Transformers: Rise of The Beasts review (with analysis) (SPOILERS!)
What is there to say about the Transformers franchise? Ever since it started in 1984, 40 years ago, the robots in disguise have stolen the Sparks (read: hearts) of nearly thousands of humans the world over. The idea of sentient transforming robots turning into a wide variety of objects - from transport vehicles to animals - has captivated the imaginations of almost everyone - young and old - and what started out as a line of action figures has grown into a multimedia franchise consisting of cartoons, movies, video games, and comic books.
And the franchise is no longer only enjoyed by many kids and kids at heart - it is now enjoyed by people of all ages and demographics. And, with the animated film Transformers One due this September, I'd figure I would do a review of last year's live-action/CGI hybrid Transformers: Rise of The Beasts.
The second in the rebooted continuity of the film series, started by 2018's Bumblebee movie, Rise of The Beasts is set in 1994 and incorporates characters from the Beast Era of the franchise, in particular Beast Wars. Now, to be honest, I have never seen any of the original five movies in the Michael Bay-directed continuity, nor I did see the preceding movie of the rebooted continuity of the film series, the aforementioned Bumblebee. ROTB was the first live-action Transformers movie I have seen fully, and I saw it the way it was meant to be seen: on the big screen, in the theater. It has the action that many fans of the franchise have come to expect, as well as humor, heart, and a good, if a bit simple, narrative about the importance of how family and togetherness can help each one another to overcome big issues and how these factors make us stronger.
The story goes like this, and I will keep it short: In the '90s, two humans meet up with two factions of gigantic transforming robots - the Autobots, and the Maximals. When the villainous Terrorcons - led by Scourge, arrive on Earth in search of an ancient artifact that they need to draw a serious threat in the universe close to Earth, the three heroic groups are going to have to band together if they are to protect from the planet from the darkness that is about to descend.
Like the preceding film, Rise of The Beasts proves why getting rid of Michael Bay from the director's chair was the best thing to ever happen to the live-action Transformers film series. The move's director, Steven Caple, Jr. is clearly a fan of the franchise like the director of the preceding film in the rebooted continuity, and he leaves his mark on the film, with it not only pleasing individuals who love the G1-inspired Autobots, but also with it being a love letter to the Beast era of the franchise, too.
Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback both do a great, if not solid job, as the two human protagonists Noah and Elena. Both characters undergo a healthy amount of character development, with them overcoming adversity in order to make a difference and become heroes. Noah Diaz, for instance, is a man who lost his previous decent-paying job and has to find a way to make money to provide for his family, in particular, trying to help out his younger brother Kris, who is ailing with a medical illness. So, he turns to questionable or even downright illegal ways to try and make some dough. Elena Wallace, on the other side, is a young woman who wants to gain international fame for her interest in ancient mysteries by discovering items and places from the days of old. This is why she gets a statue of Airazor from the museum - in the hopes that it will put her on a path to being a genuine archaeologist.
Of the two human protagonists, however, Noah gets the most development. He starts the movie as a human who has no interest in saving the world, instead choosing to try and find a way to make money for his family to help pay for his brother's healthcare bills. When his attempt at getting a brand-new job falls apart, Reek (played by Tobe Nwigwe) comes in to help Noah carjack a Porsche 911 of the 964-generation air-cooled variety, hoping to sell it for an amazing amount of moolah so that he can help pay for his brother's medical care. Little does he know that the Porsche 911 in question that he carjacks is actually the Autobot Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson) in disguise. He befriends him, with the Autobot becoming Noah's bestie and personal guardian, and throughout much of their adventures with each other, Noah gradually lets go of his selfishness and learns to be more selfless, not just focusing on his family and his brother, but for all of the people in his life that he loves.
Several of the Transformers get character development, too. However, it's Optimus Prime who gradually gets the most development. The Autobot leader, having lost his home planet to the Decepticons and forced to retreat to Earth alongside his fellow Autobots, Prime is so tired of being stuck on Earth for a couple of years now, so much that he wants to return to Cybertron and take it back from his enemies. As a result, he is bitter and he tries his best to shun humankind and Earth, which is why he is particularly annoyed when he sees Noah. However, Noah, Elena, and the Maximals (I'll get to 'em in a bit) - especially the latter - want to help him value Earth and all of its inhabitants, and want to help him overcome his mistrust towards humans. Eventually, thanks to the help of the two human protagonists and the Maximals - he gradually gets over his prejudice towards humans over the course of the movie.
