While Michael Bay's Transformers films have their fans, there is no question they have issues. The last film in that series was such a disaster it's no wonder a reboot was in order. "Bumblebee" was the result and turned out quite good, so a sequel wasn't far, that being "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts", which promised to bring old and new generations of our favorite shape-shifting robots together for an epic clash. Did it live up to expectations?
Plot: The ultimate evil Unicron, with his legion of Terrorcons, seeks the Transwarp, a device that can transport its users to any place and time, so he can freely consume any and all planets for sustenance. To prevent the device from falling into the wrong hands, the Autobots seek aid from not only a pair of underdog humans, but also the beastly yet noble Maximals. The race is on for the fate of all worlds.
Like with "Bumblebee", there's a greater emphasis on characterization, story, and themes than in Bay's films. The focus here is on sacrifice, family, and seeing value in others. The human companions this time are Noah Diaz, an ex-soldier desperate to help his family in need, and Elena Wallace, an archaeologist out to prove herself in her field. As characters, they work fine within the story, having compelling reasons for going along with the Autobots and coming to satisfying conclusions. The real stars, of course, are the Transformers, who feel like genuine characters with a good range of emotions and personalities rather than just accessories that are there just because, though some get more focus than others. Optimus Prime goes through a solid arc, at first stern due to the scars of the war but growing to accept his new circumstances and the views of his allies. This is especially pushed by his newfound relationship with Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman), who suffered his fair share yet offers a fresh new perspective through own experiences, particularly with his connection to Earth. The Maximals easily steal the show whenever they're around, especially the majestic Airazor (Michelle Yeoh), though the Autobots are also pleasant company. The big standout is Mirage, who offers a few laughs but also provides some emotional support through his bond with Noah. In fact, there's quite a few good dramatic moments that elevate this beyond a mindless blockbuster.
As far as action goes, this film excels. Whereas Bayformers put such an annoying emphasis on the US military to the point of overshadowing the robots, here we purely get Transformers vs Transformers, what the franchise was built on. Each character has unique fighting styles/weapons to keep you on your toes, with the Terrorcons, led by the ruthless Scourge (Peter Dinklage), being truly formidable foes; quite refreshing to have other villains other than Megatron. The last battle where Autobots and Maximals fight side-by-side is so epic it literally had the audience cheering at a few points; very well-staged, choreographed, hard-hitting, and everyone having their moments to shine.
All in all, ROTB is a worthy film in the franchise with good action/effects but also an engaging story with high stakes and solid payoffs for its characters, not to mention a little setup at the end that had my jaw dropping. It was also nice seeing the "Beast Wars" characters finally come to the big screen and given their due. Not necessarily high art, but worth seeing.
Plot: The ultimate evil Unicron, with his legion of Terrorcons, seeks the Transwarp, a device that can transport its users to any place and time, so he can freely consume any and all planets for sustenance. To prevent the device from falling into the wrong hands, the Autobots seek aid from not only a pair of underdog humans, but also the beastly yet noble Maximals. The race is on for the fate of all worlds.
Like with "Bumblebee", there's a greater emphasis on characterization, story, and themes than in Bay's films. The focus here is on sacrifice, family, and seeing value in others. The human companions this time are Noah Diaz, an ex-soldier desperate to help his family in need, and Elena Wallace, an archaeologist out to prove herself in her field. As characters, they work fine within the story, having compelling reasons for going along with the Autobots and coming to satisfying conclusions. The real stars, of course, are the Transformers, who feel like genuine characters with a good range of emotions and personalities rather than just accessories that are there just because, though some get more focus than others. Optimus Prime goes through a solid arc, at first stern due to the scars of the war but growing to accept his new circumstances and the views of his allies. This is especially pushed by his newfound relationship with Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman), who suffered his fair share yet offers a fresh new perspective through own experiences, particularly with his connection to Earth. The Maximals easily steal the show whenever they're around, especially the majestic Airazor (Michelle Yeoh), though the Autobots are also pleasant company. The big standout is Mirage, who offers a few laughs but also provides some emotional support through his bond with Noah. In fact, there's quite a few good dramatic moments that elevate this beyond a mindless blockbuster.
As far as action goes, this film excels. Whereas Bayformers put such an annoying emphasis on the US military to the point of overshadowing the robots, here we purely get Transformers vs Transformers, what the franchise was built on. Each character has unique fighting styles/weapons to keep you on your toes, with the Terrorcons, led by the ruthless Scourge (Peter Dinklage), being truly formidable foes; quite refreshing to have other villains other than Megatron. The last battle where Autobots and Maximals fight side-by-side is so epic it literally had the audience cheering at a few points; very well-staged, choreographed, hard-hitting, and everyone having their moments to shine.
All in all, ROTB is a worthy film in the franchise with good action/effects but also an engaging story with high stakes and solid payoffs for its characters, not to mention a little setup at the end that had my jaw dropping. It was also nice seeing the "Beast Wars" characters finally come to the big screen and given their due. Not necessarily high art, but worth seeing.