I’m a sucker for Optimus Prime stoic heroism. Inject that brooding, soulful warrior into any movie, and I’m smitten. Some things don’t change, including the cinematic heroes you grow up watching. If Arnold Schwarzenegger and Prime joined forces next week, I’d buy tickets.
It’s the reason I sat through four Michael Bay Transformers movies. Like a fool searching for gold inside a happy meal, I left disappointed after finding less than worthy goods. Bay’s tendency to rub toxic masculinity with elementary screenwriting, combining it with constant explosions, dulled the fanboy nostalgia for Autobot OG fans.
16 years after the first live action movie from Bay, Steven Caple Jr. has restored order to the Transformers cinematic universe with the new release, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. Or in metaphorical terms, the rise of a good time with Prime and company.
That means the lovable Bumblebee and a band of new robot heroes (Pete Davidson steals the show in the newbie department) joining him in a fight against an enemy not named Megatronz. (Colman Domingo’s voice is enough!)
Anthony Ramos has more story to his central human character arc than Shia LaBeouf ever did during his run, but still builds from scratch. Dominique Fishback showcases her versatile resume (Judas and the Black Messiah, Project Power) in the co-star slot, adding weight to a familiar role. Peter Dinklage has some fun as Scourge, Prime’s main nemesis in Rise of the Beasts.
But it’s always been Peter Cullen’s work as Prime that brings me the most joy in a Transformers movie. He’ll always be Prime to me. At long last, his Optimus is the star of his own movie, instead of a human actor. His leader here is flawed, extra angry, and raging; a homeless soldier on the run. Cullen enriches every line.
I was a kid again for two hours. This sits alongside Bumblebee’s (who gets a good story arc here as well) spin-off film in quality. Caple Jr.’s 1994 setting brought back some fond memories. Next year’s Prime-Megatron origin tale will hope to continue the trend.
One more thing: Stick around for a juicy credits sequence that drops a huge Easter egg crossover.
Now, scroll back to top and dive further with my video review.
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