studiokairoro

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birthday gift for my sister’s 19th

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Transformers One Movie Review

RATING: 8/10

General thoughts: I am not a Transformers fan by any stretch of the imagination, and my knowledge starts and ends with the Michael Bay movies that I , but this movie was a wonderful introduction to the story of Optimus Prime and Megatron. I was incredibly invested with their friendship, and even though I knew how the story would end, when it finally transpired, it was no less devastating. To see two best friends divided by ideology kept me up for hours that night after leaving the cinemas. I need a second movie so badly, I beg you all to please go to the cinemas and watch the movie.

Notable thoughts (Spoilers mentioned):

Animation: The animation was spectacular. This is the most that I have seen 3D utilised to its absolute potential. The texture of the Cybertronians, the Quintessons and the Quintesson ships were incredible. The landscapes were brilliant and I felt so immersed in this world that I had no knowledge of. I also really loved the unique look of the deer-like creatures roaming on the Cybertron surface world. Their ‘ears’ glowing red at the sense of impending danger from the Quintesson ship was a masterful touch. In a similar vein, the positioning of characters in a shot was done exceptionally well. At no point did it feel like something was missing or someone was out of place.

Megatron/D-16: Even though Optimus Prime/Orion Pax was the main character of the movie, I felt that D-16 stole the show. His character arc was so fascinating to see the faithful worshipper of Sentinel Prime to a disillusioned, betrayed fighter dedicated to revenge. Brian Tyree Henry really made this character his own and the blinding rage in his voice sent goosebumps over my skin. The revelation of Sentinel Prime as the ultimate traitor to his people destroyed D-16 ten times over than Orion Pax, Elita-1 and Bumblebee combined because he was so completely devoted to Sentinel’s words. With that stripped away, what did any of that toil he put himself through mean? Nothing. It’s crushing though, when he stands up to Sentinel Prime and says that he has nothing to lose. What about his best friend, Orion? D-16was everything to Orion, but what was Orion to D-16? Even at the end, Optimus’ heart still bleeds for Megatron, even after what he has done. With hindsight, I can say that Megatron was correct in killing Sentinel Prime. Unfortunately, there is no peacefully dealing with someone like that. To leave him alive would be to only symbolically change things, and Iacon needed real change. However, Megatron’s bloodlust could not be quenched and though I disagree with Optimus’ equating of Megatron and Sentinel Prime’s actions, Megatron’s rule would have eclipsed Sentinel’s evil in sheer brutality.

Favourite scene: My favourite scene is most definitely towards the end when D-16 is trying to kill Sentinel Prime and Orion tries to stop him, but in doing so, he is mortally wounded. The climax comes when Orion hangs over the mouth of the void, grounded only by D-16. D-16’s confliction boils over- revenge or his friend? In the end, he makes his choice to become a worshipper of violence and bloodshed, and he lets Orion fall to his assumed death in a moment of violent divergence. The next three minutes are a brilliant display of birth. No words are spoken, only wonderfully dramatic music covers two parallel events: The fall of Orion into Cybertron’s core and D-16’s predator hunt for a wounded Sentinel Prime who cowers away in awesome fear. There is no stopping D-16 as he battles through Sentinel’s remaining guard and lifts Sentinel high into the air above a crowd and rips him into two. D-16 has died, Megatron is born the moment he rips Sentinel Prime’s stolen core out of his chest and places it into his own. At the same time this occurs, Orion’s broken body falls into the arms of the Original Primes and of his God. He is born with the help of the mystical Matrix of Leadership into what we know as Optimus Prime.

Other thoughts:

I noticed in the movie the use of the terms ‘arise’ and ‘rise up’ and how each term is attached to the Autobot and Decepticon groups. Though the terms are essentially the same, the connotations of each term can give another layer to the conflict. Optimus Prime uses the term ‘arise’ and when he is being reborn he is told to ‘arise.’ The definition of arise is to ‘emerge’ or ‘start to happen; exist.’ It suggests something natural, such as the assumption that every person (or Cybertronian) has the right to autonomy, or something peaceful. Optimus Prime in this movie chooses the role of a peacemaker, someone who seeks lawful justice and to unite his people. The term ‘rise up’ which Megatron chants out to his crowd of followers after defeating Starscreen and Sentinel Prime respectively invokes a sense of force or purpose. What is occurring is not natural and requires effort to ‘rise up.’ Effort and sometimes violence, which Megatron preaches. Aggressive force to overturn the system that Sentinel Prime has put in place. Not that this changes things, the use of these terms runs concurrent to the ideas that each group is trying to convey.

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na fuck that *completely redoes essay*