The Maximals, like Optimus Prime and Noah, are individuals who also have lost something that they held dear to themselves. They have lost their home planet and their former leader to the evil forces that invaded their home. They were forced to grab the artifact and split it up in two, hiding it in two different places once they went to Earth. While there, they met up with some humans, who promised to take good care of them. They have essentially learned to trust humankind and all of Earth's inhabitants.
Pete Davidson did a truly solid job as Mirage. The actor brings the comedic chops that he's known for to the Autobot that he voices in the film, and he makes friends with Noah instantly. Their friendship together is just terrific, and it's Mirage himself who lays down Noah's future friendship with the rest of the Autobots and the Maximals, and helps him unlock his true potential as a hero.
No talk about Optimus Prime is complete without mentioning his performance. Peter Cullen yet again delivers another incredible performance as the mighty Autobot leader. Even though he's over the age of 65 now, you can tell that he still has it when it comes to portraying is what is arguably his signature voice role. He delivers nearly, if not all of, his lines with so much depth and his interactions with the other characters is also delightful to hear. Cullen's vocal performance is impressive as always, and they reflect on what Prime is going through in the movie.
I have to admit, what I liked about Transformers: Rise of The Beasts is that it had a character-driven story at its core peppered with action sequences. Rather than the later sequels of the original Michael Bay-directed continuity (oh yes, especially ROTF and TLK) where excess, low-brow potty humor and psychopath Optimus Prime take center stage, it really focuses on the characters and has a great message on why it is important for all individuals to unite and work together as one in times of need instead of against each other. But, don't fret though. It also has a healthy dose of action sequences, sprinkled throughout much of the movie.
One of the themes of ROTB is that of trust. A lack of trust between others, complete with fighting one another instead of helping each another out, hurts instead of helps, and trust between others is what gives the characters strength to take on challenges that cannot be accomplished when on their own. Optimus Prime and Noah Diaz are both selfish by the time they first meet with each other, with the two squabbling with each other, as they are more hyper-focused on the things that they're looking out for the most (for Prime, it's Cybertron and his fellow Cybertronains, and for Noah, it's Earth and his family) instead of being interested in saving the world. However, their uncooperativeness and their self-centered attitude does nothing to make the situation that they are in any better. Instead, it does the complete opposite, and it ironically harms they very things that they are dedicated to protecting. Them not getting along well - complete with Noah's plan to betray Prime by destroying the very item he wants - the Transwarp Key - in order to prevent the ancient evil that threatens to destroy the planet - not only contributes to fellow Maximal Airazor's death, but they also put the entire planet in great danger by giving the main villain of the movie (more info on these two later!) a real chance to grab the other half of the Transwarp Key, essentially giving him both halves of said artifact and using it as a chance to summon his master to Earth.
Noah and Prime chose to avoid being supportive towards each other, and they hide their feelings towards each other instead of sharing them. They chose to avoid their selfless side, and were more interested in running away from the conflict instead of taking part of it, and their lack of consideration for others is what leads to the movie's main baddie seizing the chance to get the other half of the key that is needed to draw his master to Earth in the hopes of destroying it. Prime and Noah chose to take on their own problems all by themselves, fail, and are on the verge of giving up on their mission. It's only after what they had done was wrong, that they have a heart to heart, apologize to each other, and discover that they were fighting for the same thing that they were looking out for all along. By doing so, they reconcile and mend their broken relationship with each other.
On the other side of the coin, Noah quickly warms up to Mirage upon meeting him. This gives him his first true friendship with a Cybertronian, and it also gives Noah's brother Kris a chance to keep in touch with his bigger brother by installing a walkie-talkie into him. You can tell Noah is genuinely pleased to have a buddy who stays with him thick and thin with him during the whole adventure - and he has a true companion that he can depend on. When Mirage does his selfless act to protect him during the final battle, you can tell Noah is deeply upset over it - he knows what Mirage is going to do is going to cost him his life - and once that said act is over and done with, he's clearly on the verge of giving up and admitting defeat up until Kris gives him a pep talk to motivate him and help him carry on to save Earth.
