‘Transformers: Rise of the Beasts’ Goes Into Full Fan Service Mode 

Alci Rengifo

Nothing new resides in the arena of popcorn box office competition. With a few exceptions, everything is a sequel, prequel or remake. So it comes as no surprise that the nearness of summer is announced by the release of “Transformers: Rise of the Beasts,” the seventh entry in the “Transformers” franchise which needs no introduction. An honest reviewer must admit it could have been worse. For the fans what is promised is delivered in terms of giant robots, cosmic threats and lots of digital explosions. General viewers who are into action escapism will be pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable on a simple, goofy level the movie can be. If the aim is to continue rebooting this series, “Rise of the Beasts” does it with enough self-awareness where it cheerfully celebrates its source material. 

Technically this is a stand –alone sequel to 2018’s “Bumblebee,” which was a fun, even sweet buddy action movie where the Transformer of the title lands on Earth, makes friends with teenagers and helps them save the world. “Rise of the Beasts” expands into the flashier terrain of the original Michael Bay extravaganzas, while still sustaining a lighter touch. It is set in 1994 New York, where former army man Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) is struggling to find work. He also takes care of his chronically ill little brother Kris (Dean Scott Vazquez). To get by he sometimes tags along with a buddy on heists. One night he steals the wrong Porsche since it turns out to be one of the transformers, Mirage (Pete Davidson). Noah then crosses paths with Elena (Dominique Fishback), an anthropologist at an Ellis Island museum investigating strange symbols on ancient artifacts. Thanks to Mirage the pair soon discovers the other Transformers led by Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen), on a mission to save the planet from the villainous Scourge (Peter Dinklage).

Unlike other franchise cousins, “Transformers” benefits from scaling down just a little from the previous Bay madhouses. “Rise of the Beasts” doesn’t have the strong story sense of “Bumblebee,” which was set in the 1980s and referenced The Smiths and “The Breakfast Club.” But it still has a good time injecting nostalgia into its galactic plot. The soundtrack has a good collection of needle drops from Notorious B.I.G., Wu-Tang Clan, A Tribe Called Quest and Digable Planets. Director Steven Caple Jr., who also made the very entertaining “Creed II,” keeps the visuals lean and focuses on likable characters. Kris and Elena as characters are nothing new except in how they are now played by people of color, which is refreshing along with the decent banter they’re given. Together they have enough chemistry to deliver funny one-liners and save each other from impending doom. The screenplay also avoids predictable romantic angles. No one kisses. Pete Davidson is also allowed to be himself and let loose as Mirage, a wise-cracking robot who pokes at Optimus Prime for being too serious.

The rest of “Rise of the Beasts” essentially performs a competent fan service. Its main source of inspiration is the “Transformers: Beast Wars” TV series, from which it takes its “Maximals” characters. Fan favorites like Arcee (Liza Koshy) and Bumblebee are back while Beast Wars characters are thrown into the mix such as gorilla Optimus Primal (Ron Perlman), Airazor (Michelle Yeoh), Rhinox (David Sobolov) and Cheetor (Tongayi Chirisa). Everyone converges in Peru to battle the evil Scourge and his gang, who want to use a particular “key” to open a pathway for the even more evil Unicorn (Colman Domingo) to destroy the world. Caple Jr. deserves credit for not reducing the action to obliterating another big city, keeping the impressively animated battles in green valleys, forest terrains and volcanic landscapes. The robot characters are also expertly done, with enough personality to make us care when Optimus Prime weighs hard leadership decisions. For a brief moment we can stop asking logical questions, such as why alien machines from another planet are still outfitted with very earthly tires.

It is in the third act that the non-fan might start getting tired out once the movie kicks into full action overdrive mode. As with many franchises getting endlessly resurrected, “Rise of the Beasts” suffers from the story cornering itself without much room to expand. All the good Autobots come together to fight Scourge with metal getting slammed into the ground, cannon arms firing rounds everywhere and Optimus Prime running his sword through some adversary’s mechanical head. Noah even gets his own Iron Man-style suit. The stakes never rise too much because we know there’s going to be another movie if this one proves to be a hit. Indeed, the filmmakers go for the Marvel bonus scene where characters are invited to join a “secret team,” with a close-up of a business card connecting this “Transformers” movie to another famous franchise. There are much better options at the multiplex, but for devotees this entry delivers just enough of what it should. Non-fans can sit this one out.

“Transformers: Rise of the Beasts” releases June 9 in theaters nationwide.