By 
UNITE OR FALL….
The Transformers live-action movie franchise has been somewhat of a “slippery slope” since it began back in 2007. Overseeing by director Michael Bay, the cinematic saga (based on Hasbro’s classic toys line of “robots in disguise”) has been called many things, including loud. bloated, slightly racist / stereotyping, nonsensical, too silly, repetitive, mindless, etc. However, despite these glaring problems, the films have never been boring, creating a big visual spectacle worthy of the very definition of what man would consider a classic summer “popcorn” blockbuster from Hollywood. The first film (2007’s Transformers), the first installment in the live-action franchise) was met with problematic scrutiny and criticism from both moviegoers and critics alike, but was still able to garnish the most positive acceptance from its viewers (of the entire film franchise no less) and did score big at the worldwide box office. Naturally, this prompted the studio hivemind to green light future installments, further continuing the adventures of the Autobots, the Decepticons, and their alien conflict on Earth. Unfortunately, after the success of the first film (setting the cinematic foundation for the large-scale sci-fi tale of giant alien robots with their war brought to Earth, the Transformers sequels (2009’s Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, 2011’s Transformers: Dark of the Moon, 2014’s Transformers: Age of Extinction, and 2017’s Transformers: The Last Knight) missed their mark, with series director Michael Bay helming each installment and ultimately pulling the saga down with his signature barrage of explosions, excessive action, and other senseless elements. Thus, the Transformers franchise has been “on the decline” of movie popularity, with many loosening interests in the cinematic series altogether. Even series director Michael Bay has lost interest in directing the franchise, stepping down the role and moving on to other projects and endeavors. Still, hope remains as 2018’s Bumblebee, a prequel spin-off project, proved that the franchise had life in it, especially since the movie had a more limited focus on characters and smaller scale narrative in scope. While that may sound a bit backwards for a blockbuster endeavor, Bumblebee succeeds with critics and moviegoers, enticing viewers for more Transformers movies. So, after five years since the release of Bumblebee, Paramount Pictures and director Steven Caple Jr. present the newest Transformers film with the release of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Does this blockbuster feature continue the trend of the last movie or is it another bloated endeavor that’s more noise than substance?
THE STORY
The year is 1994 and Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) is ex-military, who is trying to get a job to help pay for his younger brother’s, Kris (Dean Scott Vaquez), cancer treatments, coming up short on employment opportunities. Turning to petty car theft to make money, Noah unknowingly comes into contact with Mirage (Pete Davidson), an Autobot who has recently made contact by his leader, Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), when a mysterious signal of the Transwarp Key appears in the sky. The device is powerful relic that is capable of opening the paths through space and time, offering the Autobots that are stranded on Earth a chance to return to their home world of Cybertron. Also after the Key is the Terrorcon named Scourge (Peter Dinklage), who’s servant for the all-powerful Unicron (Colman Domingo), a massive machine that’s hungry for new planets, needing the Key to feed once more. Thrown into the mix is also Elena Wallace (Dominque Fishback), a young artifact researcher who unearths the key and who is suddenly thrusted into the middle of a fight, along with Noah, when Optimus and his Autobots battle for control of the device in New York City. Their journey to find the Transwarp Key’s location leads the group of heroes all the way to Peru, where they encounter the Maximals, with their leader Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman) and his cohorts ready to face Scourge and the coming onslaught of Unicron for a second time.
