Movie · 2023 · Science Fiction, Adventure, Action · 2h 7m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 0.9/10 (440.7K ratings)
Unite or fall.
Overview
When a new threat capable of destroying the entire planet emerges, Optimus Prime and the Autobots must team up with a powerful faction known as the Maximals. With the fate of humanity hanging in the balance, humans Noah and Elena will do whatever it takes to help the Transformers as they engage in the ultimate battle to save Earth.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.9/10
IMDb: 6.0/10
Letterboxd: 2.65/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 51%
Metacritic: 42
TMDB: 7.2/10
Director
Steven Caple Jr.
Production
Skydance Media, Paramount Pictures, di Bonaventura Pictures, Bay Films, New Republic Pictures, DeSanto/Murphy Productions
Cast
Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Peter Cullen, Ron Perlman, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Pete Davidson, Liza Koshy, Cristo Fernández, Luna Lauren Vélez, Dean Scott Vazquez, Tobe Nwigwe, Sarah Stiles, Leni Parker, Frank Marrs, Aidan Devine, Kerwin Jackson, Mike Chute, Tyler Hall, Sean Tucker
Where to watch
Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential
Curator Review
Verdict
A leaner, more crowd-pleasing Transformers entry than some of the Bay-era installments, with stronger creature-design appeal and a clearer sense of adventure. It still struggles with thin human characterization and uneven action staging, so it works best as a spectacle-first sequel rather than a standout sci-fi blockbuster.
Best for
fans of big-budget robot action
viewers who want lighter, less abrasive franchise energy
people who enjoy creature-feature spectacle and globe-trotting adventure
audiences who liked Bumblebee but want more scale
Skip if
you need memorable human characters
you want tightly choreographed action over digital chaos
you are fatigued by franchise mythology and sequel setup
you prefer grounded sci-fi or character-driven blockbusters
Overview
Rise of the Beasts feels like a course correction: less smug, less bloated, and more interested in giving the robots a sense of personality. The Maximals add some welcome texture, and the movie has enough momentum to keep the set pieces moving without the franchise’s usual sense of self-parody overwhelming everything.
Worth noting
Even so, it never fully solves the series’ oldest problem: the human story is functional at best, and often feels like connective tissue between effects-heavy battles. The film is strongest when it leans into scale, motion, and the appeal of giant mechanical creatures colliding with ancient-mythic stakes.
Bottom line
If you come for spectacle, creature design, and a brisker franchise rhythm, there’s enough here to justify the trip. If you want emotional depth or action that lingers in the memory, it remains frustratingly close to being better than it is.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Reece (3★) · 4358 likes
absolutely no one:
me, every 5 minutes to the increasingly annoyed stranger sitting next to me: “they definitely made the robots hotter in this one right?? like i simply don’t remember them ever being this sexy 🥵”
Megan Bitchell (1★) · 2643 likes
My entire life I have struggled with an addiction to the mobile app Candy Crush. Since the 6th grade I have been destroying every Apple product I’ve ever gotten my nasty little fingers on with Candy Crush. The secret to never having to pay for any lives is to just go to settings and go to the Date and Time tab and put the clock ahead three hours. Every time you do this it totally fucks all the messages on… more My entire life I have struggled with an addiction to the mobile app Candy Crush. Since the 6th grade I have been destroying every Apple product I’ve ever gotten my nasty little fingers on with Candy Crush. The secret to never having to pay for any lives is to just go to settings and go to the Date and Time tab and put the clock ahead three hours. Every time you do this it totally fucks all the messages on… more
Sean Fennessey · 2216 likes
I’m just a simple guy who digs a beast war every now and then.
ConnorEatsPants (2★) · 2106 likes
crazy how boring these movies are without shia labeouf having panic attack while his parents joke about having sex
2012 · Thriller, Action, Adventure · 2h 11m · PG-13 · Curator 0.5/10 (394.9K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
Another militarized alien-invasion spectacle that plays as pure effects-driven popcorn cinema.