Review of Transformers

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is evidence that Hasbro has finally figured out how to use their own IP. It's not a great film, and nowhere near as good as the fantastic Bumblebee from 2018, but this is a significant improvement over what had become this franchise's norm.

Before the MCU turned IP into serialized television for the Big Screen, nerds were lucky to get any major fan based property. Cinema used to be about self contained stories that drew you in for about two hours worth of entertainment. But then franchises like Star Wars, Alien, and Indiana Jones came out of the late 70s and early 80s where it was expected there would be another installment. Of course there were usually years between each sequel, with each new film being a major cultural event.

But Warner Brothers, Marvel, and Universal have turned it into a yearly, or even biannual tradition. Two Marvel films and at least one DC film will come out every year, with a Fast and Furious movie about every two. And back when Michael By was directing Transformers movies, almost a decade ago now, it was just expected that a new Transformers movie would be coming out every few years. The only problem was those films weren't very good. Despite this they made insane amounts of money, until the Last Knight where the percentages were cut in half. Still a very financially successful film but Hasbro clearly saw the writing on the wall. They needed a new direction for the franchise or it would run out of steam.

And thats how Bumblebee came to fruition in 2018, the rare prequel that not only works but surpassed the franchise that came before. Bay was off the job and Travis Knight, Phil Knight's son, was given the reigns. He's best know for the Oregon based stop motion animation studio Laika, that has consistently made amazing films. And the end result was probably the best transformers movie since the animated one in the 80s.

It didn't make the same level of cash that the previous installments had, but critically and with the fan base it created a new found credibility for this silly giant robot franchise. Instead of chasing the dragon with another crappy sequel Hasbro waited. Waiting is a return to normalcy for IP filmmaking. Companies used to see their IP as something to be protected and safeguarded, a brand's credibility was all it had. The first three Alien films were made by Ridley Scott, James Cameron, and David Fincher easily three of the best directors of their respective eras. And more importantly there were large gaps between each installment. The franchises that went in for cheap cash grabs were slashers. Universal allowed Jaws to become essentially a laughingstock, of course nothing can touch Spielberg's original masterpiece. But if a studio doesn't hold their IP like a trust the value goes down considerably.

By waiting until the timing was right, timing that was partially impacted by Covid, Hasbro has proven that this time around things will be better. The lesson learned from Bumblebee was that what audiences want are emotionally grounded stories. The giant robots are fun but if there's nothing human in the story its hard to maintain interest. With Bumblebee the story was grounded in the wonderful Hailee Steinfeld's portrayal of a young woman grappling with her father's death. This time its accomplished via Anthony Ramos, most famous for portraying Alexander Hamilton's son in Linn Manuel Miranda's Hamilton. Ramos plays a Puerto Rican vet struggling to find work in New York City. He watches out for his little brother who is dying from a sickle cell disease.

The fact that they've set these new films in the past doesn't hurt either. Bumblebee had a wonderful late 80s vibe, and Rise of the Beasts is set right in the middle of the 90s. For some reason setting IP films in the past makes them feel more serious and exciting. The X-Men franchise got a much needed rejuvenation by taking First Class back to the 60s.

Rise of the Beasts takes time building its setting and characters, so that by the time the action starts we know why we should care about what is happening. There are moments, especially in the obligatory climactic battle, where it begins to feel like a giant CGI mess again, but overall its an enjoyable ride. The biggest problem with the franchise is that the actual IP characters, the transformers themselves, remain mostly one dimensional. Thankfully they took time to establish some emotional connection between Ramos with Mirage, a sports car transformer.

It's not going to win any academy awards, and its not in the same league as the fantastic Bumblebee, but this is a very enjoyable time at the movies. It's good to see a company like Hasbro decide to care for their brand, while others like DC and Disney seem content to flush there's down the toilet in order to make more money.