IR Film Review: TRANSFORMERS - RISE OF THE BEASTS [Paramount]
The movement of a film like "Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts" depends on context for the story and how it reflects in the lexicon. This entry does a smart move at its inset, setting up what is to come and the basis of the story before the audience ever gets to the main characters. This, of course, allows for release of tension while still building up to a crescendo later on. While Anthony Ramos as Noah is the lead providing the entry point for a different audience in many respects, the performance that balances it and elevates the story is Mirage (voiced and seems physicality reflected in the CG by Pete Davidson). It is this character that really elevates the film. The aspects of a civilization destroying element (which looks alot of times like a mechanical representation of what "Star Trek" did in 2009) is simply a backdrop. While not as intrinsic or personal in many respects as "Bumblebee" (which was anchored by a more empathetic, at times, Hailee Steinfeld), "Beasts" ups the ante in certain ways especially as it reaches the end. While not as chockful of uneeded cameos, the demolition in many ways (similar to XMen: The Last Stand") doesn't seem as necessary as it wants to be.
Granted this film is aimed at the younger demographic. Some of the integration of transforming takes on a slightly different connotation and use in difference to past films which is refreshing. Optimus Prime is, as ever, a reflection of old school optimism which is nicely balanced by Optimus Primal, a gorilla molded transformer voiced by Ron Perlman. The MacGuffin of the story propels the search for a key leading the team of Transformers and two humans (Ramos and an archeological intern named Elena played by Dominique Fishman) to Peru. It is an interesting transference of location which works well in a underground sequence but then pretty much transforms to a CG grid. The message of the film is both positive and balanced but again not as heartfelt (in as much as a Transformera movie can be) as "Bumblebee". "Rise Of The Beasts" has bigger ideas of what it could be which is further pushed by the last act and the last shot. However on its own, it is what it appears to be: eye candy with a some broad school appeal, and just enough sustenance to keep itself going and satisfy the audience. B-
By Tim Wassberg
