TRANSFORMERS ONE

The film takes us back to before Optimus Prime (Chris Hemsworth, 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga', 'Thor' franchise) and Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry, 'Bullet Train', 'Eternals') were enemies and follows their friendship on Cybertron. Along with Elita-One (Scarlett Johansson, 'Fly Me to the Moon', 'Black Widow') and Bumblebee (Keegan-Michael Key, 'Wonka', 'The Super Mario Bros. Movie'), the four unexpectedly team up to learn the truth about their home planet in a journey that will see their friendship transform.

'Transformers: One' is what this is franchise needed. It's full of life, stunning animation and exciting action sequences. For any origin story about two arch-enemies who were once friends, the story manages to stay incredibly fresh and engaging. The live-action films strayed too far away from the target audience, forgetting the toys were created for kids! 'Transformers: One' brings the franchise back to its core demographic while still appealing to the die-hard fans. This is a family film bursting at the seams with colour and just unapologetic fun. The final battle sequence is such a high-octane blast that even if you aren't a die-hard fan, you'll still enjoy the ride.

The film draws comparisons to 'X-Men: First Class', and both films have similar problems with their friends-to-enemies arc. The turn of Megatron here does feel a little rushed, and while the beats are there to understand what caused him to turn evil it comes across very fast and could have been fleshed out more.

'Transformers: One' takes the franchise back to its animated roots and makes for one of the most energetic and colourful 'Transformers' films. It's the perfect reset the film series needed, and is sure to bring in new fans while still having fan service for the biggest devotees.