But in a miraculous turn, Mirage actually survives the ordeal due to his strong companionship with him, instead of dying outright. This immensely gives Noah relief and, coupled with Kris' pep talk, gives him the courage to carry on, but not before Mirage goes into low-power mode and becomes a powered suit to further protect his human friend. And, at the end of the movie, once the movie's conflict is resolved, his friend comes back after he repairs him back to good health.
Optimus Primal (voiced by Ron Perlman) wasn't the leader of the Maximals before the movie's events, but the forces of evil gave him the leadership title. He had lost his faction's former leader and his mentor and his home planet to the forces of evil many years before he met the Autobots and the humans on Earth. He tried to save his faction's former leader and his mentor from being the victim of the movie's big bad, but it was clear that the odds were stacked against him. So, his mentor made Primal the leader of the Maximals as he allowed him and his comrades to escape their planet, and the former leader of the faction, Apelinq (voiced by David Soblov), of course, fails to take down the baddie, resulting in him getting executed by the baddie and the bad guy's master destroying the homeworld of the Maximals. Even when he accepted Earth as his home and allowing the humans to take care of him and the other members of his faction for centuries, Primal still had to deal with the guilt of having failed to save Apelinq from being the bad guy's next casualty and from his home being decimated by his master.
However, once he sees Optimus Prime, he is disappointed that he wasn't the hero that he has heard of in legends, at first. Because he thought that he was the idealistic hero he thought he was, when in reality, by the time Prime meets Primal for the first time, he is still struggling to value both humans and Earth. And he shows an example of how humans have taken care of him and the three other Maximals for millennia, safe and sound from any evil forces. Primal also tells Prime why the Transwarp Key was split in two and hidden in two different places is because before the bad guy's master obliterated their home planet, Apelinq bequeathed Primal with the key and split it in two once they got to Earth - the first half in New York, and the second half in Peru, because they do not want the same bad thing that happened to their home planet to happen to Earth.
However, Prime starts becoming the idealistic hero Primal had heard of in myth and legend once he agrees to make peace with Noah and agree to battle the evil forces with the Maximals. They work together to mow down the evil army in the final act of the movie. And, in the end, Primal gets to do the two things that he could not back in the movie's prologue: save a planet from being decimated, and save a commander of a faction from total doom - Optimus Prime himself.
The movie's Big Bad is Scourge (voiced by Peter Dinklage), who is the leader of the Terrorcons, and the most loyal minion of the planet-eating evil god, Unicron (voiced by Colman Domingo). He sold out his planet to the abomination many centuries ago, effectively making a deal with the devil. What he likes to do is spread malice and sadism to other innocent individuals, and he loves seeing other Cybertronians' home planets get destroyed by Unicron - he even orchestrates the nasty plot for his master to do the deed.
He also loves to collect insignias of his prey and keep them as his trophies. And he also loves to be arrogant. He boasts that he is the superior one, and he proves it. When he meets Prime for the first time, one of the first things that he does is spit on the meaning of his last name - which also serves as his rank. He even says that Primus would frown! (Primus is the god of the Transformers, mind you.)
For a movie that is marketed as a 4-quadrant, PG-13-rated, all ages-accessible kids' movie based on a line of action figures, Scourge is a dark villain - from his motives to his appearance, and yes, his voice. His appearance is visually frightening - he has a savage design on both his robot and vehicle alt-modes, a claw with four digits, and a demonic face. Not to mention, Dinklage also makes his voice intimidating. It's very deep with a gravelly rasp.
The filmmakers have done their best to make Scourge an obstacle for the heroes to overcome. He is a Disneyesque baddie that is responsible for the movie's conflict, and he needed to be a formidable foe for the heroes. And boy, they did. Not. Disappoint. The first scene introducing the Terrorcon captain is almost, honest-to-god, nightmare-inducing. In his establishing character moment, we see Scourge and his henchmen invade the Maximals' homeworld, complete with his leitmotif - rife with screeching emergency sirens that raise one's fear and anxiety towards him. He takes on Apelinq - who's three times bigger than he is - and he easily curb-stomps and then executes him despite his strength, then steals his insignia to keep as his trophy. And then he gives Unicron the A-OK to lay waste to the home world of the Maximals...after the four surviving individuals (Airazor, Optimus Primal, Cheetor and Rhinox) have departed for Earth. And every time the robotic S.O.B. (you know what that means) turns up on screen, the heroes, divided on their own and struggling, lose to him easily. By the time the climax happens, Scourge has already cruelly taken Bumblebee's life (briefly), inadvertly contributed to Airazor meeting her maker (that's coming up shortly!), punted Optimus Prime like he was a weakling, and has grabbed both halves of the Transwarp Key, finally giving him a chance to draw his master Unicron to Earth. Not for once I saw every individual trying to take him on, all by themselves and on their own, an easy task.
