Transformers – Rise of the Beasts Movie Review: After the mindless Bayhem of the previous (Michael Bay) Transformers films, 2018's Bumblebee felt like a step forward for the brand. With deeper Cybertron lore and a heartfelt tale, Paramount had finally figured out how to make this brand compelling from a critical standpoint. However, with Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, it feels like we've gone a step back, because it has all the makings of an enjoyable Transformers film, but so much of that promise is stifled by a redundant human plot. Transformers Rise of the Beasts Trailer: Autobots and Maximals Must Come Together and Stop Unicron in Anthony Ramos' Sci-Fi Action Film (Watch Video).

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, directed by Steven Caple Jr, picks up a few years after the events of Bumblebee. Accidentally finding the Autobot Mirage (Pete Davidson) during a robbery, Noah Diaz’s (Anthony Ramos) life is completely changed when he finds himself pulled into a battle to save Earth. Teaming up with the Autobots and joining the Maximals alongside Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback), an artifact researcher, he must go on a hunt to find a key and avert the incoming threat of the planet eater Unicron.

A Still From Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Photo Credits: Paramount Pictures)

You expect Transformers when you go to a Transformers movie. Rise of the Beasts isn't that. Rather than beginning with the Autobots, we follow the life of ex-military Noah Diaz, who is trying to get a job in New York to help pay for his brother's medical treatment. It's an attempt to pique the audience's emotional interest in the story, and it fails. When compared to Sam Witwicky (played by Shia Labeouf in the first three Transformers films), Noah is a more capable protagonist, but I couldn't care less about his story because I want to see more of that robot action. Even Fishback’s Elena Wallace doesn’t have a defining role, and her part in this story feels tacked on.

It's the perfect example of a human narrative overshadowing the film's main selling point. In Rise of the Beasts, the Transformers are essentially background characters who support the plot by delivering exposition. It's strange because the writers have finally managed to give all of these characters personalities that feel distinct, as opposed to Michael Bay's flavour of having them be ethnically stereotyped. The Autobots consisting of Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen, bless him for being the definitive voice of the character) and group ultimately feel wasted, along the newly introduced Maximals lead by Ron Perlman’s Optimus Primal. Which is disappointing because a considerable amount of impressive talent is attached here.

Watch the Trailer for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts:

The plot of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is reminiscent of the original Transformers. This time around, the narrative is more concise and easier to follow; yet, it swiftly devolves into another McGuffin chase, and delivered a story that felt generic overall. The villains, too, are just there and don't have much personality other from generating problems for the heroes. It's a shame, because Peter Dinklage's Scourge could have been a fascinating foe.

The film's main weakness, though, is its lack of visual identity. Despite their flaws, the Bay films were visually amazing, but Transformers: Rise of the Beasts simply lacks that. There isn't a single shot in this picture that doesn't feel like it might have come from a recent blockbuster, and the entire appearance of the film is uninspired. The Transformers' designs are great, but the film doesn't know how to service them with cinematography. Transformers - Rise of the Beasts: Anthony Ramos and Mirage Form an Unlikely Friendship in New Look at Upcoming Sci-Fi Film (Watch Video).

A Still From Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (Photo Credits: Paramount Pictures)

While it lacked a certain level of chaos, the action was one of the more remarkable aspects of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. While I wish the robots had more weight, Rise of the Beasts still has an exhilarating sense of rush that I like overall. The third act, though, is sloppy; it's just that it feels the most like a studio-mandated blockbuster sequence in its execution. It all comes down to this post-credits scene, where it's evident that Paramount is attempting to create a forced connected cinematic world with a different franchise, and I just wish that wasn't the case since Transformers is at its best when it focuses just on the alien robots in question.

Yay!

The Action

Plot is Easy to Follow

Nay!

Human Story Overshadows the Transformers

Lacks a Visual Personality

Final Thoughts

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is another disappointing entry in the long-running franchise. While the personalities of the robots feel more accurate to their original depictions, their story is unfortunately overshadowed by a human plot that you won’t find yourself caring much about. Overall, this reboot doesn't have the "touch." Transformers: Rise of the Beasts releases in theatres on June 8, 2023.

Rating:2.0

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 07, 2023 04:40 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).