The good news is that Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is not directed by Michael Bay. That’s a relief because as Bay continued to make Transformers movies there was less and less meaning to his films. Instead of Bay, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is directed by Steven Caple Jr., who brings a bit of a nostalgic touch to the franchise. The film has almost a 90s vibe, so the new world in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is moderately appealing. But the film ultimately fizzles out and lacks much exhilaration.

The plot of Transformers: Rise of the Beastsis that the Autobots are battling for the earth. Humans Noah Diaz (played by Anthony Ramos) and Elena Wallace (played by Domonique Fishback) leave a struggling life in Brooklyn to be part of the battle for their planet. The enemies of the Autobots are the Decepticons. Robots that are also part of the fight include the Maximals, Predacons, and Terrorcons.

The film begins with an introduction as to why the robots face danger. Later the film transitions to the life of Noah and Elena, and then they get thrown into the world of the Autobots. The robots include Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen), Optimus Primal (voiced by Ron Perlman), Scourge (voiced by Peter Dinklage), Mirage (voiced by Pete Davidson), and plenty of others.

The introduction to the plot does have some fascination, so the universe around Transformers: Rise of the Beasts initially had me sold. But for me the film often felt like a repeat of previous Transformers projects. There was the same basic setup from the other projects, and many aspects from previous films were repeated, especially in terms of the Autobots and the Decepticons. So I found myself beginning to lose attention and enjoyment. As it progressed the film seemed to be going more and more in the direction of Michael Bay’s versions.

The technology and robotics in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is phenomenal, and maybe it’s worth seeing just for that. And it has humor and witty surprises, so it’s good for some giggles. It’s 90s setup also saves it somewhat. The faithfulness of the 90s with the Autobots and the Decepticons is its strongest suit. But the writing is stale and the storyline is weak. The introductions are rushed and the film became a sleeper for me. I feel this one is a dull installment in the franchise that doesn’t leave much to look forward to. No question that it will find its audience, its fanbase of those who love the franchise, but I’m not a fan of this one.

To be clear, I didn’t find Transformers: Rise of the Beasts awful. It just lost the opportunity to take the franchise in a new and exciting direction. I have no doubt that new director Steven Caple Jr. was trying for an invigorating experience. But he just didn’t get there. Two and a half stars for Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.