Following the world premiere event for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, fans got the first reactions from critics who saw the film ahead of its theatrical debut.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts brings a thrilling new cast of characters to the forefront as the franchise continues to evolve, with the latest film serving as a sequel to 2018’s Bumblebee with Hailee Steinfeld and John Cena.
Story details remain under wraps for this new sci-fi outing, although it will boast a longer runtime than any of its predecessors as the Autobots and Decepticons take the spotlight once more.
Rumors teased that Rise of the Beasts was "a mess" at one point during production, leading to many being curious about what critics would say when the first screenings arrived.
'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' Reviews on Social Media
Critics shared their first reactions to Transformers: Rise of the Beasts after the movie had its official world premiere.
Gizmondo's Germain Lussier noted that the film has "some issues in the middle" after a strong start, ranking it alongside Michael Bay's original Transformers movie along with Hailee Steinfeld's Bumblebee from 2018:
"Totally dug 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.' It’s got some issues in the middle but it starts strong, has fantastic 90s hip hop, makes great use of the humans & the 3rd act is a blast. Plus I damn near jumped out of my seat at the end. Right up there with the 1st Bay & 'Bumblebee.'"
Fandom's Eric Goldman praised Transformers 7 for being "quite funny" and boasting strong action, placing it above all of Bay's movies, even though it didn't reach the same highs that Bumblebee did for him:
"'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' is really fun. It’s actually quite funny and the action is strong. I did find my eyes glazing over when they’d talk about this movie’s special object (this series sure loves those) but way better than Bay’s movies if not quite 'Bumblebee' level."
CinemaBlend's Mike Reyes called the movie "a blast," ranking this new entry as "arguably the BEST Transformers movie" yet while highlighting the way that it "[makes] for throwback popcorn fun:"
"'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' was a blast! The Beast Wars crew finally shows up in what's arguably the BEST Transformers movie in the run. There's a lot of heart, humor, and Brooklyn pride in here; and it all makes for throwback popcorn fun."
ComicBook.com's Brandon Davis compared this movie to "the ultimate Saturday morning cartoon," praising Anthony Ramos and Pete Davidson's efforts and noting that the film gets "really fun" once it gets going:
"'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' plays like the ultimate Saturday morning cartoon. Some dope Transformers action. Anthony Ramos & Pete Davidson are great, even if some of the dialogue is a little clunky. It’s a lean, fun movie and a promising start to something exciting. I don’t think I can give it a number but I liked it. Could’ve cut some stuff in the first 20 mins cause it takes a bit to get going but when it does it’s really fun."
ScreenRant's Joe Deckelmeier also highlighted Ramos and Davidson's efforts while also using a "fire" emoji to describe Transformers 7's music:
"'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' is a lot of fun! Anthony Ramos carries the movie and Pete Davidson steals every scene as Mirage. The ending blew my mind and the music in the film is *fire emoji*"
Collider's Steven Weintraub ranked Transformers 7 as "one of the best installments in the franchise," highlighting the great GCI and action while noting that his screening "had people clapping in the theater:"
"Happy to say 'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' is one of the best installments in the franchise. It’s a lot of fun, CGI looks great, and it has well staged action that’s easy to follow. The screening I saw actually had people clapping in the theater and the kids laughed a lot."
Fandango's Erik Davis singled out Pete Davidson's Mirage as stealing the show in Rise of the Beasts, while also praising the '90s tracks on the movie's soundtrack:
"The new 'Transformers' movie is pretty solid! LOVE the Brooklyn setting - Maximals & Scourge add a new spin & the action pops, especially the NY scenes. Mirage steals the show, but the true star is the absolute best soundtrack full of early ‘90s hip-hop hits. This ‘90s kid had fun"
Despite some cheesy moments, Nerd Reactor's Mark Pacis felt the movie packed "a lot of heart" while also delivering "a terrifying and powerful villain" in Scourge:
"'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' makes good use of the animated movie's storyline and integrates the Maximals and Terrorcons to good effect. Stakes are high and Scourge is a terrifying and powerful villain. Action-packed with a lot of heart (albeit with some cheese on top)."
Geeks of Color's Dorian Parks noted that Transformers 7 built upon all the strengths of Bumblebee, leading to an enjoyable ride for a fan of the franchise:
"'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' took everything that worked from ‘Bumblebee’ and amplified it! Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback delivered great performances, and Pete Davidson’s Mirage stole every scene he had. As a fan of the cartoon and franchise, I really enjoyed this film!"
Nerd Reactor's John Nyugen praised director Steven Caple Jr.'s filmmaking style in the movie, as well as for paying respect to cartoons of Transformers past:
"'Transformers: Rise of the Beasts' is a blast! Director Steven Caple Jr brought his style with 90s hip hop and heart while also pouring his love for the Transformers and Beast Wars. The biggest inspiration is the 80s animated movie. Mirage will be the new favorite Autobot."
Will Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Succeed With Fans?
Considering how wildly the Transformers franchise has fluctuated over the last 16 years, seeing positive reactions like this is certainly encouraging for Paramount Pictures.
This is also the first effort from this series of movies since Bumblebee debuted in 2018, which will hopefully let fans feel a little more fresh going into Rise of the Beasts with a five-year gap between the sixth and seventh films.
With a mid-June release, Transformers 7 will face stiff competition debuting between Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (June 2) and The Flash (June 16), all while Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 continues its impressive box office run.
But considering the positivity surrounding the latest efforts for Bumblebee, Optimus Prime, and the rest of the robotic protagonists in this film, optimism is high for the Transformers saga to add an exciting new chapter to its legacy.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts debuts in theaters on Friday, June 9.
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