THE GOOD / THE BAD
Borrowing my words from my review of Bumblebee….as many of know (from reading my opening paragraph or just from your own movie viewing experience from the franchise itself), the Transformers movies have been somewhat of a paradoxical conundrum unto itself. What do I mean? Well, its own worst enemy, with director Michael Bay influencing the movie with his own “big, bang, boom” theatrical style (i.e. the Michael Bay Syndrome) as well as other nonsensical nuances that didn’t go over to well with critics and moviegoers. Although, the franchise (as a whole) has been financially successful at the box office, it’s really been on the downward spiral after the first Transformers movies. Growing up with Transformers in my childhood (from both the toys action figures and from the various cartoon series iterations), I was well versed in the Transformers brand, so I was pretty excited to see the first film (and still love it to this day). However, the sequels Transformers films, are less-than favorable in my eyes, with pretty much recycled ideas, bloated and excessive action sequences, childish / stupid scenes, and ultimately failing to be wholesomely entertaining (or engaging) as a cinematic blockbuster narrative. Personally, I still think that both Dark of the Moon (still can’t buy into Patrick Dempsey as a bad guy) and The Last Knight (totally confusing and haphazard) are my least favorite of these follow-up installments. That being said, some have called Revenge of the Fallen the worst or even Age of Extinction, so I guess it does vary from person to person what which Transformer sequel is the worst. Regardless, the Transformer film saga have lost interest with the mainstream crowd of moviegoers (and possible some of its fans), with this particular live-action franchise endeavor have grown less appealing and often regard as dumb, mindless popcorn flicks for cinematic series long after its expected lifecycle. However, I felt that 2018’s Bumblebee sort of brought back that particular interest in the cinematic franchise, with a more smaller yet focused narrative of story and characters brought into the forefront, which was fantastic. So, I guess there is still hopes for this giant alien robots series that continues to be “more than meets the eye”.
This, of course, brings me back around to talking about Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, a 2023 sci-fi action blockbuster and the seventh installment in the Transformers live-action film series, serving as both a standalone sequel to 2018’s Bumblebee and a prequel to 2007’s Transformers. Giving the success that was heaped upon Bumblebee, it was almost a forgone conclusion that another Transformers movie would be greenlit from Paramount / Hasbro, with the companies working on two separate films that eventually shaped into one movie (i.e. Rise of the Beasts). After that, I really didn’t hear much about the project, with probably the COVID-19 pandemic shunning the film from going into full production development. So, I sort of forgot about this project…. that was until the film’s marketing campaign began to appear online, including the movie trailer for the upcoming feature. From the preview alone, it looked to be a bit of a “return to form” in terms of Transformers movies, with a sprawling cast of good and bad giant robots and several human characters caught in the middle of it all. Of course, this was almost an inevitable maneuver as these productions couldn’t be more “smaller scaled” like Bumblebee and that the franchise would have to go back to a much larger narrative blockbuster endeavor. So, with the film’s trailer, it looked like it was going to be another big adventure with the Autobots making contact with the Maximal and fighting off a new enemy…. that doesn’t look to be Decepticons. Maybe the Predacons?
So, all in all, I was quite interested to see where Transformers: Rise of the Beasts would take this blockbuster franchise and was very much so looking forward to seeing it, which I did see during its opening weekend of June 9th, 2023. Unfortunately, due to my work schedule and getting a few other movie reviews pushed out before this one, I had delayed getting my review for this film for quite some time. Now, as I finally have some free time to talk about this movie, I am ready to share my personal thoughts on this latest Transformers project. And what did I think of it? Well, to be quite honest, I actually did like it. While I personally don’t think it toppled the first one or Bumblebee, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts still takes the series in a good direction, while staying true to some of the formula that made this blockbuster both famous and infamous. It has its flaws, but it is a better popcorn feature and overall improvement from The Last Knight….and that’s a good thing.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is directed by Steve Caple Jr., whose previous directorial works include such films as The Land and Creed II. Given the amount of success that he had with Creed II (a very prominent follow-up sequel of a popular franchise), Caple Jr. does seem like a suitable choice to helm a project like a Transformer feature; one that needs to “keep up appearances” of its large-scale blockbuster action, while also pushing forward in following the success of Bumblebee and doesn’t fall prey towards the negative criticisms that the latter Transformers movies drew upon. For his part, Caple Jr. certainly does a good job in helming this blockbuster endeavor, approaching the film with the same type of integrity and cinematic nuances one would expect not to try to alienate the fanbase of these films, yet also reigns in some of the more negative aspects that plagued most of the previous installments. This brings up the film’s action, which definitely delivers on that front and continues the Transformers mantra of plenty of stylish and dazzling CGI visuals to help build the blockbuster influences that many came to see. On that front, Caple Jr. succeeds in bringing forth such large-scale spectacle action to the feature, without becoming monotonous and / or tiresome like some of the previous endeavors in this franchise. The clashing of giant cyber warrior robots of different weaponry arsenals and tackling wrestling maneuvers are the stuff of childhood dreams of playing with these toys, which the movie does indeed excel at. This also includes the film’s third act / final battle brings that culmination together for quite an intense and visual entertaining piece that’s well-executed and choreography properly.
