'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' saves the franchise without Michael Bay's direction

Michael Bay has been highly successful as an action film director for the last two decades. Still, he has faced criticism for his emphasis on spectacle over substance, repetitive cinematography choices, and limited character development, particularly in portraying female characters. However, his Transformers films remain popular among audiences despite their flaws.

Bay was escaping his failure because of the high commercial success of his films and the entertainment they provided. At last, his luck died out when Transformers: The Last Knight, released in 2017, became a box office flop. 

Finally, he stepped out of the direction, and the next spin-off prequel, Bumblebee (2018), under the direction of Travis Knight, became a huge success. Now that its sequel, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, has been released on June 9, will it revive the franchise?

The best thing about this film is that Michael Bay is not in charge, apart from being one of the executive producers. Steven Caple Jr. is the director, so the viewers are relieved from watching the same old shallow storytelling, fast-paced camera movements, and abundant explosions. 

The film serves as the direct prequel to the first Transformers film, so this is a good ground for the beloved Autobots Optimus Prime and Bumblebee to get some character development. With more screen time for the human characters, this prequel has the potential for better storytelling.

The Rise of the Beasts plot is set in 1994, so the film has a major 90s vibe through its cinematography and soundtrack. The key human protagonist is Noah Diaz, who unknowingly discovers the Autobot Mirage and gets involved in the Autobots' affairs. 

Like every other Transformers film, this prequel also has a new major antagonist named Unicron, a planet-devouring dark god. He seeks to devour Earth, and Optimus Prime, his Autobot army, Noah, and his allies band together to stop him and his acolytes.

So far, the Transformers franchise has had two types of robots, aka Cybertronians: the good Autobots and the evil Decepticons. In this film, a new species of Cybertronians are introduced: Maximals. 

Their homeworld was annihilated by Unicron a long time ago, so they sought shelter on Earth way before the Autobots. Will they join forces against their common enemy? This two-hour film will answer them with a lot of adrenaline-pumping action sequences.

There are a few things in this prequel worth mentioning. Unlike the previous Transformers films, Rise of the Beasts has a lot of high-profile cast members. 

Peter Cullen is still voicing Optimus Prime despite being in his 80s. The new actors that voice several Cybertronian characters include Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Pete Davidson, and others whose acting performances contribute to better character and plot development.

Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, the most beloved Autobots of this franchise, get more screen time than before. Keep in mind that this story is before 2007's Transformers, so Optimus has yet to trust humans. His presence throughout the film gives more insight and better character development, which is commendable. 

Moreover, action sequences with less panning camera action and explosive extravaganzas are less annoying to watch. 

The second Transformers film without Michael Bay's direction was a huge success. Can this success be translated into future Transformers One in 2024? Fans have to wait.

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