Scourge has truly earned the "big bad villain that no hero can easily defeat on their own" award; based on his strength alone. He takes advantage of the heroes - especially Optimus Prime - being at the lowest point of their lives, which is why he triumphs over them after their first battle with each other and holds on his own after the second - the only reason why he's stopped is because Airazor uses her flamethrower breath at him and his cronies twice to spare the heroes his wrath. He is a truly menacing, competent, and one heck of a no-nonsense antagonist. He gets several steps ahead of the heroes every time, and in doing so, he forces the protagonists to put aside their differences and work together to defeat him at last, and make his evil plan go up in flames. Him pressing the heroes' buttons repeatedly with his actions - to the point that Primal wants to tear out his Spark, and for his actions towards Optimus Prime himself, is what contributes to his eventual undoing. Truly a villain worthy to root against and one that the viewers want to see get taken down. Dinklage did a great job voicing a truly irredeemable baddie.
Airazor (voiced by Michelle Yeoh) ends up being the Heart of the Maximal-Autobot-Human alliance. She is the one who greets the Autobots and the humans - the first Maximal that the protagonists see in the film when they are in Brooklyn. She accompanies them on their journey to Peru. She is the one to sympathize with Prime after his close friend Bee succumbs to Scourge's attack, and she also helps clear up his confusion on Primal being an enemy to Noah and Elena. She, like the other Maximals, teach Prime the value of humans and Earth, and all life living on it - themselves included. And, as stated above, she helps spare the Autobots the wrath of the Terrorcons twice - the first time in Brooklyn, and the second time in Peru. It adds a layer of innocence to the movie. With her role as the Heart of the alliance, she is the glue that makes the humans, the Autobots, and the three other Maximals (Cheetor, Optimus Primal, and Rhinox) stick together. She has faith that Prime will soon become the hero that she, alongside Primal, has heard of in the myths and legends told about him. She is a wise, caring and optimistic Maximal who is the emotional caretaker and barometer of the three heroic groups of the movie. That's why her death, as a result of getting corrupted by Scourge, forcing Primal to put her to sleep, sad as it may be, works. Airazor's death is the loss of innocence, the only permanent casualty and true demise of an ally for the other heroes. Airazor never gets to join the other individuals in the final battle for the fate of planet Earth. Instead, she sees the absolute opposite. And yet, her demise shocks the others who have joined her, including Mirage. Airazor's death, as stated above, along with Scourge seizing the other half of the Transwarp Key, serves as a massive wake-up call for both Optimus Prime and Noah, and is what brings the Autobots, the two human protagonists, and the three remaining Maximals together. It is what also motivates Prime and Noah to change their behavior after they have been fighting with each other. Prime, who was bitter and callous towards humans, meets up with Airazor, and learns to outgrow his self-centered attitude, alongside Primal's view on humans, all thanks to her. He learns to value humans and Earth as much as he does with his home planet, Cybertron, and his fellow Cybertronians. Noah, who was self-centered, only accepting to go on the adventure with the Autobots for the sake of getting a huge pay day for his brother, Kris, and his family, stops his bickering a bit with Prime, because of the Maximal herself.
Her death, alongside Scourge seizing the other half of the key, wakes both Prime and Noah up to the fact that their immaturity and them going up against each other's throats had serious consequences. Noah and Prime's antagonistic behavior towards each other wasn't the appropriate time - not when the stakes are this high, not when the fate of planet Earth hangs in the balance, and not when all innocent life on the planet - themselves included - is at high risk of getting wiped out. This makes them realize what they did to each other was wrong, and the fact that they were looking out for what they value the most. Prime apologizes to Noah for his out-of-character behavior. Noah knows what Prime is going through as the human himself is going through, and he says that he can't even be full of ire towards him because of it. Prime says that he has been fighting for millions of years, but realizes that he should have been defending Earth from various threats together - along with the rest of the Autobots, the humans, and the Maximals. Noah says that he's not done fighting, and agrees to work together with the Autobot commander, all thanks to his first true friendship with a Transformer, Mirage.
