Review by Isaiah Ridley: 'Transformers One' is exciting adventure

"Transformers One" is an animated film focusing on the origins of the alien robots before their never-ending battle on their home planet Cybertron. Prequel stories centered on iconic characters are always a haphazard approach in my eyes. I have always believed leaving certain details intentionally ambiguous adds more of a unique perspective to the story itself.

Explaining the reason a certain character is a villain or a hero simply eliminates the nature of wonderment, particularly when it comes to the antagonist. My immediate reaction upon watching the trailer for "Transformers One" was complete apathy. I felt the feature from my point of view appeared to focus too much on the humor element, its animation gave off a childish visual style, and the overall designs paled in comparison to the 1986 animated feature film. There was a strong internal debate as to whether it was worth the viewing considering "Transformers: The Movie" (1986) is categorically the best Transformers adaptation from my childhood.

Overall, my expectations for "Transformers One" were at a low level to the point of being prepared to accept that it would not impress me in the slightest. The story begins with Orion Pax/Optimus Prime and D-16/Megatron working as miners on Cybertron. Both aspire to reach a purpose in their existence instead of living daily with the constant reminders of becoming stagnant. Both Optimus and Megatron find a message offering answers about their Cybertronian heritage, placing them on an unexpected, dangerous and traumatic adventure which changes the landscape of Cybertron forever.

Two significant changes involve Chris Hemsworth voicing Optimus Prime and Brian Tyree Henry portraying Megatron. What I appreciated about their performance is how neither of them went out of their way attempting to outshine Peter Cullen or Frank Welker. The original voices of Prime and Megatron are simply irreplaceable. No one and nothing will replicate the resonating emotional, authentic and realistic magic both legendary voice actors brought to these iconic characters.

Hemsworth added his own flavor with his natural comedic timing and perfect ability of blending naivety as Prime gradually grows into the leader we remember from the animated series. Henry's representation of Megatron beautifully captures the essence of what will eventually mold him into becoming leader of the Decepticons. Listening to Hemsworth and Henry bounce their respective dialogues off one another with passion and believability was an oratory treat.

A serious complaint I had about previous "Transformers" live-action adaptations was the primary focus being on the human characters. Being able to watch a film where the alien robots are front and center was a massive breath of fresh air, especially knowing there are no human characters slowing down the development as the story progresses on Cybertron. I understand why a full-scale animated approach for these stories is better and more realistic. What is impossible to render live-action wise is more possible with an animated approach.

What makes this presentation special is the gradual shift in what eventually separates Prime and Megatron into their respective roles. The audience from the beginning is bonding with them and understanding both sides of their argument. Being able to find reason and emotionally relate to the antagonist is confirmation of experiencing fantastic writing.

Admittedly there is a huge part of me holding a soft spot for the guilty pleasure of Michael Bay's "Transformers" films. He managed to successfully bring to life what was impossible at that time despite polarizing reviews ranging from mixed to negative. However, what was amazing was for the first time knowing which Autobot and Decepticon was which. Bay's adaptation offered a rendering of a complete metallic mess during the action sequences. I found myself becoming dizzy attempting to decipher what was happening on screen.

"Transformers One" offers the absolute perfect element of amazing and innovative action sequences with the battles. Words cannot accurately describe how refreshing, beautiful and majestic the feeling was watching the Autobots and Decepticons battle without the moment falling into a messy visual fest. The only way to provide an honest analysis for the action is how it had me reliving my childhood from the '80s.

As of recent years, blockbuster action-adventure stories have had difficulties balancing the concepts of humor and serious emotional developments. For example, past films exhibited powerful and impactful scenes intended for authentic emotions from the audience. Instead, that specific scene loses the intended impact with the added humor thrown into the mix. Director Josh Cooley found the perfect balance with combining elements of humor and allowing the serious, emotional, dark moments to captivate the audience. The last series that successfully captured that balance was the original "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

I can say without any strict hesitation that this is quite possibly my favorite "Transformers" film of all time. This exceeded my severely low expectations, and I am glad I gave it a chance, rather than writing it off completely.

Parents who grew up watching the animated series will find absolute enjoyment, and it is great for children, too. I can see this film having strong legs in the box office with its continued positive word of mouth. An exciting and inspirational adventure from beginning to end. My verdict is a 10/10 and two-thumbs-up reaction. Highly recommended. There is an important scene after the credits worth waiting for as well.

To watch Isaiah Ridley's movie reviews online, find him @Izzy's Cinematic Escape on YouTube.