Watch Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

"Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" is a 2023 action-adventure film and the latest addition to the Transformers franchise. It intertwines elements of the Transformers universe with a unique narrative set in 1994 Brooklyn. Directed by Steven Caple Jr., the film showcases the Autobots, Maximals, and a host of intergalactic villains in a battle for the fate of the universe.

The story begins on the homeworld of the Maximals, an advanced race of beast-robots evolved on a jungle planet colonized by Transformers long ago. Their world is under siege by the planet-eating dark god Unicron and his heralds, the Terrorcons and Predacon drones, led by Scourge. They seek the Maximals' most potent technology, the Transwarp Key, which can open portals through space and time.

In Brooklyn, ex-military electronics expert Noah Diaz, played by Anthony Ramos, is convinced by his friend Reek to steal a Porsche, which turns out to be the Autobot Mirage in disguise. Concurrently, museum intern Elena Wallace, played by Dominique Fishback, studies an ancient statue bearing the Maximal symbol and discovers half of the Transwarp Key hidden within. This discovery alerts Optimus Prime, who summons the Autobots to recover the key to return to their homeworld, Cybertron.

The Terrorcons arrive on Earth, drawn by the key's energy pulse, instigating a conflict outside the museum. Scourge kills Bumblebee and steals the key half before the Maximal Airazor arrives and drives him off. Airazor reveals that the Maximals have been hiding on Earth for thousands of years and split the Transwarp Key in two to keep it out of Unicron's hands. Despite the danger, Optimus Prime insists on reassembling the key to return home, while Noah plots to destroy the key to protect his world.

The search for the other half of the key leads the group to a hidden temple in Peru, where they encounter the Autobot Wheeljack. Despite their efforts, they discover that the other half of the key is no longer there. Amidst another Terrorcon attack, Scourge corrupts Airazor with Unicron's dark energy, leading to a series of events that end with Scourge reassembling the key and opening a portal for Unicron.

The voice cast includes Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime, Pete Davidson as Mirage, Michelle Yeoh as Airazor, Ron Perlman as Optimus Primal, Peter Dinklage as Scourge, and Cristo Fernández as Wheeljack. The film's climax, despite its length and scale, is praised for its visual clarity and intricate special effects. However, the film's stakes are undermined by the knowledge of the characters' survival in the subsequent movies.

"Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" is deemed an improvement over previous entries in the franchise due to its narrative.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is a 2023 action movie with a runtime of 1 hour and 57 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.0 and a MetaScore of 42.