Transformers: Rise Of The Beast

The film was released in theaters on 9 June, and all Transformers fans could not contain their excitement. Transformer fans had the chance to witness their favourite characters once again in action. This time the Autobots were facing their biggest nemesis, the Terrorcons. If you’re worried about the destruction of property we usually witness in movies, worry not, this time they took the fights to the grassy hills and rocky mountains of Peru. And they managed to do it all without any interference from any government and military, like in other films.

I’ll try not to spoil it for you.

I was excited about two things in particular
1. Tongayi Chirisa having a role in the film. We grew up watching the Autobots fighting the decepticons. These are films that shaped out childhood fantasies. I’m sure Chirisa did too. Knowing he was in one of the frontline roles was more than just a black child’s dream for me.
2. It’s the transformers, saving the planet! I was excited to see the action. The transformations of our favourite characters from car to robot to car again. On to of that, to see the threat they were faced with, and how the Autobots teamed up with their allies, the humans and the Maximals defending earth.

This is not just any transformers movie … it’s a movie with a black girl, and a brown boy playing the lead roles. They are the human allies the Autobots and the maximals needed to navigate in places the robots couldn’t get to. The actors understood their assignment completely. It more like Sam and Mikaela, but the lack of romance made the storyline even more interesting.

We get to meet the maximals, transformers or should I say robots, from a different planet. Their home planet was destroyed by Unicron and they found refuge on earth. Optimus Primal, and Airazor were given great justice by their voice actors. However, Cheetor and Rhinox could have done better for their characters with a few more lines.

Mirage, the great energetic rookie in the Autobots team stole the show. He was a very sociable character, excitable and eager to connect with the other characters. Mirage was given enough time to shine, and Pete Davidson, the voice actor, gave the character enough justice. We also saw the introduction of Stratosphere, an aerial Autobot. However the character did not get enough time, or dialogue.

Scourge and his band of Terrorcons were quite engaging, continuing the trend of villains. They completely aced their antagonist assignment. In my honest opinion, they were the best villains to grace the screens in all the movies the franchise has made.

The timeline of the film was perfectly fit as a sequel to the 2018 movie, Bumblebee. If you’re not a Transformers fan and wish to see this movie, I suggest you watch the 2018 entry first, because there are several call backs from the film throughout the movie. It is set in the 90’s, and the soundtrack from that period is perfectly fit in as well. The dialogues were hilarious and had the audience reeling with laughter throughout the movie.

I understand Optimus Prime more and more. His story and his mission, and most importantly, his need to go back home. He is learning how to be a leader, and to coexist. He is learning more about trust as well. The movie gave us more about Prime’s story and why he is the way he is. Each movie teaches Prime something about humanity and I know we can all draw lessons from that. As a first born kid, I too relate to Optimus more than I realised, willing to take the burdens, and the responsibilities, fighting mine and others battles. And always wanting to keep my people close. He is the bigger brother he actually wants to be, he just doesn’t see it.

This is a classic Transformers with a lot of humour. Great CGI and a captivating storyline. The action sequence is heart pounding and kept the audience at the edge of their seats. We could have used a lot more of action between Optimus Prime and Optimus Primal. Just enough to let us in on their roles as the leaders of the Autobots and maximals respectively. The biggest lesson from the movie is “no matter the cost”. A lesson I will take home with me. The willingness to pay whatever price, for your goal, there sacrifices worth taking. No latter the cost.