27-06-23 | The Transformers are back! And they’ve brought some new friends along to play! Transformers: Rise of the Beasts not only reintroduces the famous Autobots, it’s also the feature film debut of the Maximals. Like the Transformers, these characters are based on a successful toy line from the past, albeit one where robots morph into animals. A fun premise, but does it make for a good movie?
Well, yes and no. ‘Rise of the Beasts‘ plot is so paint-by-the-numbers it’s a painful reminder of where we’re at in the current IP-laden blockbuster landscape’ said Graeme Guttman of Screen Rant. Matt Dennis of Critical Popcorn agreed. ‘Rise of the Beasts is largely inoffensive but also painfully bland. Like the 1990’s themselves, the whole film is aesthetically dull, and the plot isn’t much to write home about either.’ Few critics seem genuinely offended by the film, but there aren’t many glowing reviews either.
Most critics agree it’s a definite improvement over the previous films. Christy Lemire of RogerEbert.com cheekily noted that ‘you can actually see what’s happening in the gargantuan action sequences, which is always a plus.’ ‘The plot is undeniably dumb –’ adds of Sarah Michelle Fetters of Movie Freak ‘ – but at least it’s not so purposefully convoluted that the screenplay ends up inadvertently amplifying just how unrelentingly inane the whole thing is.’ Damning praise for a film of this type.
In addition to a new series of mechanical monsters, Transformers Rise of the Beasts introduces new human protagonists. which have been received well. ‘Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback have great chemistry and seem entirely comfortable interacting with what presumably was a series of green-screen walls’ says Gabriel Sigler of Bad Feeling Mag, with Lemire adding that Rise of the Beasts ‘demonstrates surprising care with the human beings trapped in the midst of this epic battle between good and evil. That’s a rarity in this series, known more for the bland types and groan-inducing banter of the Bay movies.’
On the whole, the film appears to be lacking. ‘Unfortunately the Beasts themselves, the Maximals, barely register, despite some cool designs and some decent vocals from Ron Perlman and Michelle Yeoh’ notes Dennis. Sigler put it best when he said that ‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is by no means a perfect movie, and even at a reasonable 127 minutes still feels needlessly drawn out.’ Despite being flawed and overblown, Rise of the Beasts’ take on the Transformers formula should please fans.
Read the full reviews here:
Graeme Guttman at Screen Rant
Matt Dennis at Critical Popcorn
Christy Lemire at RogerEbert.com
Sarah Michelle Fetters at Movie Freak
Gabriel Sigler of Bad Feeling Mag