The story in Rise of the Beasts is also another good selling point of the feature. While not the most original, with the classic “MacGuffin” scenario playing out for the narrative’s plot, the story still manages to come out on top with a more central focus on what it wants to tell for its story. There are new characters to be introduced, new enemies to thwart, and new places to explore, with Caple Jr. juggling these particular aspects in a much better handled than what Michael Bay was able to do with his iterations of the giant alien robot brand. Plus, the introduction of the Maximals, being a separate group from the Autobots, was definitely interesting to see….and how the two groups fought alongside each other in the end. This also brings up the film’s pacing, which Caple Jr. finds a nice rhythm throughout the movie. With the exception of 2018’s Bumblebee, Rise of the Beats’s runtime, which is only 127 minutes (two hours and seven minutes) is considerable short when comparing to the more bloated and elongated predecessors to this feature. Thus, Caple Jr. keeps the movie moving at good standard pace and doesn’t get distracted to much on unnecessary side details, which keeps everything flowing correctly. Plus, unlike the Michael Bay films, Caple Jr. does keep the feature’s tone (and its characters) a bit more manageable and under control. Yes, the movie still has some of that inherit goofy humor that the live-action films are infamously known for, but its toned down and doesn’t have characters that become too grating and / or offensive.
Another good positive attribute that Caple Jr. does with Rise of the Beasts is to make the relationship between the Autobot Transformers and the human characters that accompany them on the film’s journey together. While this tack has always been threaded throughout all the movies in the franchise, the connection between giant alien robots and humans in this movie is indeed palpable, which was a bit lacking in the last main features (Age of Extinction and The Last Knight). Naturally, what I am talking about (for this project) is in the connection made between characters of Mirage and Noah Diaz, who act as the “beating heart” of the feature and helps build upon character growth within their respective characters. This is tethered together by their friendship, along with the other “good” characters and how they must “band together” to save the day. It’s definitely convenient for the movie series, but Caple Jr. does make the ratio of characters a bit smaller (for the most part) in Rise of the Beasts, which does help the narrative make a proper connection within the character interaction that (again) helps sells their own personal plights and their main goal of stopping the Scourge and the coming of Unicron. Thus, in turn, gives the movie the necessary emotion and depth when things go awry or at the pinnacle moments of determination. In the end, I think that Caple Jr. does a pretty good job in helming Rise of the Beasts, a film that speaks to inherent blockbuster formula of the franchise yet keeps a tighter focus on the narrative being told for a more refined direction within its cinematic presentation.
Speaking of its presentation, Rise of the Beasts definitely looks (and ultimately feels) like the rest of its franchise blockbuster pedigree and looks quite the eye-catching spectacle of large-scale visual proportions. As mentioned, the Transformers movies have been, for the most part, expansive globe-trotting endeavors, with the film’s story moving from exotic location to the next and making the narrative being told grandiose and the scale of the feature sprawling. Rise of the Beasts is no exception to that notion, with the film’s taking place in various locales from the urban streets of New York City to the natural lush forest landscape of Peru, the movie’s locations and vistas help build upon the film’s movie world as well as some of the more sci-fi / futuristic constructs and creations that the feature utilizes for its more blockbuster visuals. Thus, the picture’s “key players” in the behind scenes category, including Sean Haworth (production design), Louis Dandonneau, Brent David Mannon, Michael Nallan, and Ann Smart (set decorations), Ciara Whaley (costume designs), and the entire art direction team for their efforts in making Rise of the Beasts’s visual (practical) presentation look appealing and enticing throughout the entire film. This also extends to the visual effects department, with the CGI wizardry drumming up some great visual effect shots throughout the entire film, which includes some of the designs of the all the giant robot characters as well as the various action sequences that are spread here and there in the feature. This is definitely a visual blockbuster film and the visual presented in the production are top notch and well rendered. In addition, the cinematography work by Enrique Chediak is quite solid throughout, which gives the movie that extra “oomph” of heightened scenes of dramatic nuances and help builds upon the spectacle of the narrative. Lastly, the film’s score, which was composed by Jongnic Bontemps, does quite an impressive job in the movie, which helps build a lot of dramatic poise of cinematic action throughout the feature. It doesn’t quite reach excellence of Steve Jablonsky, who composed the music for five of the Transformers movies, but Bontemps definitely succeeds in does a solid job in his soundtrack capacity on this project.
