In December 2018, the saga of blockbusters Transformers made the choice to operate a reboot by devoting an entire feature film to its faithful Bumblebee. Today, the darling of the Hasbro company is no longer alone on Earth! The Autobots have found refuge on the blue planet except that it is the calm before the storm, and this one is called Unicron! Robots and humans are in danger, but they will be able to count on the Maximals (a half-animal, half-robotic extraterrestrial species) to defend themselves. We had the opportunity to see them in action in preview, and here are our impressions!
Sixteen years later, Transformers are far from rusty. Having been part of the category of blockbusters that mattered during the second half of the 2000s, under the leadership of Michael Bay, the license to half-vehicle half-warrior aliens now weighs in the billions. This seventh component should also allow it to reach five billion dollars in revenue! Therefore, it was better not to drop it, even if all the cinematographic components failed to shine, at the time, as we had the right to hope. Although well established, the franchise failed to rebound during the decade that followed. However, the 2020s seemed more promising, thanks in particular to the reboot trick and the license’s biggest mascot, Bumblebee. Admittedly, the feature film, released in 2018, barely more than a year and a half after The Last Knight, did not rise to the top of the box office but brought a breath of fresh air which delighted the spectators.
Beyond operating a soft-reboot of the franchise with the feature film mentioned above, the Transformers license went back in time by sending viewers to the middle of the 80s. With Rise of the Beasts, Transformers takes on the 90s, some time after the final events of the Bumblebee movie. We prefer to reassure you right now, you don’t have to discover the origin story of the most endearing pile of scrap metal before embarking on this one. Rise of the Beasts brings, indeed, a new subject on the table. If you want to know the context, you can take a look at our article which provides an update on the new film in the saga before reading our impressions in the following lines. In short, here we are seven years later, in 1994, as the Earth prepares to suffer the consequences of a war which is not its own but in which humanity, literally and figuratively, will have its role to play. And this is only the beginning when we know the (mis)adventures of Sam Witwicky, main protagonist of the first trilogy! No Shia LaBeouf this time, but a new hero named Noah, as well as a new threat (the Terrorcons / Unicron) and above all… new allies, the Maximals!
Noah and Mirage, a “(h)as bro” duo far from being has-been
Inevitably, in the hearts of fans of the license, Bumblebee occupies a very dear place! It is not for nothing that he was entitled to a feature film in his name, you will tell me. Except this time, the Autobots have a new star and it’s called Mirage.. For this new member of the Optimus Prime band, the adventure will be turbulent, especially because he will cross paths with young Noah. Determined to prove himself, the latter is ready to take all the risks and finds himself, in the end, embarked on a quest that is beyond him.. He who must, on the one hand, raise the funds to pay for his younger brother’s medical treatment becomes the new ally, despite himself, of the Autobots, recluse on the blue planet for seven years. Voiced by YouTuber Mister V, the robotic alien, well hidden behind a Porsche body, is one of the strengths of the film and of this new duo that works as much as the one that linked Sam and Bumblebee. Nevertheless, if Mister V does Mister V there, his entire performance is not particularly up to what he can deliver as a YouTuber, as we know him to be more inspired and more hilarious in what he usually produces himself on the Internet.
