Transformers Prime is one of those reboots that I was skeptical of at first, but came to really like once I started watching it. I think a big part of that has to do with the voices of Prime and Megatron being so familar from Gen 1. Anyway, the series is doing very well for Hasbro and while eager fans wait for new episodes, One Shall Stand offers fans a great way to enjoy seven of the best episodes so far. These episodes are all intertwined and on this release, they’re merged into one long movie.
The story revolves heavily around the series stars, including Megatron, Optimus, and Jack. That said, the supporting cast of Arcee, Ratchet, Airachnid, and Soundwave, and others, get lots of airtime as well. Even Starscream stirs things up for a while. Main story elements include Optimus deciding to stop Megatron once and for all, erupting into a one-on-one battle for the ages. One of the series’ strongest attributes is being able to blend character-driven drama and development alongside raw action. There’s plenty of both on display in One Shall Stand, including a temporary truce between Megatron and the Autobots while they figure out how to tackle the mighty Unicron. In the process, Optimus Prime gives up the Matrix and losses his memory — an opportunity the Decepticons try to take full advantage of in convincing Optimus he’s with them.
One Shall Stand runs about two and a half hours, maybe too long for the younger viewers to do in one stint but the quality of the writing and animation certainly wouldn’t be to blame. One Shall stand maintains a potent pace and balance that makes it captivating and enjoyable. There are enough quality plot developments and the overall production is strong enough that I could see watching this again down the road as well.
On DVD, One Shall Stand is presented in widescreen and looks quite good. A 5.1 Audio track compliments the video nicely. There are a pair of extra features to round out the release as well, including “A Look Back At One Shall Stand” with Jeff Kline, Duane Capizzi, and Steven Melching, which runs about twelve minutes. There is also a twenty-two minute Animatics feature, which is basically a storyboard with the audio playing alongside the rough animations — good stuff.