And so, the three heroic groups of the movie come together and become one united fighting force. Three groups - all lost the things that they hold dear to themselves - and with the fate of Earth at stake, they realize that they have nothing to lose, and that they cannot run away from the problem anymore. They realize that, with little options left and that they're destined to lose even more of what they love because of Scourge and his master Unicron, they know that they have no time to lose. They unite together as one, giving them the strength they need to take on the Terrorcons, with Prime even declaring that they will die protecting the planet in the process. They are willing to risk their lives to protect the planet from the forces of evil, and with Prime promising to avenge nearly every innocent Cybertronian - Apelinq, Airazor, Bumblebee, and others - who have perished at Scourge's hands as part of his planet-annihilating and murder crusade. "'Til all are one", indeed.
All of this leads to the climax of the movie, which is the final battle, the fireworks display, the epic battle of good versus evil, as is central to the overall Transformers franchise. And, unlike the Bay-directed movies, the final battle in Rise of The Beasts isn't one purely based on spectacle alone - it's also a character-focused piece. It showcases the power of teamwork and befriending one another. The Autobots, the Maximals, and the humans - fully united as one, all working together to protect one another, while mowing down the enemies - all fighting to avert a massive catastrophe unlike any other they have witnessed. And it's not just fighting the Terrorcons and their reinforcements - it's also the heroes fighting to protect the things that they love and cherish. And they also get to work together while doing so. Noah and Elena were tasked on retrieving the Transwarp Key, and the Autobots and the Maximals both doing the job on scything the Terrorcons like wheat. They're fighting to avenge the loss of their loved individuals while protecting the ones who are still living.
This is why the movie's tagline is "Unite or Fall" - because when everyone is united together as one and befriend each other, they gain the strength they need and are able to take on major threats that can't be thwarted when they are on their own. It also ties in with the movie's main theme of the importance of unity, and that it's better to work with each other and together instead of against each other and on their own.
I also liked on how Bumblebee's resurrection just when the battle was about to take a turn for the Darkest Hour was well-timed. He knocked out some drones and even did Nightbird in by using her as a shield. Not to mention, he also saves Prime from being Terrorcon fodder by grabbing him. Heck, even Noah and Prime were happy to have him back!
The Power of Friendship is what gives the heroes strength to overcome the Terrorcons, and even helps one Autobot survive a seemingly fatal attack, out of sheer force of will, like what I described above. And all of it is showcased during the final battle. In the movie's first act, Optimus Prime and his three Autobot comrades (Mirage, Bumblebee, and Arcee) all tried to take on Scourge on their own, and it did not go well. For the final battle, they had the Maximals, Noah and Elena behind their backs, and they managed to overpower the Terrorcons, triumphing over them.
For Optimus Prime, his friendship with Noah and Elena is what gives him the will to take on Scourge for the third and final time, and, like I said before, is driven by his absolute ire for all the bull pile that the Terrorcon captain had thrown at him for much of the movie. And it's not just his friendship that gives him the strength to finally overpower the monstrous bot. It's also his perseverance and having a plan. When Prime went up against Scourge for the first time, he thought he was yet another Decepticon, and so he decided to take on him without underestimating how powerful Scourge really is due to Unicron empowering him. However, he has learned from that mistake, and before confronting him, he had a plan thought out. Only after he made amends with the Maximals and the humans Noah and Elena did they create a plan together, and that plan was key for him to finally defeating Scourge and derailing his nefarious plan.
Speaking of which, the scene where Prime finally triumphs over Scourge was a crowning moment of awesome. After the Terrorcon captain gave his name and ancestral lineage a spiteful insult, defeating him in battle and taking the life of Bee (briefly), then corrupting Airazor which leads to Primal putting her down like a rabid dog, then contributing to the near-death experience that Mirage goes through and his subsequent transformation into an exosuit for Noah, and culminating with his attempted murder of Noah and Elena, with the subsequent destruction of the tower's key console to ensure his master Unicron gets what he wants, it's very satisfying to see Prime's rage towards Scourge go spilling through and showing him the true power of a leader of the Autobot faction. Or, as he perfectly says it, a real power of a Prime.
