Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman October 8, 2023

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts may as well have been titled Transformers: Return of the Bland. After Bumblebee's much-needed diversion from the bloated Michael Bay Transformers films, Rise of the Beasts feels like a step in the wrong direction, moving backwards towards the dramatic emptiness and rote action that defined most of the previous Transformers films. At least this one isn't needlessly long, and as such it plays just well enough to satisfy as a time-killing big budget blockbuster. However, audiences expecting something with some charm and meaningful plot, or at least action that isn't 100% derivative, will find Rise of the Beasts a fairly weak movie.

The plot centers around a cosmic key, er, a Trans Warp key, which the planet-devouring Unicorn (voiced by Colman Domingo) wants in order to have the freedom of movement necessary so he can traverse the stars and treat the universe as his own personal buffet. In order to find the key, he sends his evil transforming henchmen, The Terrorcons, to retrieve it. The group is led by the powerful baddie Scourge (voiced by Peter Dinklage). Of course, the key is on Earth where four heroic Autobots -- Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen), Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson), Arcee (voiced by Liza Koshy), and Bumblebee -- discover the key's presence, and with it a ticket back to Cybertron, when an unwitting museum worker, Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback) activates it. Meanwhile, the financially desperate Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) turns to carjacking to raise some funds to care for his ill brother Kris (Dean Scott Vazquez) but finds himself inside Mirage and suddenly a key piece the battle for the fate of the universe.

For fans who grew up on the best Transformers movie ever made -- the classic 1986 animated film -- it's a treat to see Unicron in action once again, and the film's start portends great things. Sadly, it's pretty well downhill from there. The movie quickly establishes itself firmly in the Michael Bay vision for the franchise, with characters that look like a pile of parts in the shape of a robot, with only Optimus Prime and, curiously, Arcee, really looking anything close their original cartoon and action figure selves. Mirage, Scourge, and most of the others lack real distinguishing characteristics; the later in particular looks like any of the random Decepticons from any of the previous films. The film also introduces the "beasts" or the "Maximals," which are essentially jungle animal Transformers with fur. It's all just so tiresome. None of it works to any level of cinematic effectiveness. There's been almost no evolution from the first film and no real stylistic changes from the Michael Bay movies, with the exception of this film's much smaller scale action, but action that nevertheless plays with the same tired movements, the same predictable narratives, and the same cliche dialogue.

The acting is nothing special, either. The human characters are serviceable for backstory and motivation, but the characters are just too thin for thre actors to offer much in terms of dynamic performance...even in a Transformers movie. The voice acting is bland, too, with the villain characters in particular just sounding like they've been pulled from the villains from the other movies with no real distinguishing flair. The movie's technical credentials are up to snuff, at least, but if it's not clear at this point -- in a Transformers movie or otherwise -- that visuals effects alone do not make a movie, then the franchise seems stuck in a terrible wash-rinse-repeat cycle of brain-destroying nonsense that seems nowhere close to the end of its road. The action is definitely on point for a Transformers film, but...there's just no soul inside of it, sad to say.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The included screenshots are sourced from a 1080p Blu-ray disc.

Paramount's 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD release of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts offers the definitive home video presentation of the film. While the Blu-ray is by-and-large excellent, the UHD's upgrade suite takes a good image and makes it even better. The Boost to clarity and textural excellence is plainly evident on the UHD. Sharpness gains are evident in both real world elements and digital constructs alike. Viewers will marvel at the level of raw complexity evident in both components, and the UHD is one of those pause-worthy presentations for the opportunity to study the intricacy of the digital workmanship in extreme close-up. The UHD leaves no digital element anything less than razor-sharp, and the same may be said of skin and environmental qualities too. This is super sharp top to bottom. The Dolby Vision grading brings both added brightness and tonal impact to the screen while also dressing up black levels with superior depth and shadow detail that are all beyond the Blu-ray's range. Colors leap off the screen with remarkable intensity and accuracy, everything from bright Transformer eyes to vivid 90s colors seen throughout the film. White levels are brilliant, too, again well beyond Blu-ray's capabilities. There is still some source noise, but it is managed much more elegantly on the UHD. As with the Blu-ray, there are no other source issues to report, and there are no encode problems, either.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts roars onto the UHD format with a Dolby Atmos soundtrack that is just a bit too tame for the material. While the track excels in directional impact and full stage saturation, bass is a little timid, with various action elements like gunfire and explosions lacking the substantial wallop one might expect to find in one of the biggest action extravaganza films of 2023. While not a deal breaker, the lack of high impact subwoofer depth is disappointing. Fortunately, the rest of the track is excellent, with the aforementioned full stage engagement dropping the listener right into all sorts of action mayhem while also delivering pinpoint environmental details as well. Musical elements are wonderfully integrated, too, offering rock-solid clarity and lifelike precision while also filling the stage with balanced engagement, primarily along the front but with excellent surround coverage as well. Overhead channels are mostly used for support rather than for discrete effect, but the added top end depth adds some significant spatial definition to the track. Dialogue is clear, well prioritized, and centered for the duration.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

This Blu-ray ray release of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts includes several extras. No Blu-ray copy is included, but Paramount has packed in a digital copy voucher. This release ships with a slipcover.

• Human Affairs (1080p, 7:32): Cast and crew discuss their love and attachment to the Transformers universe, lessons learned from Bumblebee, new cast and the on- and off-camera camaraderie Ramos and Fishback shared, Steven Caple Jr.'s direction, and more.
• Life in the 90s (1080p, 6:14): Cast and crew reminisce about 1994, 90s production design, and more.
• Heroes (1080p, 10:12): A look at the heroic characters, their vehicles, the voice work, and more.
• Villains (1080p, 8:36): Like the previous supplement, but focusing on the film's villains.
• The Chase (1080p, 5:35): Making the Mirage/police chase sequence.
• the Battle of Ellis Island (1080p, 7:07): Another focused "making-of," this one on the battle outside the museum.
• Into the Jungle (1080p, 10:20): Detailing the story lines and shooting locales for the scenes taking place in Peru.
• The Switchback Attack (1080p, 7:11): Yet another detailed look at making a specific action sequence in the film.
• The Final Conflict (1080p, 10:46): Making the film's climax action sequence.
• Deleted and Extended Scenes (1080p, 13:45 total runtime): Included are The Transit Depot Alternate Opening - Deleted, This Can't Be Real - Extended, Noah Comes Home - Extended/Deleted, The Maximal Creed - Extended, The Cave/Switchback - Alternate/Extended, Are You Ready? - Deleted, and Alternate Ending - Deleted.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Would it be too much to ask to just make a Transformers movie that's truly in the spirit of the original cartoons and animated film? These reboots seemed the perfect opportunity to just hit the restart button and make some digital models that really do transport audiences back in time, rather than just slapping "1994" on the movie, show a character tinkering with a cable box, digitally inserting the World Trade Center towers, playing some 1994 music, and calling it a period film. Whatever. At least it'll be a while before the next one comes out. Paramount's UHD does offer excellent video, good if not bass-wanting Atmos audio, and a fine variety of extras. For fans only.