Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is coming this June, and we can’t wait. As a huge Transformers fan, James has decided to take the reins on this one and explore Transformers in its entirety. There’s so much to explore, but James plans on taking a look at the films, shows, games, stories and action figures that made him a Transformers fan. Not only will this be a personal journey, it’ll also be an insightful one. As the release draws nearer, we’ll be taking a look at the characters and factions from Rise of the Beasts. By the end, you’ll be fully prepared for when the Maximals come charging into cinemas.
To kick things off, James is taking a step back in time to where it all started for him. In 2007, Michael Bay released the first live-action Transformers movie, and a 10-year-old James was just about to have his first blockbuster experience.
Synopsis
An immense struggle between two Cybertronian races, the heroic Autobots and the evil Decepticons, comes to Earth with the tyrannical Megatron seeking an ancient power that could change everything. When High-school student Sam Witwicky buys his first car, who is actually the Autobot Bumblebee, he is thrown into the middle of this brutal war. A war that could destroy the human race.
Review
I don’t really need an excuse to watch the Transformers movies. I’ve watched them all countless times, but when I decided to embark on this explorative journey, it became clear just how significant this movie was back in 2007. At that point, I had had no interaction with the world of Autobots and Decepticons. It was completely foreign to me. So the first film acted as a gateway into a much larger universe. Not only did I get to experience my first blockbuster on the big screen, remember that Transformers came out before the MCU redefined the blockbuster dynamic, but I also found a way into what would have been my first fandom. 10-year-old me was about to be blown away.
Revisiting this film just fills me with so much joy, but it does feel weird reviewing something that is personally significant and quite dated. Unlike my other reviews, this isn’t a fresh experience, Having said that, with each watch it feels as though I am literally thrown back to my birthday party at the cinema where I watched Transformers with my school friends. We all have films that trigger that nostalgic switch, and Transformers is definitely mine.
One thing that every Transformers movie has struggled with is this fine balance between Transformers and humans. Most of the time, the scales lean towards the humans rather than the Transformers in regards to focus and screentime. For the first film, I’m willing to give them a pass since this film essentially establishes the rules and settings. However, it definitely does become a problem later on. Regardless, I still love all of the human characters in Transformers. The dorkiness of Sam and his disfunctional family, Mikaela with her attitude and sass, Lennox and Epps being absolute badasses on the field, and… Seymour Simmons being Seymour Simmons. In regards to the rest of the franchise, these characters definitely feel more down to earth. Obviously, there are issues concerning some of the characterisations which haven’t aged particularly well, but they were the characters that guided me through the film and helped progress our story, and I wouldn’t change that.
However, in the kindest way possible, we’re not here for them. Even as a newbie to the franchise back in 2007, I knew what I wanted. I wanted big transforming robots and huge battles. I’m 25 years old now, and that’s still what I want. Considering that Transformers is over 15 years old now, it’s still absolutely crazy just how great each Transformer looks. Of course, most of the designs deviate heavily from their original G1 appearances, but they are all visually stunning creations. Seeing Optimus Prime transform for the first time was an utterly unforgettable experience. You really got to relish in the detail, and you could see how Optimus transformed, how each part moved and folded into place. Seeing that on the big screen was special, and revisiting it is still wildly impressive. Looking at some of the visual effects today, Transformers still absolutely holds up and Optimus’ transformation is just one of the examples as to why this film is a visual and cinematic triumph.
Seeing the majestic and threatening appearance of the Autobots and Decepticons was one thing… But witnessing them in action was something else entirely. While I think the action improves drastically as the franchise develops, the final battle in the first film is simply spectacular. Michael Bay has always been a controversial figure in regards to filmmaking, I personally enjoy a lot of his films, but his approach to action is unique and unparalleled. He loves to get into the action in the most chaotic way possible and it’s always… Explosively bombastic. Rather than observing the battle from afar or following a singular perspective, we’re taken into the heart of it. I always have a stupidly large smile on my face when Optimus battles Bonecrusher on the motorway. It’s a very short fight, but the energon swords make their debut and Bonecrusher literally ice skates through a bus. Fast foward to the downtown fight, Optimus and Megatron go flying through multiple buildings, Lennox takes on Blackout all by himself, and Starscream battles a bunch of F-22s in the air. It’s epic. There’s no other way to describe it.
Speaking of Autobots, isn’t Optimus Prime the greatest? I look forward to every piece of dialogue that is powerfully delivered by Peter Cullen. That man is an absolute legend and he is Optimus Prime. The voice actors did a great job of adding their own spin to these characters, but Cullen and Hugo Weaving (Megatron) really stand out. They’re both on two ends of the spectrum in terms of their ideals and when they finally come together in that epic fight, it’s just awesome. They’re both the physical representation of their chosen side. Optimus looks good, sounds good, and carries himself in a way that makes it obvious that the Autobots are the good guys. In stark contrast to that protective stature, you have Megatron who is the embodiment of evil, and those elements spans the entire franchise. I always found it so easy to identify whether a Transformer was good or bad based on their transformation, their voice, and their appearance. It was a great signifier, and you could gain a lot about certain characters simply by the way they transformed.
The first film does a great job of emphasising the scale and power of each Transformers. The transformations themselves really pack a punch and they’re used very cleverly. The more violent transformations are attributed to the Decepticons, whereas the Autobots’ transformations are more graceful and clean. During the battles, you get a real sense of their size and weight, and I think that’s something that wares off as the films go on. It doesn’t completely vanish, but the action becomes much bolder yet lighter, so you lose that impact and presence.
I could talk about this movie for hours, but I’ll end on something that really puts the franchise in a league of its own…. And that’s the music. If feels like a broken record at this point, but I love film soundtracks, and Steve Jablonsky’s soundtrack for Transformers is unbelievably good. Transformers is of course a huge blockbuster, but it doesn’t shy away from providing some heartbreaking moments that would be nothing without Jablonsky’s score. Look at the scene when Bumblebee gets captured, that scene would not hit as hard without that soundtrack. On top of that, you have some of the main themes that stick with the franchise. To this day, I still listen to the soundtrack in its entirety because it’s consistently good. Well, it’s better than “good”, it’s fantastic. People may have their issues with the Transformers franchise, but the soundtrack is on an entirely different level and I’m so glad that Jablonsky stuck around for other Bay film.
Verdict
Transformers is an incredibly special film. It is not without its faults, but it’s a film that is very timeless to me. I could watch it now, or in 3 months time and my thoughts will still remain the same, planted like a stubborn tree refusing to move. Transformers is full of fun, action, heart, and mindblowing special effects that still hold up. Obviously, it’s probably not the film that original Transformers fans would have wanted, but it’s the film that introduced me to a vast mythology. From that point, I began exploring and investigating all by myself and it’s solely down to this film. It may not be a perfect representation of what Transformers are, but it definitely put the Autobots and Decepticons back on the map.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Days until Transformers: Rise of the Beasts– 132 Days
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts will be unleashed in cinemas on June 9th, 2023. What did you think of the trailer? Be sure to let us know in the comments. Don’t forget to check out more from the world of Transformers right here.