And we must not forget on how the importance of trust and the power of friendship also tie into the final part of the climax. Closely echoing the movie's prologue, Prime tells his comrades to get away to safety as far as possible, and also referring to them as his friends, as he stays behind to get ready to make Scourge's plans fail by destroying the Key to deny Unicron Earth. Then, once he destroys the key and the tower, a massive vortex is created as the Transwarp portal is in the process of self-destruction. Prime tries to outrun the vortex, and it threatens to suck him in.
Then, Noah and Mirage (in exosuit form) both rush back to grab Prime by his axe, with Noah reciting the four famous arc words of the franchise in the process. This, in turn, inspires Primal to do the same, and he runs back to rescue Noah, the Mirage exosuit, and Prime from the collapsing Transwarp portal, while reciting what Noah and Prime said earlier, allowing the three and a half heroes to reunite with their comrades.
Dramatically, the final half of the climax sees the characters complete their arcs that have been laid out for the rest of the movie. Prime, who was only interested in getting off of Earth and back to Cybertron, sees that humans and Earth are valuable and that they should be protected - to the point that he literally foregoes going back to his home planet and choosing to stay behind to protect it from various threats at all costs, finally viewing humans as sentient beings that are worthy of his protection. He is willing to sacrifice his own life, so that he is willing to let all of his friends and all other lives - be it Cybertronian or human - live. Noah, driven by staying committed to protecting his family, and his brother Kris, with him having found his heroic willpower by befriending Mirage, and having witnessed his robot buddy willing to risk his own life to save his human friend from being downed by Scourge, protecting him even further when in exosuit form, is willing to put his life on the line, too, as he runs back to save Optimus Prime from being swallowed in by the vortex, whereas earlier on in the film, he would have wasted no time in abandoning the Autobot commander and leaving him destined for the scrapyard. Optimus Primal, who was unable to save his faction's former leader, who held the title of captain of the Maximals before passing it on to Primal, and was unable to save his homeworld from being obliterated by Unicron, gets a second chance. Inspired by Noah helping Optimus Prime, Primal saves Prime and Noah from oblivion, essentially redeeming himself in the process.
The satisfaction comes from the characters fighting their own flaws and setting aside their own differences for the consideration of others. The characters, returning from the prior film and introduced in this movie, have their own path to take and obstacles to get over with, and by overcoming adversity, they grow into different and better individuals as a result of going on an adventure with one another.
And that brings me to the denouement of the movie, which consists of both the penultimate scene of the movie (the ending) and the mid-credits scene. All of the heroes ultimately end up saving the world from absolute doom, and with all of them united for when the time comes to fight Unicron again. The Maximals choose to stay behind in Peru and the Autobots and the humans go back to New York. On their way back to the Big Apple, Optimus Prime, having made new friends with the Maximals and the human protagonists Noah and Elena, fully accepts humans as his allies, and he even smiles at Noah - an expression that he most certainly never showed towards the human when he first met him. The heroes are all ultimately rewarded for their deeds and their efforts in helping to defend the world together - for everyone else living on it, not just themselves. Elena, who at the start was trying to do something so she can get national acclaim for her discoveries, ultimately gets her discovery of the Maximal temple in Peru featured on an episode of 60 Minutes, and, in turn, makes her famous and lauded, successfully putting her path on becoming a true archaeologist. The Maximals make some new friends with the Autobots and the humans. The Autobots, in turn, have made friends with the humans and the Maximals, and they now accept Earth as their second home. Noah Diaz, having made a friendship with both the Autobots and the Maximals, gains a newfound confidence in protecting his home planet for not only his family, but for all of the people in his life that he loves. And he gets a new job as a reward for his heroism, too. While going out for a job interview, a man by the name of Agent Burke reveals that, because of his efforts in working together with the Autobots and the Maximals to help save Earth, not only he has chosen both him and the Autobots as valuable new members for the organization G.I. Joe, but also said organization is happy to help pay for his brother's healthcare services for the rest of his life. Now, Noah finally gets another high-paying job to help him finally provide for his family and a legitimate way for him to make money again. The fine folks at G.I. Joe are seeing the Autobots as the good guys fighting the good fight, and they know that they are good alien transforming robots all along. This is why the organization has chosen both Noah and his transforming sentient robot pals as valuable new recruits, and it is his newfound companionship with the Autobots and the Maximals that results in him being more self-assured about protecting Earth from various dangers for the people in his life that he loves, that ultimately gets him a brand-new job and a way to provide income for his family the legal way again. Even Mirage gets rewarded for his good deeds. He befriends Noah, stays with him thick and thin, protects him from absolute danger (and doesn't die outright despite being heavily injured and becoming a powered exosuit in the process), and he is restored back to his normal functioning self when Noah repairs him by using both his pristine parts and refurbished parts into a junked Porsche of the same model he first met him in. By working together to save the world, all of the surviving heroes of the movie (including those who have been revived and/or survived their near-brush with death) have had all of their lives changed for the better.
