(Rating: 6/10)
The movie has some entertainment value and even some moments where I thought this is what I came for. The Film took enough time to develop the character of Noah, the ex-military, but it got lost in personal struggles of the 90s at some point. Unfortunately, the story telling was forgotten whilst finding a job and paying bills.
What I came for: I came for the battles. They are cool, powerful and exciting - yes, this is a transformers film. The sound effects, as always, are overwhelming. I also came for the (re) transformations. These scenes could go forever, I watch them! On top, there is always a new and mind blowing bot or villain or something else. Just think of the Dinobots in "Age of extinction". "Rise of beasts" brings in a kind of a mecha King Kong and, my favorite, a rhinoceros. Unfortunately, we didn't see much of the rhino bot..
What's refreshing: The well-known extraterrestrial futurism merged with the nostalgic elements of the 90s. Soldering of broken pieces from an old device, cable headset, presenting old school music in a way they did etc. The makers mixed the old new with the new old. It simulates a postmodern futuristic feeling. Of course, this concept is not original and seems to be a trend nowadays (guardians of the galaxy, flash etc) but it still let's in fresh wind, especially in the way they realized it. The next cool and rather unusial thing was the password. Very good integrated from the beginning.
What's Disappointing:
1) While Noah's character development was overshadowed by personal issues, Elena stays a complete mystery. Who is she? What's her story? Too much and too less don't add up to "enough"..
2) the use of unnecessary stylistic elements. Either they are too blunt or they are "kind-of-copied" - better said: unoriginal. They tell the story bigger than it is. A) the hunting scene in the first part: I was impatiently waiting for the shock moment. And it took longer and longer - didn't know I am watching a horror movie. I know exactly what the makers tried here and it's a little annoying B) when the autobots met in the garage with Noah the first time. It reminded me of the first transformers movie, right at the moment he called for the others bot to meet up. Did the makers think it works again?? C) optimus sacrifices himself in the epic final. So far so good. But then, in the very last second, Noah comes and rescues. Then, he can't keep optimus and everything seems lost again. Then again, someone came to rescue. This up and down is too much and left me completely disappointed. It's ridiculous.. D)...
3) Optimus Prime is rather Optimus second (or beta?). I know that this film plays in the 90s, so, before Optimus met Sam (first movie), but still he has lived for thousands of years and I expected the typical "I am optimus prime, now I am stating a wisdom about humans and the different evolution of our two species". Instead, he was egoistic, blind, macho and, most confusing, following a human that he didn't even trust. And everyone seemed to defend his behavior! That's not the optimus prime I had in mind. I expected him to be strong-minded, a true leader, somewhat wise and sublime. But here - Meh.
4) Very sudden convenient (for the plot) appearances out of nothing. It was easy to tell when the makers needed elements to continue their plot. The warp key created a gigantic warp machine on a big mountain where - straight out the walls - a huge army of bot soldiers appeared all that out of the blue.
After all, it's entertaining, had good effects but was overloaded with trashy stylistic elements blowing up the story. The personal struggle of Noah could've been shortened and who is Elena? Cool Rhino, cool Mecha King Kong, weird sudden appearances of bots, armies and the warp machine to be able to finish the plot.
"Rise of beasts" is not among my favorite transformers.
What I came for: I came for the battles. They are cool, powerful and exciting - yes, this is a transformers film. The sound effects, as always, are overwhelming. I also came for the (re) transformations. These scenes could go forever, I watch them! On top, there is always a new and mind blowing bot or villain or something else. Just think of the Dinobots in "Age of extinction". "Rise of beasts" brings in a kind of a mecha King Kong and, my favorite, a rhinoceros. Unfortunately, we didn't see much of the rhino bot..
What's refreshing: The well-known extraterrestrial futurism merged with the nostalgic elements of the 90s. Soldering of broken pieces from an old device, cable headset, presenting old school music in a way they did etc. The makers mixed the old new with the new old. It simulates a postmodern futuristic feeling. Of course, this concept is not original and seems to be a trend nowadays (guardians of the galaxy, flash etc) but it still let's in fresh wind, especially in the way they realized it. The next cool and rather unusial thing was the password. Very good integrated from the beginning.
What's Disappointing:
1) While Noah's character development was overshadowed by personal issues, Elena stays a complete mystery. Who is she? What's her story? Too much and too less don't add up to "enough"..
2) the use of unnecessary stylistic elements. Either they are too blunt or they are "kind-of-copied" - better said: unoriginal. They tell the story bigger than it is. A) the hunting scene in the first part: I was impatiently waiting for the shock moment. And it took longer and longer - didn't know I am watching a horror movie. I know exactly what the makers tried here and it's a little annoying B) when the autobots met in the garage with Noah the first time. It reminded me of the first transformers movie, right at the moment he called for the others bot to meet up. Did the makers think it works again?? C) optimus sacrifices himself in the epic final. So far so good. But then, in the very last second, Noah comes and rescues. Then, he can't keep optimus and everything seems lost again. Then again, someone came to rescue. This up and down is too much and left me completely disappointed. It's ridiculous.. D)...
3) Optimus Prime is rather Optimus second (or beta?). I know that this film plays in the 90s, so, before Optimus met Sam (first movie), but still he has lived for thousands of years and I expected the typical "I am optimus prime, now I am stating a wisdom about humans and the different evolution of our two species". Instead, he was egoistic, blind, macho and, most confusing, following a human that he didn't even trust. And everyone seemed to defend his behavior! That's not the optimus prime I had in mind. I expected him to be strong-minded, a true leader, somewhat wise and sublime. But here - Meh.
4) Very sudden convenient (for the plot) appearances out of nothing. It was easy to tell when the makers needed elements to continue their plot. The warp key created a gigantic warp machine on a big mountain where - straight out the walls - a huge army of bot soldiers appeared all that out of the blue.
After all, it's entertaining, had good effects but was overloaded with trashy stylistic elements blowing up the story. The personal struggle of Noah could've been shortened and who is Elena? Cool Rhino, cool Mecha King Kong, weird sudden appearances of bots, armies and the warp machine to be able to finish the plot.
"Rise of beasts" is not among my favorite transformers.