Transformers: Rise of the Beasts – Budget of $195 – 200 million – 2 hours and 7 minutes
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Noah prepares for a job interview in 1994 but notices something is wrong with his little brother’s hand. Noah’s brother, Chris, has sickle cell anemia and needs therapy to manage the symptoms. Noah’s mother warns him that she is behind on the hospital bill. So, Noah needs to prepare a lie in case. Noah runs to his job interview after the hospital refuses to treat Chris. Unfortunately, the interview is over. Noah asks why. They got word from Noah’s former commanding officer. Noah is a tech whiz and a soldier but not a team player.
Noah returns home with Chris feeling defeated. Noah needs to make money now to help his family, so he takes a shortcut and uses his technical expertise to boost cars. Noah makes small-time money jailbreaking cable boxes in his neighborhood, but grand theft auto is another level. Noah sneaks into a hotel’s laundry department and travels to a garage. He finds a beautiful Porsche and uses a Jimmy to get inside. Noah turns on the radio and hears a voice yelling for Mirage to roll out. Noah sees a cop in his peripheral and puts his hands up. The vehicle puts itself in gear and starts a high-speed chase. After a wild ride through the streets of New York, the car morphs into Autobot Mirage. Mirage tells Noah to be cool because the others are coming and are not fond of humans.
Across town, Elena interns at a museum. Her boss, Jillian, brought in a statue that she claimed to be Egyptian. Elena looks at it and believes they misclassified the artifact. She thinks it’s much older. Elena tries to tell Jillian, but Jillian leaves for a gala and throws Elena her dry cleaning. Elena sees Jillian’s lab tech badge and uses it to gain unauthorized access to the examination equipment. Elena notices the marking on the objects and jots them down in her notepad. As she scans the item, it breaks apart and reveals something inside. She doesn’t see a stream of light emanating from it, but Optimus Prime does.
Optimus Prime is in awe of the light. He knows it comes from the Transwarp Key. The key opens portals through time and space. Optimus can use it to send himself and the Autobots to their home world, Cybertron. He wants to find the key but also stay incognito. He calls the Autobots – Bumblebee, Mirage, and Acree – to plan a way into the museum. They convene, and Optimus is furious that Mirage let a human into their meeting. The Autobots catch Noah trying to sneak out as they discuss ways to retrieve the key. Mirage gets an idea. They can have Noah get the key for them. Noah says no until Mirage offers him money. Mirage agrees to transform into any car of Noah’s choosing and will allow Noah to sell him. When the new owner isn’t aware, Mirage will leave. Optimus isn’t keen on the idea, but he knows Scourge can see the beacon too.
Scourge leads the Terrorcons and works for Unicron. Unicron fuels himself by eating planets. Unicron sent Scourge to find the key to become unstoppable. The last time Scourge saw the key was on the homeworld of the Maximals. Their leader, Apelinq, sacrificed himself so the Maximals, including Optimus Primal, could escape with their greatest technology: the Transwarp key. Unicron told Scourge to summon him when he got the key. Optimus knows it’s a matter of time before Scourge comes to Earth looking for it.
Noah enters the museum, and Elena confronts him. The Terrorcons shoot a hole in the museum as they argue over the artifact. After battling on the museum’s front lawn, Scourge destroys Bumblebee’s spark and leaves with the key. However, they only got half the key. Elena deciphered the markings and found similar ones in Peru. She believes the other half of the key is there. Noah decides to go with them. However, he tells Elena he has a mission too. He wants to eradicate the key to save Earth instead of using it to send the Autobots to Cybertron. Elena, Noah, and the Autobots head to Peru, with Scourge not far behind. Who will win the battle of the key?
Inspired by Transformers, this movie takes place after Bumblebee but serves as a prequel to the Transformers movie series. The intro gives the audience a glimpse of the Maximals and their mission before coming to Earth. However, the plot assumes you know the story of the Transformers. While Mirage delivers comic relief, the storyline focuses on brotherly relationships. Noah and Chris share a bond that gives Noah a reason to stay in the fight, not just for Earth, but for Noah’s job hunt. Optimus has a brotherly connection to Bumblebee. When Scourge kills Bumblebee, Optimus vows to bring Bumblebee back to Cybertron to heal him. These two connections help Mirage understand Noah and Optimus’s goal for the key. Mirage acts as the intermediary between Noah and Optimus. Also, this story arc drives the drama forward. The animation is crisp and not offputting. Luckily, the writers didn’t add an unnecessary romance. Be prepared for a surprise in the final scene that will push this franchise into the future. Also, there is one mid-credit scene. This film is as enjoyable as Bumblebee but doesn’t drag like the other Transformers films. It is a rejuvenated addition to the series.
I give it 4.5 out of 5 stars
Bros before hoes – Chris
Work friends? You were inside me – Mirage
It’s yours – Alana
You fighting alone, or are we fighting this together – Noah
You can’t handle the truth – Bumblebee
I alone will reign supreme – Unicron
I’ll get it myself – Scourge
Noah, don’t – Optimus Prime
Your sacrifice is our vow – Optimus Primal
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Categories: Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, In The Theater, movie, review, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts
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