Film Review: Transformers: Rise of the Beast (6/10)

A familiar machine running on the strength of nostalgia and craftsmanship.”

Directed by Steven Caple Jr. and produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts brings the beloved Hasbro franchise back to theaters with a mix of nostalgia, new characters, and digital spectacle. Starring Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Ron Perlman, Peter Cullen, and Michelle Yeoh, the film expands the cinematic lore by introducing the Maximals — the animal-based robots made famous by the 1990s Beast Wars series.

Set in 1994 Brooklyn and Peru, the story follows Noah (Ramos), an ex-soldier turned tech repairman who gets swept into a galactic conflict after bonding with the Autobots. It’s a high-speed chase across continents, with plenty of metal-on-metal mayhem and a dose of heart — even if the heart sometimes gets buried under the noise.

STORY (1/2)

At its core, Rise of the Beasts is a standard-issue Transformers adventure: world-ending artifact, unlikely human ally, and a fleet of robots with complicated friendships and simple morals. The plot is accessible — a blessing for casual viewers and a limitation for longtime fans. Where Michael Bay’s early entries reveled in chaos, Steven Caple Jr. aims for coherence, and to his credit, the film moves briskly enough to stay engaging.

The narrative’s simplicity allows room for humor and humanity, but it also leaves the characters undercooked. Noah’s relationship with his younger brother feels authentic, though the bond between Noah and Elena (Fishback) lacks development. The movie’s emotional throughline leans more on franchise nostalgia than fresh storytelling, and while the stakes are global, the sense of intimacy is missing.

Still, there’s something admirable about the effort to ground cosmic stakes in human perspective. The story never surprises, but it doesn’t stumble either — it’s a clean, efficient engine running on well-oiled parts.

VISUALS (2/2)

The visuals are competent, consistent, and exactly what you’d expect from a billion-dollar IP with seven films behind it. The CGI is solid if unspectacular — the transformations remain mechanical poetry, rendered with enough weight and detail to feel tactile. The Peruvian jungle sequences provide a welcome break from the urban steel palette, though they’re fleeting.

Cinematographer Enrique Chediak gives the machines dimension and sheen, balancing chaos with clarity. The camera stays wide, letting action breathe — a refreshing choice in an era of shaky close-ups. However, the film sometimes lacks visual personality; the compositions are professional but not memorable. The artistry is there, but it feels more dutiful than inspired.

You can sense the long hours from VFX artists and lighting crews — it’s technically accomplished, but the spark that turns precision into poetry never quite ignites.

SOUND (1/2)

Where the visuals play it safe, the sound absolutely soars. The Transformers franchise has always been a masterclass in audio design, and this film carries that legacy proudly. The iconic mechanical groans, clicks, and whirs remain a thrill — still capable of sending ripples through a theater floor.

The Dolby mix is layered and dynamic, letting the engines growl without swallowing dialogue. The score by Jongnic Bontemps is energetic and versatile, weaving hip-hop influences with orchestral power in a way that feels both era-specific and fresh. The transformations have weight because they sound like they do, and that’s a testament to the unsung heroes in post-production.

Even if the visuals occasionally feel predictable, the sound design never does — it’s the film’s heartbeat.

CHARACTER (1/2)

Anthony Ramos brings charm and groundedness to Noah, even if the script doesn’t give him much to explore. His performance is the bridge between spectacle and sincerity, and his chemistry with Dominique Fishback’s Elena has potential that’s left underdeveloped.

Among the Transformers, Optimus Prime (Peter Cullen) remains the emotional anchor — weary yet noble — while Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson) provides the spark of humor that keeps the film from feeling mechanical. The Maximals, though visually striking, don’t get enough time to register as more than lore expansion.

The character designs are the real stars. The attention to mechanical anatomy and movement remains stunning, and costume and effects teams clearly worked overtime to give every gear and bolt a sense of history. But in terms of emotional depth, the film favors function over feeling.

FACTOR X (2/2)

Here’s where subjectivity kicks in — and where nostalgia does the heavy lifting. Rise of the Beasts isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s easy to enjoy if you meet it halfway. There’s an earnestness in its execution that recalls a time when blockbusters were just fun.

The film occasionally asks for too much suspension of disbelief — particularly when human characters accomplish feats that defy the logic of the franchise itself. But at the same time, that’s part of the joy: this is pulp science fiction, not a physics lesson.

Fans of the original cartoon will find moments that hit home, from familiar sound cues to reimagined designs. The movie may not reach emotional highs, but it keeps the engine running — and sometimes that’s enough.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts won’t convert skeptics or revolutionize the genre, but it delivers what it promises — a fast, loud, and occasionally heartfelt spectacle crafted by professionals who still care about how things sound and move.

Compared to Bay’s bombast, Caple Jr.’s direction feels more controlled, if less distinctive. Fans of Bumblebee’s warmth may find themselves wishing for more character focus, but there’s still plenty to appreciate in the technical craft.

Watch it for the nostalgia, for the sound design, for the pure industrial artistry of making machines feel alive.

FINAL SCORE: 6/10

Where to Watch: Amazon Prime | Netflix