You know what - this is my favourite "Transformers" movie. Now that's not really saying much, most of them are pretty poor, but somehow the shamelessly derivative nature of this just made it more entertaining. It all starts with "Optimus Primal" (aka. "Kingus Kongus") having a fight with the all-consuming "Unicron" (narked because a typo robbed him of his chance to just be an horse with an horn) for a key that can open portals between worlds enabling the baddie to quite literally eat them and move on. The solution to that battle is a bit of a compromise and scoot forward hundreds of year and New Yorker "Noah" (Anthony Ramos) has a problem. His younger brother "Kris" (Dean Scott Vasquez) is very poorly and they cannot afford his medical bills. "Noah" turns to crime and that's where he encounters the newly invigorated "Autobots" who have realised that "Elena" (Dominique Fishback) - a researcher in a museum - has rediscovered the hidden key. They have to retrieve it before it falls into more malevolent hands. Soon the two hapless humans and their robots are engaged in a battle royal that sees the museum pretty much trashed before they head to Peru where they encounter the "Maximals" and the beautiful Inca terraces are soon for the chop too. So far I reckon we've been through loads of episodes of "Stargate" as well "King Kong" (probably the Peter Jackson one), "The Goblet of Fire"; "Independence Day", "Star Trek" (JJ Abrams version), all four "Indiana Jones" films - which, to be fair are even acknowledged in the script, and the armoured eagle "Airazor" reminded me of a hairier version of "Bubo" from "Clash of the Titans". The visuals are excellent and for the most part it's got plenty of action but as we near the ever-so-predictable denouement the pace slackens off and cheesy sentiment brings the thing to a grinding halt a couple of times! There's no jeopardy at all, really, and given that "Optimus Prime" - maybe he ought to be called "Hopeless Prime" because he is pretty useless in a fight - gets to make his grand speech at the end, I'm sure there will be more for our intrepid young "Noah" to come. Big screen essential - this will look bland and repetitive on the telly. Maybe it'll help sell some toys?

**Just incredible**, Tstrong texthe Autobots are amazing **full of action.**

**Transformers: Rise of the Beasts rescues the franchise from the all-out goofy mess it had become and gives it a fun and promising new beginning.** Transformers: Rise of the Beasts recaptures some of the fun and charm of Bumblebee and the early Transformers films and blends it with the aesthetics and nostalgia of the old 80s cartoon. Rise of the Beasts establishes some decent human leads that aren’t annoying while keeping the focus on the robot conflict. The voice cast was fantastic! Peter Cullen as Optimus Prime will always be the greatest of all time. Peter Dinklage’s Scourge sounds and looks vicious. Ron Perlman, Michelle Yeoh, Pete Davidson, and Cristo Fernández provide solid performances, giving their characters a little fun and even some heart. Rise of the Beasts reels the franchise back in from the outrageous goofiness of the Wahlberg entries but still has a good time recognizing its primary audience is kids and parents who grew up on the cartoon. The intensity and pacing of the first 2 acts are superb! The final act gets a little cheesy and starts to feel generic, but it is no worse than the climax of recent Marvel films. Rise of the Beasts isn’t perfect but it sets the Transformers back on the right path.

<em>'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts'</em> continues this franchise's fine tradition of (mostly) underwhelming me, though to be honest it does match predecessor <em>'Bumblebee'</em> in at least making its plot more than just robots smashing into each other. I wouldn't file it under 'bad', to be fair. The brotherly bond between the characters of Anthony Ramos and Dean Scott Vazquez is this movie's best element, in my opinion. I found that to be touching, even if the film doesn't utilise it as much as it perhaps could have. Aside from those, Dominique Fishback is the best of the humans. As for the voices, Pete Davidson is good in this as Mirage - I think he might be my 'favourite' robot from this whole series. Davidson is lively in the role, amusing too. Peter Dinklage is a mini positive as well, even though I would've preferred if they didn't alter his usual voice as much. Looks like I am going to have to now watch the <em>'G.I. Joe'</em> franchise at some point, at least that only has three flicks. Well, for now. I best be quick before they pump them out as quickly as <em>'Transformers'</em> did.