What makes Rise of The Beasts have plenty of heart in a way that much of the previous Michael Bay-directed movies in the series did not? As stated above, it all lies in the way that the three main heroic groups all meet up as strangers, not knowing each other, to setting aside their differences and working together, to becoming heroes and ultimately true companions who are dependent on and willing to risk their lives for each other. And, unlike most of the Michael Bay-directed movies that make up the original 5-film continuity of the Transformers film series (before being rebooted with Bumblebee in 2018), the two human protagonists get to do things that help the Autobots and the Maximals save the world alongside them. Only when everyone is allowed to be a hero - not just one person and ignoring the other individuals - are they able to rally around and take on a crisis, for protecting everyone else that shares the same planet with them. Transformers: Rise of The Beasts is about humans and heroic giant alien transforming robots coming together and uniting as one to take on a threat much bigger than them when they are on their own, and they aren't treated as throwaway supporting players in the main hero's story - they all are the heroes that the world needs. Everyone in the Maximal-Autobot-Human alliance is needed to save the world from disaster, all of their contributions matter, and the entire alliance comes together during the final battle - all of the Autobots*, the Maximals** and the two human protagonists come together to tackle a threat that is affecting all of them and everyone else on Earth. There is simply put, not just one hero who will save the world from destruction exclusively for them, the world is only saved and the threat is only averted when everyone is allowed to work together, befriend each other, and become a hero.
(* = Including Bumblebee, once he's resurrected)
(** = Except Airazor, who's dead by the time the final battle commences)
I do have some nitpicks about the movie, though.
Let's get some things about Unicron out of the way. Yes, he is in the movie, and he is responsible for sending the Terrorcons to Earth, but he is only partially involved in the movie's plot and doesn't do much other than send the Terrorcons to Earth and devour the Maximals' homeworld in the prologue, which is why he doesn't get Big Bad status as compared to his most loyal minion, Scourge. Also, Rise of The Beasts, being the second movie of the rebooted continuity, feels a bit too early for him to be introduced. Look, I get it that he's supposed to be like Thanos in the Infinity Saga of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and I understand why he was in the film. But, it would have been better if the rebooted continuity of the film series was structurally built like the Infinity Saga of the MCU, saving the Transformers franchise-wide equivalent of Satan himself for the last movie of a first phase, a la The Avengers, and introduce him in a mid-credits scene, but oh well.
Also, for a movie whose subtitle is Rise of The Beasts, the Maximals get surprisingly little focus. They appear in the prologue, then Airazor shows up after the Autobots get punted by the Terrorcons after their first battle with each other, then Primal, Cheetor and Rhinox appear again during the second act, and they work together with the Autobots, and the humans for the final act. If only they had more screen time alongside the Autobots and the humans, but then again, there's nothing we movie lovers can do to change the final product once it's done filming.
For the movie's beginning, it's quite a slow-paced one, and the plot does get going once Noah discovers Mirage in his vehicle alt-mode in the parking garage and it picks up momentum when we see Optimus Prime in his first scene in the film, but I will give it a free pass because it adds to the film's primarily character-driven narrative.
Transformers has emphasized teamwork at times, but Rise of The Beasts ultimately embraces the value of it. Teamwork makes the impossible feel more possible, and it gives you new friends. It also increases your self-confidence, and it also helps develop empathy. That's why it's very refreshing to see (nearly!) all of the heroes get involved and take on the threat only after they unite with each other. Almost every character matters to the story, even the minor ones who don't do much! One sweet scene in the film is when Mirage lends Noah a piece of his gear and tells him to "take the wheel" before he and Elena explore the underground Maximal temple, which demonstrates on how the two characters trust each another, and their relationship adds to the movie's themes of family and togetherness.
