More Than Meets the Eye.

With 2023’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, there have been seven total live action films in the franchise. With there quality ranging from okay to downright terrible. Can new director Steven Caple Jr. justify the existence of this never-ending franchise, or should Paramount Pictures have left this universe in the scrapyard? Let’s find out on Gaber’s Two Cents.

I have always had a soft spot for the robots in disguise. I mean who doesn’t love the idea of a vehicle that can transform into a robot warrior. Transformers have been pop culture icons ever since their first appearance in 1984. Rise of the Beasts seems to be pulling a tad on the nostalgia heartstrings as the entire film is set in 1994. This isn’t surprising since the previous film, Bumblebee, took place in 1987, as the franchise seems to be slowly catching up to the present. With this 90’s set entry comes tons of references and styles that defined the decade. From a soundtrack filled with gangster rap, aged slang, and fashion that is as baggy as a Walmart shopping bag. Director Steven Caple Jr. does a adequate job of including all of the things that made the 90’s the era that it was.

In this entry we follow our new human protagonist Noah, played by the charismatic and likeable film and stage actor Anthony Ramos. Ramos skillfully grounds the fantastical storyline through his heartfelt connection with his younger brother and his personal struggles after being discharged from the military. Compared to the previous human protagonists, Noah just might be the most relatable and likeable one yet. Ramos’s line delivery is always spot on, and his interactions with all of the Autobots seem natural enough to ignore the fact that his character is somehow not absolutely overwhelmed by the events that are unfolding around him. It’s a great performance that elevates what could have been a simple run of the mill character.

Playing the role of Elena, actress Dominique Fishback stars as the young historian on a quest to unlock the secret of the Transwarp key. While Fishback gives her all as the fish out of water attempting to unlock the secret of the AllSpark, wait did I say AllSpark? What I meant to say was the Transwarp key, and if I am being honest they are essentially the exact same thing with the same capabilities, just different shapes. Which is the biggest problem with Fishback’s characters motivations. I mean come on Optimus, how many world ending artifacts are out there, and why not just destroy them all if they are eventually going to find their way into a Deception’s hand regardless. Fishback is great, the writing for her character however is a different story. I shouldn’t be surprised since most of the human protagonists in transformers movies tend to just go along with all of the nonsense contained in the plot, but Fishback is an excellent actress, and her writing deserved the same attention that Anthony Ramos’s character received.

Alright nonsensical writing aside, how are the effects? Well they are hit and miss. All of the regular Autobots like, Optimus Prime, Bumblebee etc. look great, it’s the new Maximals that just look a tad bizarre. Maximal leader Optimus Primal (yes that’s his actual name, don’t you laugh!) looks good enough. It’s his second in command, Airrazor, that looks quite bizarre when juxtaposed next to all of the other heroes. She takes the form of a falcon, which would actually be pretty cool if she would transform from her animal form into her robot form occasionally. I wouldn’t have had a problem with this if all of the other Maximals remained in their animal forms, but even they eventually transform into their battle modes by the final showdown, and it just seems really weird when you see her as a talking fifteen foot bird for the entire film. Does she have a battle form, but just never transforms into it? Or is she stuck in her animal form for some reason? These questions are never answered, which in turn makes for some unintentional humorful moments when you see Optimus giving a rousing speech, and the camera pans to a nodding bird that looks like it’s more confused than being present in the conversation.

Alright, let’s talk about the action! Thankfully, the action set pieces are the saving grace of this film. Each transformer gets their chance to shine, and there are even some impressively brutal kills that would make Optimus Prime crack a smile. The final battle, in particular, is executed exceptionally well. With humans, Autobots, and Maximals setting aside their differences, they unite to thwart Unicron, the planet-devouring threat. This battle is an absolute spectacle. The epic score intensifies each metallic punch, while the sound design of the Autobots’ weapons adds to the immersive experience. Director Steven Caple Jr. undeniably knows how to create a triumphant final battle. It’s a shame that the rest of the film leading up to this grand sendoff doesn’t quite measure up.

*Spoilers Ahead*

In what is likely the most surprising aspect of the film, main protagonist Noah heads to a job interview that is revealed to be no other than the Real American Heroes, G.I. Joe. It’s a genuine shocker that will make anyone that grew up in the 80’s be excited for what is to come. Will we see Snake-Eyes battle Cobra and Decepticons whilst riding on Optimus Primes rig, or see Cobra Commander teaming up with Megatron for world domination? These are all intriguing ideas that have been discussed for quite some time, so to see Paramount finally go for it is an undeniably promising premise.

*Spoiler Zone Deactivated*

Overall, there is work to be done if the Transformer films want to truly break from the critical curse that has afflicted them for so long. A stale story that fails to bring new ideas to the table, and occasional CGI that embarrasses more than impresses, hamper the film as a whole. An awesome final battle cannot be the only saving grace in an action film, for all of those reasons and more is why Transformers: Rise of the beats received this particular Cent Score.

Cent Score: 2 Cents

A lackluster experience, offering nothing beyond mediocrity.

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