While mostly a well-received blockbuster endeavor that does a better job at handling its large-scale sci-fi action and expansive cast than what was previously done in The Last Knight, Rise of the Beasts does have a fair share of problems that, while not derailing the project, does hold it back slightly of becoming the best in the franchise. How so? Well, for starters, the movie’s plot is a bit messy at times and doesn’t know exactly how to land its ideas the correct way. To be sure, the film’s narrative is likeable and adheres to the mantra mythos of the Transformers brand (i.e. giant robots fighting alongside human companions to stop other giant robots from an impending doom), so that’s definitely “on par” with what I was expecting from this latest installment. That being said, what’s presented does meander a little bit within its storytelling trajectory, with the plot’s path needs a bit more focused on certain new elements. Yes, there are still some more lighthearted moments that are offered up as “comedic levity”, but those can be a bit off-putting, especially in the Transformers. Those moments are still present in Rise of the Beasts, but there are a bit toned down, yet still coming off as mindless dribble in comedy angst that, while breaks up the gravitas seriousness of the story, sort of distracts. Plus, I found that actual plot of the movie (Scourge and Unicron and the Maximals), while a nice introduction to them all, could’ve been further developed in a few key areas. This perhaps derive from the film’s script, which was penned by Joby Harold, Darnell Metayer, Josh Peters, Erich Hoeber, and Jon Hoeber, especially when examining how many people had a hand in shaping the film’s narrative. Perhaps there were “too many cooks in the kitchen” and the script handling for Rise of the Beasts produced a rather good, yet unrefined into its plotting. If the script was tweaked and better held into focus (much like what Bumblebee did), I think that the movie could’ve been that much more.
Another problem that the film comes across is (again) another problem that most of the Transformers movies run into is trying to strike a proper balance between its characters and story. I think that the first Transformers movie (and maybe Bumblebee do to its limited characters) provided the right amount of balance between its various players. Of course, the human characters in the movie are small, so they get a good deal fleshed out correctly, but others like the Autobots and the Maximals…well….some of them get shortchanged. Heck, most of the Maximals characters are woefully underdeveloped and are only “physically” there for the latter half of the feature, with little to no personality. To me, it’s quite the shame because the film is supposed to be a bit more about the Maximals (i.e. Rise of the Beasts) and most of them get introduced in the second half of the feature and don’t really have much to do. I mean…. I like the inclusion in a Transformers movie, but it’s kind of a like how the Dinobots were introduced in Age of Extinction….nice to see in a live-action film, but not much to do.
