About the film (courtesy of Paramount Pictures):
Returning to the action and spectacle that have captured moviegoers around the world, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will take audiences on a ‘90s globetrotting adventure with the Autobots and introduce a whole new faction of Transformers – the Maximals – to join them as allies in the existing battle for earth.
By going back to a somewhat simpler time, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts returns to basics with a formula that has proved effective in the past. While the landscape is pretty vast is the areas the film covers, it feels as though this film is smaller, if that makes sense. There doesn’t seem to be as many moving parts as there were in previous editions, therefore audiences are able to focus better and live in the moment. Sometimes less IS more and this seventh entry of the franchise does its part in helping strengthen this ideology.
Even though the runtime is slightly more than two hours, the plot is constantly moving while revealing a bit more of the overall picture without sacrificing entertainment in the here and now. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts keeps its tradition of providing more than a few comical moments without selling completely out and opting for extra cheesiness. Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson) is, unsurprisingly, one of the main content providers of comedy. Having strong voice talent that can effectively evoke the required emotional responses is an absolute must if you want to succeed.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts features the voice talents of Peter Cullen (a forever staple in the Transformers franchise as Optimus Prime), Ron Perlman, Michelle Yeoh, Colman Domingo and Peter Dinklage, to name a few. Each of these actors do their part to help make their characters as convincing as possible. You can have all the great CGI in the world, but there still needs to be substance behind that, and these fine actors do their best to provide it.
We can’t forget the flesh and blood human element that gives the audience something more attainable to relate to. Transformers: Rise of the Beasts stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback as Noah and Elena, the film’s two main flesh and blood characters. The pair have good chemistry throughout, with Ramos bringing his signature humor and charm to his role. You can’t have effective dramatic scenes without the human element being deeply entrenched. This duo does a nice job in reeling folks in.
But let’s be honest here, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts needs to really bring it in the arena of CGI and action. Fear not, skeptics and doubters, the team behind this latest really does a nice job in constructing an easy to consume product for all to get behind. We aren’t overwhelmed by too much transforming and moving parts where it becomes more of a distraction than anything else. This effort is polished with attention to detail being evident. Someone, somewhere has learned from past mistakes.
Overall, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is an enjoyable and fun film that should make fans of the franchise feel good about their decision to check this one out. Hey, you might even be surprised at some of what transpires. There’s no resting on laurels here and this is far from just being another money grab. It’s actually decent cinema for the genre in which it lies. Kudos to director Steven Caple Jr. (Creed II (2018)) for your efforts in putting this franchise back on track.
You can catch Transformers: Rise of the Beasts in theaters this Friday, June 9th with the obvious earlier showings on Thursday with an even earlier special showtime at 7:00 PM on Wednesday at select theaters. You might as well kick off your summer movie season with a fun one.
