Continuing the theme of TV and movie reviews I kicked off last week, I thought I’d turn my hand to writing about Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. As a sci-fi fan with fond memories of watching the Transformers cartoon and animated movie as a boy—probably the peak of Transformers for me—I hoped this one might deliver. It didn’t. (I’ll be digging into plot details about particular characters, so if you don’t want to know what happens, watch the movie first.)

This installment whisks us back to 1994, where Autobots tangle with a new threat: Scourge, a brutal enforcer for the world-devouring Unicron. Optimus Prime leads the charge, Bumblebee’s along for the ride, and a Transwarp Key holds the key to Earth’s fate. It’s the classic Transformers setup—robots, relics, and relentless stakes—but it left me feeling meh. I’ve caught a few of these films over the years, and this one blurred into the pack: loud, busy, and instantly forgettable. I walked away somewhat indifferent.

The visuals deliver what fans crave. Robots morph with a clang, cities quake under their weight, and the 90s retro vibe adds a nostalgic twist. I perked up for Mirage, the slick Porsche 911 Turbo who struts into the Autobot roster. I’ve always had a thing for Porsche sports cars, so his flashy flair and smooth moves were a rare jolt of joy. Seeing Optimus Prime and Bumblebee again felt like greeting old pals, but even their shine couldn’t shake the sameness of it all.

What dragged it down was its lack of bite. The villain, Scourge, is exactly like every other Transformers villain—a growling hulk with no real edge. He’s mean, he’s metal, but he’s nothing I haven’t seen before. The story chugs along on autopilot, piling on action without building tension or surprise. The one attempt to mix things up comes with the Maximals—animal-like robots led by Optimus Primal, a gorilla, and featuring Airazor, a hawk-type bird. It’s the really only stab at setting this apart from its predecessors, but it doesn’t add anything new—just more robots with a different look, slotted into the same old formula. Even the finale, where human hero Noah fuses with Transformer parts into an Iron Man-like superhero to fight Scourge, feels like a borrowed beat—less inspired than Tony Stark’s sleek ingenuity. I missed a hook to care about, something to lift it beyond the franchise’s usual roar.

One scene did linger: Bumblebee’s death and revival. Scourge takes him down early—a shock that lands hard—but an Energon burst later resurrects him in a blaze of hope. It struck me as a faint echo of Jesus—dying to save others, rising to turn the tide. In Scripture, Christ’s sacrifice and return redefine everything; here, it’s just a plot beat to cheer for. The movie doesn’t dwell on it, racing back to the chaos, but that flicker of meaning gave me pause in an otherwise forgettable blur.

As for content, it’s heavy on robot-on-robot violence—metal limbs clashing, sparks flying—and there’s the occasional profanity tossed in. From memory, it’s not too much to worry about otherwise; it’s standard blockbuster fare that leans hard into action over anything else. I took it in stride, though it’s not winning any awards for subtlety.

Optimus Prime still commands with that deep, noble voice, brought to life by Peter Cullen, who’s been voicing him consistently since that animated movie I loved as a boy—great to hear that continuity after all these years. Bumblebee’s scrappy charm endures, even after his brief exit. Mirage steals scenes with his Porsche swagger, but Scourge? He’s a blank slate of bad—forgettable as the humans scurrying around the edges. The whole thing feels like a rerun with a 90s playlist slapped on top.

So, Rise of the Beasts? It’s a polished shrug—decent if you’re hooked on Transformers, but it won’t sway the unconvinced. I didn’t dislike it; I just didn’t feel it. Mirage was a win, and that Jesus-parallel with Bumblebee stuck with me, but it’s not enough to call it special. It’s the same Transformers flick I’ve seen before, repackaged and fading fast from memory. Have you seen it? Drop a comment with your thoughts—I’d love to hear what you made of this one!