🎬 #226 Optimum Optimus.
This week’s film harks back to one of my favourite films when I was 7 years old, which I've written about before. It’s a prequel, I suppose to that one, and is brought to the screen with a lightness of touch that is refreshing. Just a good ole bit of fun.
Ps I saw The Odyssey last night in IMAX and everyone should go see it in as big as screen as possible, it’s fantastic - but on with this week’s film.
Please enjoy
Bry
FILM: TRANSFORMERS ONE
2024
Dir Josh Cooley
1 hrs 40 mins
This film, as I mentioned in the intro, is just a really enjoyable, nice watch. And I use nice in a meaningful way, not just a throwaway, bland “nice” thing to say. It transports you back into that childlike state where you’re watching your favourite toys come to life. In this case, it’s a story about how the Transformers came to be, told through two best friends who work cogless in an Energon mine together which, if anyone remembers, is the fuel source for Transformers. Cogless in this world, in Cybertron, means that they don’t have the power to transform. It has the spirit of the 1980s film, but the humour is much more knowing and serves viewers who know a bit of the background and catchphrases associated with Transformers.
Of course, the design has moved on to bring more detail and a more developed look to the world of Cybertron. It’s intricately detailed and very beautiful to behold. People have noted that Cooley used the original animated film as reference, which you can see, but also took influence from the world of Dune, the series of novels. The voice performances are excellent. And because this is a story of a younger Optimus Prime, we don’t have the iconic Peter Cullen voice, but we do have Chris Hemsworth. Steve Buscemi also plays Starscream, which is a pleasure.
The humour is always very welcome, especially in a film like this. As I mentioned in the intro, it just has a lightness of touch and an ease about it that suits the form and suits the story. Obviously, because it’s more geared towards a younger audience, it has its lessons, but they’re light enough and woven into the fabric of the story that it never gets heavy. Plus, they’re good for kids to hear, but also for adults to rehear. It’s always welcome to have a refresher on how to do, or just approach, things the right way.
Sadly, the film underperformed at the box office, but if you have a Saturday afternoon free and the family are around, or if you just fancy a fun foray into the origins of the Transformers, I recommend checking it out