TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is a welcomed return for the long running summer blockbuster series, balancing spectacle action sequences with a smaller scale story that allows for the characters to have their standout moments and for the film to find that exciting adventure that made the series a box office hit in the first place.

Back in 2007, Michael Bay turned the Hasbro toys into a box office sensation with Transformers starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox. After directing five films, the franchise saw a soft reboot with 2018’s Bumblebee, evoking that Spielbergian magic of E.T. and creating a new type of Transformers film, even if it was not the box office hit Paramount hoped it would be. But five years after Bumblebee, the Autobots are back for another adventure set after the events of Bumblebee, closely following the story template created by Bay in his films but with the heart of Bumblebee, resulting in a crowd pleasing summer blockbuster that hopefully will reignite fan interest in the franchise.

After years in hiding on Earth, Optimus Prime and the Autobots detect the signal of an ancient Cybertron artifact with the ability to return them home. But, with the Terrorcons hunting down the same artifact to summon Unicron to Earth, the Autobots enlist the help of two humans, Noah and Elena, to help them track down the ancient artifact before it falls into the wrong hands and to prevent the destruction of humanity as they know it.

While Bay kept going bigger and longer with each subsequent Transformers sequel, Rise of the Beasts takes a step back and takes a similar focus to Bumblebee. Yes, it's another world ending event as we have seen with all the previous films in the series, but there are less players and moving pieces. The film follows the three act structure that the other entries have had, with a big action sequence in each and a long set piece to close out the film, but the screenplay gives time to focus on the two humans and a group of Autobots led by Optimus Prime trying to prevent Unicron from destroying Earth. While the implications of the story are larger, this story feels more grounded and plays out on a smaller scale, which is a breath of fresh air for the franchise. Gone are the numerous characters that you got to see for a few minutes here and there between the long action sequences, instead allowing the character interactions to take a more prominent role in the story. This allows for the talented cast led by Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback to develop their characters and their place in the world, giving the audience emotional stakes as you root for their characters to help prevent the end of humanity as we know it.

Leading the film is Ramos and Fishback, both of whom are great as Noah and Elena. Ramos gets a fully fleshed out character as spend the majority of the first act on his personal struggles and family life, instantly bonding the audience to his character. As he always is, Ramos lights up the screen with his charming personality while wearing his heart on his sleeve, and he holds his own ground in the third act battle very well. Fishback is given less backstory, but she brings a determination and spirit to the role that makes her a great fit for this world. As a pairing, it is nice to see romance never forced upon Ramos and Fishback’s characters, and the two of them create a fun rapport between themselves that helps carry the film.

The majority of the voice performances are great, with Peter Cullen once again giving his dependable and stoic performance as Optimus Prime (even if you swear you have heard him say the same lines every film). Pete Davidson is a fun addition to the cast as Mirage and his comedic timing with Ramos is pitch perfect, while Cristo Fernández is a joyful burst of energy as Wheeljack when he is on screen. But it is Michelle Yeoh as Airazor who stands head and shoulders above the rest. Instantly, Yeoh’s calming and authoritative voice draws you in as her character imparts a vast amount of wisdom and knowledge as she leads Noah, Elena and the Autobots on their quest. It’s hard for an actor to seamlessly fit into such a larger than life world, but Yeoh does so with the utmost simplicity and has you hanging on her every word.

So many films into the series, there is an expectation for the action sequences in a Transformers film which can only be described as Bayhem, named after the director that started the series. And while the action sequences in Rise of the Beasts are good, they don’t measure up to the standard set by the previous films. Technically, the scenes look outstanding with top notch CGI and practical effects to enhance the moments, with brilliant fight coordination, but they feel contained. They’re exciting, there's no question about that, especially the final act which does a great job of bringing Ramos’s Noah into the action. But I found myself missing the utter chaos that Bay used to unleash on these films during his action sequences, as the length and extravagance Bay brought to these films is unmatched.

Finding a great balance between story and action, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts takes the best elements of previous films in the series and repackages them into a great summer blockbuster. It's exactly what fans of the series will be looking for, largely thanks to the excellent cast and more focused story, while the film’s final moments set the franchise on a truly interesting path that I cannot wait to be explored in an eventual sequel. Delivering all the popcorn thrills that you could want from a Transformers film while letting Anthony Ramos and Michelle Yeoh shine, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts provides fans with all the excitement and entertainment they expect from the franchise while setting up a new and promising future for the series.