Movie Review: Who let the beasts out? New ‘Transformers’ tries but fails to energize the saga

Movie Review: “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” Falls Short in Revitalizing the Franchise

In an attempt to revitalize the tired “Transformers” saga, the latest installment, “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” introduces a new lineup of characters. However, simply adding more robots to the mix fails to breathe life into this ailing series.

After the refreshing detour with 2018’s smaller-scale “Bumblebee,” which successfully brought the franchise back to its roots, “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” reverts to the familiar formula of galaxy-wide battles and self-importance. This time, we encounter a fresh cast of animal robots and a formidable foe in Unicron, the planet-eater. Unfortunately, the film squanders their potential, resulting in a disjointed narrative that stumbles from one fight scene to another.

The audience may find themselves yearning to escape this lackluster experience, whether it’s to return home, witness planet destruction, or stumble upon a more engaging film altogether.

Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and written by Darnell Metayer, Erich Hoeber, Jon Hoeber, and Josh Peters, based on a story by Joby Harold, “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” attempts to pave the way for a multi-film arc situated between “Bumblebee” and the first live-action “Transformers” movie.

The film’s central flaw lies in its struggle to strike a balance between human characters and the metallic giants. “Bumblebee” successfully achieved this equilibrium by humanizing the machines. However, in the new film, a stark contrast emerges between the humans and the colossal space robots. Optimus Prime reverts to his classic drill sergeant persona, emphasizing unity in the face of death. Only when the animal robots appear in the final act do the giant robots display emotions like grief, anger, protection, and even love.

To bridge the gap, the filmmakers enlist the voice talent of Pete Davidson, who brings life to Mirage, a juvenile and wisecracking silver Porsche 911. Davidson’s lines, such as “Don’t mess with my boy!” and “Prime, you got to learn how to relax, my man,” generally succeed in injecting humor. However, Davidson’s performance feels confined within the steel construct.

While the special effects in the film are impressive, they sometimes become overwhelming. The beasts, especially the flaring gorilla, are beautifully rendered, and the villains possess a cool aesthetic as they manipulate elements in space and time, constructing sky walkways as they move.

By setting the movie in 1994, the filmmakers attempt to infuse the narrative with vintage charm, incorporating beepers, references to O.J. Simpson, and a soundtrack featuring A Tribe Called Quest and LL Cool J. However, even in this aspect, inaccuracies arise, such as using Biggie’s “Hypnotize,” which was released in 1996, and having a character sing TLC’s “Waterfalls” a year before its actual release.

The Autobots, led by Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen), Bumblebee, and Arcee (voiced by Liza Koshy), stand in opposition to the Terrorcons, led by Scourge (voiced by Peter Dinklage), who commands swarms of terrifying insect robots. On the human side, Anthony Ramos portrays Noah, an ex-military electronics expert from Brooklyn. Tempted to engage in criminal activities to secure proper care for his sick younger brother, Noah stumbles upon Mirage during his first heist, leading to a high-speed chase and his introduction to the rest of the Autobots.

In his search for the portal key, Noah encounters Elena (Dominique Fishback), a museum intern with an uncanny ability to identify various artifacts despite never having ventured beyond New York. Soon, she finds herself exploring ancient tombs in Peru, akin to Indiana Jones.

Despite Ramos and Fishback’s off-screen chemistry, their on-screen interactions fail to capture the same spark. Much like the robot characters, their scenes feel excessively dramatic and overacted, creating a stark contrast between intimate human moments and the giant robot battles. The nature of their relationship remains ambiguous—is it one of siblings or potential lovers?

Only in the latter stages of the film do the titular stars, the beasts, take center stage. Optimus Primal, a towering metallic silverback gorilla voiced by Ron Perlman, Cheetor, a cheetah the size of a small truck voiced by Tongayi Chirisa, Airazor, a fire-shooting peregrine falcon voiced by Michelle Yeoh, and Rhinox, a battering ram on legs voiced by David Sobolov, inject life into the story.

These beasts have been hidden on Earth for much longer than the Autobots and have developed an affinity for humanity: “There is more to them than meets the eye. They are worth saving,” declares Optimus Primal.

Unbeknownst to humans, Earth has been harboring a significant number of secret sentient robots, and this new breed emerges from the shadows at a time when AI and societal concerns converge. Perhaps we should indeed be anxious, especially considering that ChatGPT could have likely written a better movie.

“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” distributed by Paramount Pictures, hits theaters on Friday. The film is rated PG-13 for “intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and language.” Running time: 127 minutes. One star out of four.

MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Online: https://www.transformersmovie.com

Mark Kennedy can be reached at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

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