Jongnic Bontemps is the movie's composer, and his score is quite solid. He adds in some musical nods, puts in some head-bopping melodies, and even utilizes authentic Peruvian instruments for when the Autobots, the humans, and Airazor all arrive in Peru in their journey.
The cinematography is decent. Enrique Chediak, the person who shot the movie, uses his skills to capture the '90s feel and look of the movie. The Autobots don predominately bright colors, the Maximals get colors based on their animal alt-modes, and the Terrorcons are grim and gray and dark all over. From the lush green expanses of the Amazon Jungle to the gritty look of New York, ROTB showcases the two primary locations of the movie in sharp detail. And massive props to the scene where Scourge confronts the heroes for the first time at the museum. The darkness surrounding him with the chaos going on perfectly fits his character - irredeemably wicked and a most loyal herald of the Transformers equivalent of Satan himself.
The VFX are pretty great. Yes, they may not be made by Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) this time around, and instead done by Weta FX and MPC (Moving Picture Company), and as a result, the special effects can get inconsistent at times. But I don't blame those two companies. They did their best as they could.
Overall, I enjoyed the character growth that the main protagonists went through for much of the movie. It was delightful and heartwarming to see the heroes become better and completely different individuals by the movie's end, and one that will prove vital for their next adventure. Noah, Optimus Prime, and Mirage, and the others - all of their lives changed as a result of their adventure with the Maximals and one another, and their efforts in helping to protect Earth from a threat that couldn't be taken on by their own. In a way, the story of ROTB is much like the first MCU team-up movies when a couple of very different individuals meet up together for the first time and don't get along particularly well, then learn of a massive threat that endangers them all and have to set aside their differences if they are to save the world, then they triumph over the evil forces, and eventually become good friends who depend on each other and are willing to sacrifice their lives for others if necessary. I look forward to see how Noah's adventures with the Autobots continue in the forthcoming G.I. Joe crossover movie, and how they will improve over their outing in ROTB, while maintaining their friendly relations with each other. And I am so glad Mirage made it to the end - I want to see more of his comedic chops and cool powers. Bring on your holographic illusions to take down the Cobra creeps, you lovable, multi-changer Autobot.
Transformers: Rise of The Beasts doesn't skimp out on the robot-on-robot action that longtime franchise junkies crave with a more slightly down-to-earth story that resonates with almost everyone. It's a story without the excess, potty humor, and crazed psychopath Optimus Prime of the previous Michael Bay-directed movies. Instead, it really focuses on many of the main characters and emphasizes courage, perseverance, empathy, and the ways humans and heroic sentient transforming robots can support each other and come together as an alliance in times of need. It explores the value of trusting one another and learning to overcome adversity and setting one's differences aside, and how everyone is stronger when they are together instead of on their own, and the importance of cooperating with one another instead of against each other. Transformers is a franchise, overall, and it's always promoting a product or more that many of its fans want to purchase. Many sections of the film are used to promote the toylines tied to that movie - such as the introduction of the Maximals in live-action and on the big screen, and as such, hyping them up because of it. In spite of all this, Rise of The Beasts proves that the franchise can tell touching, action-packed, character-driven stories, and that the IP is more than just a line of action figures, cartoons, comic books, and whatever else is on the table. Rise of The Beasts reminds us to value the relationships that we make, the importance of family, the accomplishments that we can make when we work together, that unity makes seemingly difficult tasks look easy and that togetherness makes us stronger. These are all valuable lessons to learn, no matter how old you are, and it's all part of the appeal of the Transformers franchise. They may look like ordinary giant robots or vehicles or all that, but there's more to the Transformers themselves than meets the eye.
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PROS:
+ Solid VFX
+ Likable protagonists
+ Nasty villains that are easy to root against
+ Decent, character-driven story peppered with action scenes throughout
+ Emphasizes the value of unity and togetherness
CONS:
- Maximals take a backseat to the Autobots and humans
- Too early of a movie to introduce Unicron to live-action and on the big screen
- VFX can be inconsistent at times
My rating: 3/5
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FINAL NOTES: This review was written for three things: the first anniversary of the movie's release, the 40th anniversary of the Transformers franchise, and the forthcoming release of the Transformers One animated film in theaters. And it took me several days to complete this review (and analysis of the characters), but it was well worth it.
Thank you for reading this review. I will see all of you again next time.
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