We feel that the French version, well sheltered behind its star talent, wanted to highlight the new robotic character of Mirage as well as its flagship voice actor, even if it means multiplying the speeches which (unfortunately) make tons of it. A finding that is a shame, since the scenario and his relationship with Noah manage to give him enough space and importance without the need to force the line being felt.. Yes, there are good ideas but the realization remains slightly wobbly and heavy. What makes up for it a bit is the fact that the duo appears fraternal on screen (like real “bros”), and that allows us to have a good time. Beyond having hooks with Mirage, the character of Noah is also the ideal protagonist to weave a parallel with Optimus Prime throughout the film. This resemblance also innervates the psychological development of these two heroes, in particular the leader of the Autobots who, thanks to this reboot, appears in a new light, he who is not the most accustomed – not to say refractory – to the idea of collaborating with humans. Despite everything, the galleys and the fact of having to prove yourself, it brings you closer! It is notably thanks to this that Noah meets Elena, an ambitious young archaeologist who, like him, dreams of proving her worth. In short, the casting works well and this new part does not make the mistake of infusing a romanticized relationship that brings nothing to the script, which is rather welcome. ‘Speaking of which, speaking of characters…
A nostalgia that wreaks havoc on the old and contaminates the new
While part of the cast passed the test and did well, facing the camera, there is another one that bursts the screen. Thanks nostalgia! Because, yes, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts makes a great gift for adults who grew up in the 90s. In this new part, the Autobots have the chance to fight the Terrorcons and, above all, the immense threat named Unicron (an entity devouring planets) in the company of the Maximals. More than twenty-five years ago, some of the children of Generation Z discovered the television and animated series Animutants (Beast Wars: Transformers, in VO), thus getting to know Optimus Primal, Rhinox, Cheetor or even Airazor (all four of which can be found here) in a much less sophisticated and shiny version than that of this feature film. No doubt, the nostalgia operates and that should please some spectators. On the French side, we did not hesitate to add a layer of nostalgia and push the cursor up a notch by counting on a cast of dubbing and stars who will speak to a large gallery of spectators who will make the trip to theaters (Dorothée , Ophélie Winter, credits signed MC Solaar, …).
For others, don’t worry: the origin of these Maximals is effectively explained and the combination between these and the Autobots works wonderfully. If you are picky, you may regret that this new robotic quartet is slightly set back when it is, in a way, at the very heart of the story and the film – it is not for nothing that this seventh part name “Rise of the Beasts”! -, But it’s just a detail. As explained above, Bumblebee was only a kind of preamble and did not at all foreshadow the challenges and adventures of this sequel.. For those who hesitate to go to dark rooms, you can go there with your eyes closed (well, not too much anyway) without being afraid of getting lost in the lore or getting your brushes tangled up in the unfolding of events.
A well-filled specification: classic but effective!
With this seventh part, Rise of the Beasts gives us a Transformers blockbuster as we would like it to be and returns to a more traditional formula.. Unlike the origin story on Bumblebee, which leaned more (and with astonishing accuracy) into the “teen movie” genre (a teenager devastated by the tragic death of her father who blossoms as her adventures in sides of Bumblebee), this Rise of the Beasts takes up a classic scheme (one hero, one goal, one threat, one resolve) with elements that almost make us think of an Indiana Jones/Benjamin Gates adventure. Nevertheless, this classicism is in no way a big defect of the feature film since it stages what we are entitled to expect from a Transformers film, and this, without being bored or that we look at our watch during the whole screening. For almost two hours, while managing his pace well, Rise of the Beasts draws on a bit of all registers with pure and hard action – even now, we feel the impact of Avengers: Endgame in this type of film! —, moments of tension and emotion, a personal and initiatory quest and the famous deus ex machina that we typically expect to see.
Yes, it clearly feels like we’re dealing with a feature film that respects its specifications but, in the end, we find ourselves faced with something solid in his register. Which was, to tell the truth, not especially the case for all Transformers productions… Here, the majority of the battles take place in uncluttered landscapes – not without scratching, in passing, some historical sites – which makes it possible to give more honor to the action scenes which benefit, in passing, from a little more verticality thanks to certain characters. However, if it is diligent and scholarly, Rise of the Beasts was surprising at a very precise moment, touching the video game genre with its fingertips. An originality that we had not yet known in the license! That being said, when going to see a Transformers movie, everyone is well aware of their personal expectations. For once, this Rise of the Beasts ticks the right boxes and happens to be a classic but well-oiled blockbuster that offers us the regressive pleasure that we come to look for.. After Age of Extinction and The Last Knight, this Transformers: Rise of the Beasts has not stalled and is definitely not to be scrapped.
