If you’re wondering which number in this series, I’ve got you covered as I’ve seen them all, ‘Rise of the Beasts’ is number seven. The movie is based on the Hasbro Transformers toys with influence from the “Beast Wars” storyline. The film is a sequel to “Bumblebee” (2018) and a prequel to “Transformers” (2007).
The new movie features Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) from “In the Heights” (2021) and “Hamilton” (2020); he’s a former military electronics expert who is having a tough time finding a job to support himself, his mom, and his younger brother. The great news is that he carries the film from start to finish; he’s relatable in the role and brings the franchise back to days of rooting for a hero.
The setting is Brooklyn, New York 1994, and we view Noah making a quick decision to steal a Porche 911 car that’s actually an Autobot Mirage in disguise. At the same time, we view museum intern Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback)
as she studies an ancient statue of a falcon with the Maximal symbol. She accidentally breaks it open to discover half of the Transwarp Key hidden inside. Again, another wise choice is adding a female sidekick and a smart one as well!
Elena makes many discoveries; one is that the ancient key releases an energy pulse that is detected by Optimus Prime, who summons the other Autobots. During Noah’s Porche car theft, he gets caught in the middle of trying to find the other half of the key.
Elena finds out that the other half of the key must be located in a hidden temple in Peru, and she heads out aboard the rattletrap cargo plane Autobot, Stratosphere. In Peru, she meets up with locally-stationed Autobot Wheeljack, who leads them to the temple, but it is soon discovered that the other half of the key is no longer there. The search continues while Noah steps up to join the battle.
The setting of Peru is fantastic; the wardrobe and unique features all add to the mystery and search. (Spoiler Alert) In the end, Elena receives recognition for discovering the temple in Peru. At the same time, Noah attends an interview for a security job but finds he is actually being invited to join the secret government organization, G. I. Joe.
Congratulations to all involved in the making of “Transformers Rise of the Beasts,” as the series feels back on track. I’m hoping we see more of Noah and Eleana, as it’s exciting to watch them on their adventures, especially when they are working together to solve a mystery.
Director: Steven Caple Jr
Screenplay: Jody Harold, Darnell Metayer, Josh Peters, Erich Hoeber, and Jon Hoeber.
Run Time: 2 Hours 7 Minutes
Sarah Knight Adamson© June 2023