Transformers: Rise of the Beasts movie review (2023)

They both find themselves flung into the hunt for the all-important Transwarp Key—Noah when he tries to steal a Porsche that turns out to be an Autobot, Elena when she studies a new sculpture that’s come into the lab with mysterious symbols on it. One of the most enjoyable parts of “Rise of the Beasts” is the back-and-forth between Ramos and Pete Davidson as the voice of Mirage, the wisecracking sports car. The role calls for Davidson to showcase his irreverent, playful persona. It’s perfect casting, and it may be his best work ever.

Other heavy hitters among the voice cast include Michelle Yeoh as the majestic Maximal falcon Airazor, Ron Perlman as the roaring gorilla Optimus Primal, and Peter Dinklage as the vicious Scourge, the leader of the Terrorcons who’s Unicron’s right-hand man. The ever-charming Cristo Fernández basically does his sunny Dani Rojas personality from “Ted Lasso” as a 1970s Volkswagen bus named Wheeljack, but it’s still a pleasure. Nineties hip-hop classics from A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang Clan, Diggable Planets, The Notorious B.I.G. and more are a great fit and provide an infectious vibe.

But ultimately, “Rise of the Beasts” does what every Transformers movie has to do: wrap up with a seemingly endless fight sequence in which big, shiny chunks of metal slam noisily into each other. The smaller and more intimate special effects are more impressive than these massive set pieces; Mirage evolves in a multitude of cool ways that look tactile and realistic, for example. But while this climax isn’t as dizzying and interminable as they so often are, it’s still rather dull compared to the action that came before it.

There is also the fundamental problem that there are no real stakes: We know what happens to these characters, and that they’ll not only be OK but also survive for several more movies. And of course, a mid-credits scene suggests that there’s even more to come from this cinematic universe, because there’s always more to come. So you may as well buckle up.

Opens Friday, June 9th.

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