into dark territory as Megatron’s bitterness grows, and for a while, I thought, “Wait, is this a Pixar movie?” because it got real deep, real fast. It does eventually rise back up, like a phoenix from the ashes—or, more accurately, like a shiny red truck from a scrapyard. But be warned, it dips into some heavy territory that I wasn’t quite ready for with my popcorn in hand.
Now, as for the nostalgia factor, this film doesn’t disappoint. There are Easter eggs galore. Hardcore Transformers fans will geek out over every nod to the original series, from Megatron’s original name, D-16 (because nothing says “menacing villain” like a serial number), to a cheeky reference to The Touch from Transformers: The Movie (1986). And if you don’t get these references, don’t worry. You’ll still enjoy the movie. But for us 80s kids? This was like a warm blanket of childhood comfort...with a side of exploding planets.
Okay, let’s get to what I didn’t like because, as with any cinematic buffet, there are a few stale dishes. First off, some of the dialogue—yikes. It felt like it was aimed more at TikTok-loving Gen Zers than at moving the story forward. I get it, you’ve got to appeal to the kids these days, but some lines were just... cringe. Megatron’s descent into villainy? Way too fast, like I said. He goes from best-bot-buddy to full-blown tyrant in the span of about 15 minutes, and honestly, I needed more reasoning for that level of psychopathy. Like, did someone steal his parking spot? Was there a backstory about his childhood pet bot dying? Give me something, anything. We’re supposed to believe both Optimus and Megatron went through the same experiences, but only Megatron decides to go all “destroy everything”? Bit of a plot hole there.
Overall, Transformers One feels like a Gen Z version of Transformers. It’s shiny, it’s fast, it’s loaded with quick-hit humor and flashy battles. But for those of us who grew up watching the original series, there’s a depth to this world that isn’t quite explored to its full potential. Still, it’s a solid ride. And despite some bumps along the way, the movie does manage to pull itself back from the brink of darkness. Plus, the nostalgia hits hard, and who doesn’t love that?
Ranking? I’m giving this one a solid 7.5/10. It’s fun, it’s emotional, it’s nostalgic—but it’s also got its flaws. If you’re a die-hard fan, you’ll enjoy it. If you’re new to the Transformers universe, you’ll probably have a good time, too. Just don’t expect Shakespearean depth in the character arcs.
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