Netflix’s brand new animated show centering on the Transformers, War for Cybertron- Siege, premiered this week. Separated into three singular arcs, Siege is the first among the trilogy with the final two acts- Earthrise and Kingdom coming very soon.
Now, the Transformers have been around for quite a long time, over three decades in fact, and it is hard not to feel as though they are losing their potency. With multiple movies in the works and a myriad of animated shows floating around, how could Transformers: War for Cybertron be any different?
Well, here is the good news. War for Cybertron proves that the Transformers still have a spark and that there is plenty of material out there. One of the best things about this series is that we get to see a lot of Cybertron. That was one of the massive drawbacks of the live action movies, including Bumblebee. We didn’t have that opportunity to dive into what life was like on Cybertron. Particularly during the war between the Autobots and Decepticons. Thanks to Siege, these first six episodes do a fantastic job at exploring not only Cybertron, but also the different factions.
Let’s jump into it.
Let’s start with the animation. Since it is an animated show, the visual aesthetics are pretty important and Siege was able to attain this odd balance between being visually outstanding and static. The overall layout of Cybertron offers a detailed dystopian look that some aren’t used to. We are able to see how the war has ruined their home and how it has impacted the Transformers, both good and bad. When it comes to the characters, the designs are spot on. All of your favourite Transformers resemble their G1 look, of course with slight differences here and there.
The details are there and you are hit with a flood of nostalgia when you see your favourite Transformer. Even more so when it is a Transformer that never had the luxury of popularity and screen time. What’s more is that you can’t help but smile when you see a character transform and hear that iconic sound from the 1984 series. Priceless.
Optimus Prime back in action
3D animation is a risky form to go for. However, it is utilized brilliantly. The intense air chases are fantastic and the overall look of the show is exactly what you would want. They nailed it. But, apart from the air pursuits, the rest of it is pretty static and boring. The first arc covers a lot of the Transformers mythology as well as jumping from character to character. So there is a lot of talking and a noticeable lack of action. Across the six episodes there are quite a few little skirmishes, the problem with them is that not a lot happens in them. The Transformers stand still and shoot each other and sometimes punch each other. That is the extent of the action sequences.
Considering how good the 3D animation looks, it’s a shame that the conflict wasn’t quite there. Does it diminish the experience? sort of. The first arc is dealing with a lot of other components which make up for the lack of action. But when we tuned it, we really were expecting more.
In terms of negative things to take away from Transformers: War for Cybertron- Siege, that is honestly pretty much it. I felt there were a few inconsistencies with shots. In one shot something would begin to happen and then in the next shot that particular thing has already happened. In addition to that, a lot of the background Transformers are just copy and paste models. Perhaps that is nitpicking. I was also torn when it came to some of the voice work. For a majority of the time is was great but I have mixed feelings when it comes to Optimus Prime who was voiced by Jake Foushee. It’s hard hearing Prime when he isn’t being voiced by the legendary Peter Cullen. Having said that, Foushee did a great job. However, there were cracks in his performance particularly when Prime voiced any anger.
One of the strongest things to take away from this Transformers adventure is how well the characters are portrayed. There are a few differences here and there in terms of character origins but they are developed really well- especially Bumblebee. I think what this series did was blur the lines between the Autobots and Decepticons. Both factions are at their limits and both cross lines. When you look at Megatron, he hasn’t quite become the big bad that we all recognize. In fact, when Megatron is presented with an option to easily wipe out the Autobots he reflects on it instead of jumping to it immediately.
On the other end of the spectrum, Optimus Prime isn’t quite the leader we want him to be. Some of his comrades doubt his choices and some just abandon the cause all together. That’s an interesting dynamic to present us with considering Optimus usually evokes the heroic characteristics that have followed him since the beginning. However, there is a slight struggle to allow all the Transformers to properly flourish. We’re dealing with quite a large ensemble of characters and not all of them have the opportunity to show their work.
Elita-1 and Bumblebee
While Megatron and Optimus Prime are, of course, the center of attention it is actually Bumblebee who shines the most. Without giving too much away, Bumblebee hasn’t yet chosen a side. He tries his best to remain neutral during the war. Considering how we all envision Bumblebee, that’s a very interesting stance to take. But it’s a great tool that is used to explore how the war isn’t just good vs bad. There is this little grey area. Out of all the characters, Bumblebee has the most development and they take his character in a new direction that is very exciting. It is a shame that not all characters had the same luxury, but with two more arcs remaining we could get more development for certain characters.
Chapter 1 ends in a fairly satisfying way. There is a decent set up ready for the next chapter but again the closing battle wasn’t enough to give it a fully satisfying end. As a prequel, we’re not really given enough information as to how the conflict started but we are given hints. Hopefully the relationship between Megatron and Optimus is explored more in the following chapters. Their history runs deep but it would be great to explore it in this new format, especially with the slight changes. They have an opportunity to spice things up without completely altering the rivalry between Optimus and Megatron.
Transformers: War for Cybertron gets off to a decent start with only a few drawbacks. Chapter 1 is incredibly engaging due to the in-depth exploration of Cybertron’s architecture and mythology. While the action isn’t quite what it needs to be the overall look is fantastic. A combination of the visuals, nostalgic sounds, and a new glimpse into life on Cybertron makes for a great take on an already established universe. While a majority of us would already know the history of the Transformers, this series adds enough to keep things exciting. In order to have attained a well-rounded opening, War for Cybertron really needed to slow down and focus more on the characters.
What did you think of Transformers: War for Cybetron- Siege? Let us know in the comments. This new take on the Transformers can be enjoyed on Netflix now.
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