Transformers One film review: Visuals are clunky and old fashioned – but it’s a fun reboot
TRANSFORMERS ONE
(PG), 104 mins
★★★☆☆
AS befits a franchise about shape-shifting robots, Transformers has had more alternate incarnations than anyone cares to remember.
And in the fortieth year since the original Eighties’ cartoon, we have yet another version.
It shares fan-favourite characters and story elements with predecessors but this is a rebooted universe, so you don’t need to have watched the originals or — mercifully — the patience-sapping live-action saga to enjoy this take by director Josh Cooley (Toy Story 4).
Serving up a mix of moralising and merchandising yes, it does frequently feel like it’s teeing things up to flog you some more plastic stuff this Christmas.
But the pacey origins animation is also pretty entertaining.
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Unpacking the roots of the rivalry between Optimus Prime and Megatron, ‘One’ finally reveals the reason the former pals became enemies and changed the course of planet Cybertron.
We see their relationship begin as best-buddy mining automatons, then titled Orion Pax (Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (Brian Tyree Henry).
Both lowly Metallics aspire to bigger things but a joyride in the annual Iacon 5k race to prove a point about their capabilities backfires and gets them banished to scrapheap-sifting duties.
Then our fist-bumping heroes embark on a mission to locate the missing Matrix of Leadership, where they uncover the unsavoury truth about corrupt current ruler Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm).
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The discovery that his idolised leader is a crook is the catalyst for D-16 to turn into red-eyed franchise villain.
In a graveyard of Primes, revived Alpha Trion (Laurence Fishburne) helps them undergo their glow-up into true transformers.
Our bots are now primary-coloured giants, with the power to change into cars. But their friendship is over.
A male-dominated cast is lightened by the inclusion of pithy, purple-hued Elita-1 (Scarlett Johansson).
And there is welcome humour from Bumblebee, nee B-12 (Keegan-Michael Key) as self-styled ‘Bad-Ass-a-tron’.
The explanation for the kind, thoughtful D-16’s personality change into the aggressive, destructive, evil-eyed Megatron is ultimately a bit woolly.
And visuals can look clunky and old fashioned.
But it’s fundamental Autobot versus Decepticons good fun — in disguise.
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SALEM’S LOT
(15) 114mins
★★★☆☆
STEPHEN King’s classic vampire novel, Salem’s Lot, has been given a terrifying – if disjointed – makeover.
Lewis Pullman stars as Ben Mears, a writer returning to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot to find it terrorised by a vampire.
Teaming up with new love interest Susan (Makenzie Leigh), amiable school teacher Matt (a fantastic turn by Bill Camp) and the town’s no nonsense doctor (Alfre Woodard), Ben fights to save Salem’s Lot from the evil forces of the undead.
The stunning visuals give a creepy 70s vibe and the film delivers some spine-chilling moments, including a tense basement scene and a nail-biting finale at a drive-in cinema.
However, pacing problems hold it back.
At times it really felt like entire chapters of the book were missing, making the plot feel rushed and incomplete.
While it might not be the best adaptation of one of King’s most loved novels, Salem’s Lot is a solid horror flick that manages to avoid the usual pitfalls of the genre.
It’s familiar King territory – creepy small town, sinister evil, and boneheaded locals – and fans will lap it up.
- By Linda Marric
TERRIFIER 3
(18) 125mins
★★★☆☆
DIRECTOR Damien Leone’s latest instalment in the Terrifier franchise delivers a gruesome Christmas horror experience with plenty of blood and gore.
The iconic and terrifying killer, Art the Clown (David Howard Thornton), returns to spread chaos, terror and a whole lot of festive fear.
Returning to face Art once again, Sienna Shaw (Lauren LaVera) is still haunted by the horrors of Terrifier 2.
As the festive season approaches, a showdown with her murderous nemesis seems inevitable.
Terrifier 3 is as nasty and blood-soaked as they come.
There’s nothing subtle or meaningful here, and fans of the cult franchise won’t expect anything less.
Leone makes each gruesome kill feel personal and impactful, always with a tongue firmly in cheek. It’s no secret the Terrifier franchise isn’t known for its complex plot or deep character development.
Those familiar with these films primarily come for the over-the-top gore, brutal kills and silly antics.
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With brilliantly crafted practical effects that hark back to horror’s Eighties heyday, Terrifier 3 does exactly what’s on the tin.
- By Linda Marric