Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

The Transformers franchise is one of the most tired series in Hollywood today and one that I've not really kept up with much since Dark of the Moon (which I stand by as being the 2nd best aside from the original). 

The most recent one I've reviewed - 2014's Age of Extinction - I couldn't even pinpoint a single scene from it if I tried. Many have a lot of vitriol against director Michael Bay. I think it's often excessive, but he did come with known issues like over-edited action scenes, silly scripts, and films that are 60 minutes too long. 

Having skipped The Last Knight and Bumblebee all together (the latter of which I eventually caught on TV...it was fine), I've become disconnected from the Transformers series and skipped Rise of the Beasts earlier this year too, hence the reason for this delayed catch-up review. 

While Michael Bay may have run his course of the franchise into the ground, this new Transformers movie just feels...generic. I didn't outright hate anything, although the insanely exposition-heavy script got close (with an obnoxious amount of cliche sci-fi terms slapped in throughout) but there's nothing I loved here either, and it's a very forgettable package. 

Anthony Ramos is not a great lead, for starters. I like the guy, but I didn't find him or Dominique Fishback captivating as the "human" element of this. It's likely mostly the script they were working with, but neither of them really did it for me either. Additionally, the ZOMG! nature of the "Beast" Transformers was..."meh". They're neat to a certain extent - and the special effects still [mostly] remain very impressive, but in general there's just a massive sense of fatigue I get from these films anymore. Out of nowhere, Pete Davidson as Mirage was probably my favorite element (words I never thought I'd say) and there's a pretty solid action sequence at the end that Michael Bay would have definitely ruined with quick cuts. It never gave me that "extended take" action moment I was hoping for - unless you count the maybe-10 second one it has - but it's solidly entertaining. 

I'm thankful I took the time back to myself while this was in theaters and instead got to catch-up with it at home. It's clear to me that my disconnect from this franchise was perhaps subconscious, but will likely be a conscious effort should there be more, unless there are significant value-added elements upcoming. The final scenes have a stinger that's interesting as hell so if they capitalize on that, it would pique my curiosity, but otherwise, the Transformers series is officially one I'm "tired" of, even if Rise of the Beasts isn't even particularly awful.

Rapid Rath's Review Score | 6/10