Aside from its 2007 debut, it’s safe to say the live-action Transformers franchise has been a dumpster fire. Yes, it made tons of money, but each film's quality worsened with each subsequent release after starting in a not-so-good place. The powers that be would have pulled the plug after Dark of the Moon if it weren't for the built-in nostalgia.
But then something happened in 2018. The producers scaled things down from the Michael Bay-led films and made the perfect Transformers movie with Bumblebee. With its more character-driven story and increased attention to detail in action sequences, Bumblebee breathed new life into the Transformers series while giving a soft reboot.
The Robots in Disguise return to continue that reset in Transformers: Rise of the Beast. This latest entry takes us to 1994, where two Brooklynites are thrown into the battle between the Autobots and the Terrorcons after stumbling upon an artifact both sides want desperately.
Bumblebee gave the series a lifeline and a blueprint for what makes a good Transformers movie. Does Rise of the Beasts build on that?
Rise of the Beasts wins because it continues to emphasize the characters by choosing story over action. The writing team’s script invests heavily in humor and the classic human interest arcs to pull this off.
The jokes come in bunches and at a quality that makes Rise of the Beast way funnier than one would expect. Even with the lighter tone of Bumblebee, the amount of humor in this one feels odd. Still, it works because it’s engaging and recognizes the human-Transformer dynamic's absurdity rather than pretending that the ridiculousness of it all doesn’t exist.
The human interest piece uses the underdog trope we’ve seen in the franchise previously, but it’s a more resolved approach this time. The backstories of human protagonists Noah and Elena ground Rise of the Beasts in an authentic and relatable way that anyone who seeks to better themselves understands. That dose of reality separates their stories from the fodder the previous films used in between the CGI and SFX overloads.
The character-driven approach doesn’t work without having talented people in place to play those characters, and Rise of the Beasts does not miss here. Whether on-camera or voice acting, the cast answers every call, specifically Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, and Pete Davidson.
In the Heights proved Ramos could be a leading man. Rise of the Beasts shows why he should be a leading man more often. While it’s hard to tell if he’s performing any stunts, his charisma, comedic timing, and dramatic chops are enough to make this outing spectacular.
Fishback continues to show she’s a chameleon and can play anything given to her. Her performance is similar to Ramos’s in that her range is entirely on display.
The most rewarding performance belongs to Davidson as Mirage. His comic schtick carries Rise of the Beast early when it would otherwise sink due to narrative changes. He doesn’t miss a single joke and sometimes manages to tug a heartstring.
However, all is not well for Rise of the Beast. The biggest issue is that the action sequences are a bit of a letdown, especially in the third act. It’s reasonable to expect a drop-off in that department from the earlier films due to the move away from the Michael Bay stuff, but Bumblebee still impressed here with half the budget Rise of the Beasts was working with. There is nothing visually stunning about any of the fights or robots.
It doesn’t come close to matching what Bumblebee did regarding reviving the franchise and being an all-around pleaser. Yet, Rise of the Beasts is a serviceable addition to the Transformers franchise.
The CGI and special effects offer little, if anything. Still, the trio of Ramos, Fishback, and Davidson and a more character-focused narrative give this one everything it needs to earn your movie money.
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