The cast in Rise of the Beasts is atypical for a Transformers production, with several familiar names and recognizable talents that play both the human and Transformers themselves in both protagonist and antagonist roles. Like the movie itself, the characters are a bit broad and “large-than-life”, which certainly has been the case with most of the films in the series. This particular entry isn’t any different, which can be both a good and bad thing…..depending on how one looks at it. Leading the charge (of the humans) in the movie is actor Anthony Ramos, who plays the central protagonist character of Noah Diaz. Known for his roles in In the Heights, Hamilton, and A Star is Born, Ramos has certainly become a “rising star” over the past few years, appearing more and more projects that either places him in the central role or in a large supporting character. Thus, his involvement and overall participation in Rise of the Beasts lends the credibility towards Ramos’s talent as he makes the character relatable and likeable from the get-go. Ramos knows the right amount to make the character enjoyable and very animated with his expression by emoting surprise, comedic, and dramatic heart into his character. Like all archetypes heroes, the character can be examined as a very formulaic, which he is to a certain degree, but Ramos makes for a compelling representation as Noah. Overall, I felt that Ramos did a pretty good job as Noah and I felt was a better protagonist than Shia LaBeouf’s Sam was in the earlier installments.
Starring opposite to Ramos’s Noah is actress Dominque Fishback, who plays the co-lead character of Elena Wallace, a novice artifact researcher and intern at the museum where the Transwarp Key is first found. Known for her roles in The Hate U Give, Project Power, and Judas and the Black Messiah, Fishback, like Ramos, has slowly become more of a prominent actress in her career, which is why she won the part of Elena in this movie. That being said, I felt that Fishback was a bit of a miscast on this project. I have nothing wrong with the character herself, for I found Elena to be interesting and it was good to see a more “stronger” female character, much like Steinfeld’s Charlie Watson in Bumblebee. Unfortunately, I felt that Fishback was a bit awkward in playing the role and didn’t have believability as Elena. Plus, her on-screen chemistry with Ramos was a bit weak. So, while I did like Elena as a character in the film, I felt that Fishback was “meh” in the role.
The rest of the human cast, including actress Luna Lauren Velez (Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse and Oz) as Noah’s mother Breanna Diaz, actor Dean Scott Vazquez (In the Heights and 9 Bullets) as Noah’s younger brother Kris Diaz, actor Tobe Nwigwe (Mo and Rap Sh!t) as Noah’s thieving friend Reek, actress Sarah Stiles (Get Shorty and Unsane) as Elena’s boss at the museum Jillian Robinson, actress Leni Parker (Street Legal and 19-2) as hospital administrator Ms. Greene, actor Aidan Devine (A History of Violence and Outlander) as security chief named Bishop, actor Lucas Huarancca (who makes his debut in the film) as the descendant tribe leader that helped the Maximals for a centuries named Amaru, actor Michael Kelly (Generation Kill and House of Cards) as Agent Burke, and Lesley Stahl, who plays herself in the movie during a snippet 60 minutes cameo appearances, make up the rest of the supporting players. While some only have one or two scenes in the movie, most of the acting talent involved in these characters is quite solid across the board.
For the Autobots characters….none shines better and more heroic sounding the voice of actor Peter Cullen, who once again returns to reprise fan-favorite character of Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots on Earth. Cullen, who voices Autobot leader Optimus Prime for all the movies as well as almost the entire Transformers franchise (cartoon shows and all) continues to provides that he is Optimus Prime…. plain and simple. The strength, the leadership, and the central gravitas he has when his character monologues has always been a cinematic quality of palpable courage in the leader of the Autobots and Cullen continues (after all these years) clearly nails it every single time. This is clearly shown within his part in Rise of the Beasts, with Cullen easily sliding back in Optimus and its quite the steadfast presence whenever his voice is heard on screen. For his character in the movie, Optimus doesn’t really bring anything new of which we haven’t seeing previously before in the live-action features, which might not sound like a bad thing. He doesn’t trust humans so easily, he’s looking for a way to travel back home to Cybertron, and he faces down enemies that threaten the innocent. It’s the classic “noble hero” archetype and I personally don’t mind it within the character. In the end, the inclusion of Optimus in the movie is indeed a welcome one and Cullen continues to be central and almost pivotal point of interest for these Transformers pictures.
