TL;DR – This is a solid entry in the series that shows that there are still legs under this franchise, even if it does end in a very predictable way.

Post-Credit Scene – There is a mid-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid to see this film

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Review –

For a long time, it felt like the Transformers Franchise was destined to but absolute garbage, maybe occasionally dipping into mediocre. Then Bumblebee happened, and for the first time since maybe 2007, it felt like someone who understood the characters was taking a crack at the series, and good things happened. However, was this an anomaly or a start of a new trend? That is what we are exploring today.

So to set the scene, on a world a long time ago, a planet is under attack in a galaxy far away. But this is not just an invasion, for the planet eater Unicron (Colman Domingo) is here to not only consume the planet wholesale, but he sends his minion Scourge (Peter Dinklage) down to secure the Transwarp Key from the Maximals so that he can warp to any planet in the Universe and consume it. Apelinq (David Sobolov) fights to give his Maximals time to escape, and the key is lost. Back on Earth, it is 1994, and it has been seven years since the Autobots arrived at the end of Bumblebee, and their short pitstop has turned into a prolonged stay as they can’t find a way off the planet. This pains Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen). Still, when Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) accidentally reveals part of the Transwarp Key, he sees an opportunity, but the Autobots are not the only ones who spotted the key’s energy signature.   

I did have some hesitation walking into this film because it had been five years since our last outing, so can you capture that energy moving forward when you have had to wait so long? But more than that, this film was finally stepping into territory that I hold dear. My first proper entry into the world of Transformers came in the form of Beast Wars: Transformers. It was a seminal series for me because it showed that animation could have some real depth to it as they explored issues like mental health, recovering from your past mistakes, and loyalty. I know the love that people have for the Gen 1 Transformers. This is the love that I have for Beast Wars. So, I wondered if they would destroy the ground they were working on?

What we got was some strengths and some missed opportunities. It was honestly nice to see the Maximals that we got. While only Airazor (Michelle Yeoh) and Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman) got any actual airtime, their design was an excellent middle ground between where they were in the series and the current film style of the Transformers. The biggest surprise was that they had jettisoned entirely any set-ups they were working on in Transformers: The Last Knight, that Earth was Unicron. Which was probably for the best, but by starting the Maximals off-planet, it became odd that they were based on Earth animals, which makes sense in the original series because they scanned them when they arrived. It was a bit sad that we missed out on any Predicons, but at least the antagonists had some personality which is a step up for the franchise.   

When looking at the film, it was nice to have a pair of protagonists that were not annoying or creepy for a change. Anthony Ramos, as Noah Diaz, brings a profoundly sympathetic character you want to root for. The same goes for Dominique Fishback, as Elena Wallace. Watching her boss take all the credit for her knowledge is one of those moments that I deeply sympathised with. They are our audience insert characters with all the wonder and understandable trepidation. They even got to have their Indiana Jones moment, which was nice. The film also got the right balance between human and robot characters, with some previous films forgetting that it is called Transformers, not Humans. Though I will say that even though it was set in 1994, it was a shock to the system to see them use the Twin Towers in every establishing shot of New York.

I liked all the characters they introduced here, with many sporting their more Gen 1 visual design than we had before. I was not quite sure about Optimus Prime at the start, but then I remembered that he is at the beginning of his journey here with the humans rather than at the end of the long haul in the other films. Stratosphere (John DiMaggio) and Wheeljack (Cristo Fernández) were excellent additions, and it was good to see Arcee (Liza Koshy) get to do something this time. Also, it was great to see them explore the Autobot lineup and give Mirage (Pete Davidson) some of the focus this time. There was one really emotional moment in the film, but I am not sure it lasted, given you could see where it was going, and they spoiled it in the trailer anyway.

However, if there is one area that let the film down, it was its ending, and to discuss this, there will be [SPOILERS] ahead. Eventually, the Transwarp Key is put together, and the enemy gets it sending a big portal into the sky that Unicron starts coming through to destroy the Earth. At the same time, all the good guys have to fight waves of nameless armies of henchmen to try and stop it. Putting aside for a moment that this is something we have repeatedly seen in cinema. This is something that we have already seen them do twice in this franchise before. The climax of this film was primarily dull rather than exciting, and they needed to work on some different ways to draw things to a resolution.

In the end, do we recommend Transformers: Rise of the Beasts? It might not be the best entry in the series, but it is still one of the better ones. The cast and characters are solid, and seeing them engage positively with this world was excellent. If you liked Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, I would recommend to you Godzilla vs. Kong.     

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Twitter Here, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

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Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
Directed by –     Steven Caple Jr.
Screenplay by – Joby Harold, Darnell Metayer, Josh Peters, Erich Hoeber & Jon Hoeber
Story by – Joby Harold
Based on – Transformers by Hasbro
Music by – Jongnic Bontemps
Cinematography by – Enrique Chediak
Edited by – Joel Negron & William Goldenberg
Production/Distribution Companies – Skydance Media, Hasbro, New Republic Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Bay Films & Paramount Pictures
Starring – Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Luna Lauren Vélez, Dean Scott Vazquez, Tobe Nwigwe, Sarah Stiles, Michael Kelly & Lucas Huarancca with Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Pete Davidson, Liza Koshy, John DiMaggio, David Sobolov, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Colman Domingo, Cristo Fernández & Tongayi Chirisa
Rating – Australia: M; Canada: PG; Germany: 12; New Zealand: M; United Kingdom: 12A; United States: PG-13