'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' Review: A Continued Oil Change For The Franchise
The Autobots have returned to the silver screen yet again in ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’, a sequel that maintains the refreshing new tone ‘Bumblebee’ established, albeit with diminishing returns.
The Transformers franchise has been an interesting beast, pun intended, to say the least over its now seven film run. However, once director Michael Bay left the franchise after Transformers: The Last Knight, the series has evolved into something far more grounded and appealing. After Travis Knight delivered a refreshing, Amblin-esque installment with Bumblebee, director Steven Caple Jr. has now taken the reigns, continuing and evolving the tone established by Knight. However, the narrative remains eerily similar to installments past, with our central human characters and Autobots pursuing a powerful MacGuffin in order to protect Earth as they battle nefarious robotic enemies.
This time around we follow Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos), a former military tech expert who is struggling to bring in an income for his family, particularly his brother who is suffering from a painful illness and is in need of expensive medical care. Crossing paths with Noah is Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback), a museum intern who unlocks the secrets of a mysterious statue that holds something powerful within. The duo make a fun pair to watch as they interact with the Autobots and get intertwined in their intergalactic battle with the Terrorcons. Both actors have an effortless charisma and elevate the material they’re given, which is admittedly beneath both of them. More importantly, this is a duo that act like normal human beings, not Michael Bay caricatures. Noah is nicely fleshed out, his relationship with his brother becoming the film’s beating heart.
However, audiences flee to these films for the robots and their inevitable battles and they certainly do not disappoint. The special effects and robot designs are stellar, a clear attention to detail and fine tuning on full display throughout. The Maximals’ designs in particular are fantastic, the lines between animal and machine wonderfully blurred. Caple Jr., who previously helmed the underrated Creed II, does a commendable job with the action sequences, delivering the bombastic and chaotic action fans have come to know and love. The action may not be as memorable as the style in Bay’s films, but they are entertaining and very well-staged. A sequence that takes place outside of a museum in particular is a standout, utilizing an effective balance of practical and CGI effects.
Unfortunately, the film suffers from a few glaring flaws. The first of which is its unoriginal and tired plot, which echoes many other films in the franchise and doesn’t add any new wrinkles. There’s only so many times Autobots and humans can chase after a precious object that could cause the destruction of Earth before it gets very, very tiresome. In addition, the film’s humor is extremely hit or miss. While the humor isn’t as cringe-inducing as Bay’s films, there are a number of jokes that fall with a thud and miss the mark completely.
The most notable issue the film suffers from is its poor third act, which elects to be yet another action climax that involves a beam in the sky and CGI clanging against more CGI. The overabundance of special effects hinders the film and takes the viewer out of the grounded atmosphere the first two acts established. It’s just not nearly as interesting as what came before and it lacks the power or appeal its clearly striving for, especially as the stakes rise to a fever pitch. Though there are some visually dazzling moments sprinkled throughout the climax, it’s simply not as immersive as it should be, resulting in a fun, but ultimately forgettable conclusion.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts showcases a franchise that has glimmers of potential if it were to continue, but more so one that is running out of narrative fuel. Fans of the franchise will find a lot to enjoy here, but it’s hard not to admit that this entry could’ve used a little more “Bayhem” in order to truly stand out. That being said, this must be the darkest timeline.