Behind Cullen, the character of Mirage, an Autobot spy who can project holograms and transforms into a silver-blue Porsche 964 Carrera RS 3.8, actually takes a bit more “centerstage” in the film and who is voiced by comedian actor Pete Davidson (The King of Staten Island and Bodies Bodies Bodies). Similar to how Bumblebee was an important part of the first Transformers to Steve Witwicky, Mirage plays the same type of buddy companion to Noah Diaz, with the pair bonding throughout much of the movie’s runtime. For his part, Davidson interjects Mirage with plenty of style, swagger, and personality, which certainly brings a sort of “pizzazz” to the Autobot. However, it goes without saying that Davidson’s comedic timing of his performance can be a bit irritating for some, especially those who don’t find the actor’s personality enjoyable. This can make Mirage a bit insufferable at times and gets a bit “carried away” with his humor. That being said, the moments where Mirage and Noah bond, especially towards the end, is where his character does shine. In the end, while not the greatest Autobot character in the franchise, Davidson’s Mirage certainly makes the Autobot roster a bit more “comedic levity” to the movie.
Of the Autobots, I felt that the new character of Arcee, an Autobot sharpshooter who transforms into a red-white Ducati 916 motorcycle and who is voiced by Liza Koshy (Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken and Liza on Demand), seems to be the most underwhelming of Autobots group. It’s not so much Koshy’s part as she voiced the character perfectly, but the character of Arcee seems to be underdeveloped, despite being part of the main plot of the movie. I guess…with so many other characters (heroes and villains) that she sort of gets placed on the backburner. Although, it was kind of nice to see a new Autobot character….that wasn’t so annoying or grating after awhile (a common practice found in this franchise). Still, I just wish that there was more to Arcee than what was presented.
Much like the previous films, the character of Bumblebee, a radio speaking Autobot that transforms into a modified yellow-black 1970s Chevrolet Camaro, does appear in the movie as a loyal comrade to Optimus Prime and the rest of the Autobots and does have a good amount of screen time in the feature. He’s not the central focus, unlike the previous film or the first Transformers film, but his inclusion in Rise of the Beasts fits into the continuity of the series and is always a welcome addition to the “good guys” roster. Other voice talents for the Autobots that appear in the movie, includes actor Cristo Ferandez (Ted Lasso and Creatures) as an Autobot scientist and mechanic who transforms into a brown and white 1970s Volkswagen Type 2 panel bus named Wheeljack, and actor John DiMaggio (Disenchantment and Ben 10) as an Autobot Air-soldier who transforms into a Fairchild C-119 Flying Boxcar cargo plane named Stratosphere, which play more “supporting” characters in the movie.
Who are the newcomers to the franchise (and the “Rise of the Beasts” aspect) are the Maximals, a tribal faction that’s similar to the Autobots who transform into the shape animal-like characters rather than inanimate objects. Leading the Maximals in the movie is the character of Optimus Primal, a Maximal who transforms into a western lowland ape design, and who is voiced by actor Ron Pearlman (Hellboy and Sons of Anarchy). Personally, I felt that Pearlman was absolutely perfect to voice Primal and could’ve easily been a sort of “understudy” for Optimus if Cullen didn’t return, especially with a strong sense of strength and command sounding voice, yet still feels gentle enough to find comfort. It’s within Pearlman’s resonate where the voice is found in Primal and works masterfully. Perhaps the only problem that I had with this character is that he comes into the narrative a bit too late (towards the end of the second act) and I wish that he were featured more heavily in the movie. Still, I did like the film’s introduction to the character of Optimus Primal as Pearlman was fantastic in the voice work for the character. Let’s hope that we get to see more of him in the future Transformers installments.
Behind Optimus Primal, the next Maximal, who actually gets the most screen time, is the character of Airazor, a Maximal warrior who transforms into a peregrine falcon, and who is voiced by actress Michelle Yeoh (Crazy Rich Asians and Everything Everywhere All at Once). Of all the Maximals presented in the movie, Airazor gets the most screen presence in the feature, who is the first one that makes contact with Optimus and the other Autobots and acts as a guide to everything that follows (i.e. the other Maximals, the Transwarp Key, Scourge, and Unicron). Plus, Yeoh, who is quite a talented actress, gives Airazor quite the steadfast and honorable sounding voice, which gives the character a very noble arc in the movie. The other two Maximals, who are played by actor David Sobolov (Bumblebee and The Flash) as a Maximal commando who transforms into a white rhinoceros named Rhinox and actor Tonagayi Chirissa (iZombie and The Jim Gaffigan Show) as the Maximal scout who transforms into a cheetah named Cheetor, are merely “window dressing” for the movie and don’t exactly offer much in the way of character development. They do appear in the film and fight in the climatic battle in the third act, but both Rhinox and Cheetor are woefully underutilized in Rise of the Beasts, which is a shame.
