What Rotten Tomatoes Reviews Are Saying About Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts

At this point, moviegoers can trust the "Transformers" franchise to deliver plenty of carnage on a blockbuster scale, but the films aren't exactly critical darlings. However, "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" features a star-studded cast that includes Michelle Yeoh, and the story sees the titular shapeshifting robots team up with the Maximals for a pulse-pounding adventure. So, will the latest sequel fare better than previous flicks, or will it be dismissed as just another loud, messy action movie?

The good news is that "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" isn't the worst installment of the series, according to Rotten Tomatoes. As of this writing, the Steven Caple Jr.-directed actioner boasts a 71% score on the website, making it one of the most well-received franchise outings to date. Variety praised the movie for being more grounded than previous "Transformers" flicks, writing, "It's got a relatable human story that works, and thanks to a script that actually has sustained bursts of dialogue, the robots felt more real to me as characters than they usually do."

At the same time, this is still a "Transformers" movie, which means some reviews are guaranteed to be negative. The latest installment has already garnered its fair share of detractors, but the Rotten Tomatoes rating suggests that the fans currently outweigh the naysayers. With that in mind, let's examine what the critics are saying about "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts."

The positive reviews of "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" share the consensus that it's a fun time at the movies. Furthermore, unlike previous films about the Autobots and Decepticons, the franchise's seventh installment has plenty of heart to complement the machine-driven carnage. The Hollywood Reporter's critic believes that "Rise of the Beasts" will entertain long-term fans, especially those who grew up playing with the toys that paved the way for the movies, cartoons, video games, and other media. "These Hasbro action figures, and their onscreen incarnations, are capable of reducing even the most mature, jaded adult into an awestruck child who just wants to get down on the floor and play with them."

Elsewhere, ComicBook.com's reviewer was impressed with the action setpieces and the film's entertainment value. "The action is pulse-pounding. The summer movie season has been in full throttle for just over a month, and Transformers: Rise of the Beasts sends that popcorn blockbuster momentum into full gear."

Steven Caple Jr.'s direction also received some positive feedback from critics, with Uproxx noting that he shows a genuine affection for the characters that goes a long way. The reviewer also gave the movie props for including some memorable '90s needle drops, so viewers can expect a banging soundtrack.

While the positive reviews tease a heartfelt action-adventure movie, some of the naysayers believe that "Transformers: Rise of the Beasts" is unremarkable. For example, Deadline's film critic praised the action sequences while arguing that the story is nothing to write home about. "Rise of the Beasts is another generic story about an intergalactic menace from the sky that carries all the plot predictability of a broken clock."

Indiewire's reviewer offered a more scathing evaluation of the film, stating that it's just another soulless blockbuster, which is a bad look now that movies based on toy brands are evolving. "It's as if some executive saw Mattel and Greta Gerwig turning "Barbie" into genuine art, so they made a George Costanza-style decision to veer in the opposite direction purely out of spite."

The Guardian echoed these sentiments and highlighted some issues with the film's script. Furthermore, the reviewer believes that the film might confuse viewers who aren't familiar with the series. "Everything has a vague partial finish, as if director Steve Caple Jr and the five-person brain trust responsible for the script banked on the audience's familiarity with the shape of a movie to fill in the gaps they've left."