For the Terrorcons, who gets the most attention (and screen time) is the character of Scourge, the leader of the Terrorcons, who transforms into a black Peterbilt 359 logging semi-truck, and who is voiced by Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones and Cyrano). Like a lot of the previous bad guys in these movies (Megatron, Lockdown, The Fallen, etc.), Dinklage does a great job in providing a very sinister and malice filled voice within his portrayal of Scourge, a ruthless Terrorcon trophy hunter that will stop at nothing to fuel his master’s grand design. Yes, the character is a bit straightforward in his villainy, but Dinklage is still fantastic in the vocal performance for Scourge. The other Terrorcon that follow Scourge, includes actress Michaela Jae Rodrigeuz (Pose and tick, tick… BOOM) as a ninja who transforms into a Nissan Skyline GT-R R33 named Nightbird, and actor David Sobolov as an enforcer who transforms into an orange 1980s GMC TopKick C7000 tow truck named Battletrap, respectfully. In addition, actor Colman Domingo (Fear the Walking Dead and Selma) does a small yet menacing sounding vocal performance in the role of Unicron, a world-devouring, plant sized Transformer who serves as the Terrorcon’s master. Think of him like the Galactcus of the Transformers universe, with Scourge acting like the Silver Surfer, a herald to his master who searches for worlds for Unicron to consume.
Lastly, the movie does feature an Easter Egg scene during the mid-credits portion of the film’s end credits sequences. While I won’t spoil it for my readers out there, it’s a nice little scene that teases a little bit of a future project in this long-running series.
FINAL THOUGHTS
In the hunt to find the Transwrap Key and thwart the coming onslaught of world ending threat, humans Noah Diaz and Elena Wallace join up with Optimus Prime and his Autobots comrades (as well as newly recruited Maximals) in the movie Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Director Steve Caple Jr.’s latest film takes the franchise from what it’s learned from Bumblebee and configures those nuances into a more traditional large-scale Transformers movie that speaks to its live-action predecessors, while shining brighter than most for its own merits. While the feature does fall into some of the more needlessly goofy antics that franchise has become known for as well as not fully utilizing its roster of new characters to their full potential, the movie still manages to “rise” (no pun intended) to the cinematic occasion, with special thanks to Caple Jr.’s direction, great visual effects, fun action sequences, a solid presentation, and several standout performances. Personally, I would say that I liked this movie. Yes, it definitely had its faults and some problematic areas that were handled / executed a bit clunky, but the movie itself was still quite enjoyable to watch. I don’t think that it’s my personal favorite of the Transformers movies as I still like the original 2007 film the best as well as 2018’s Bumblebee, but it was still far better than the other previous Transformer sequels. So, as a whole, I would say that it is my third favorite of the live-action series, which is a good thing. Thus, my recommendation for this movie would be a solid “recommended”, especially for fans of the franchise as well as moviegoers who are looking for some mindless summer blockbuster fun. The film’s ending, while concluding the main story, definitely leaves plenty of room for another film (as well as a possible crossover potential) and that would be something I would be interested in seeing, especially since the past two endeavors were far better than rest of the franchise. In the end, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts isn’t exactly a perfect blockbuster feature, but it’s a step in the right direction for this film franchise, continuing refine and repeat itself tropes (both good and bad) in way that’s both amusing fun and visual connecting to popcorn entertainment.
3.8 Out of 5 (Recommended)
Released On: June 9th, 2023
Reviewed On: December 8th, 2023
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is 117 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language
