INSIDIOUS: THE RED DOOR (2023)

 

Josh Lambert heads east to drop his son, Dalton, off at school. However, Dalton's college dream soon becomes a living nightmare when the repressed demons of his past suddenly return to haunt them both.

Ghosts have always held a chilling grip on our collective fears, but what truly terrifies us is the idea that these spectral entities could harm those closest to us. James Wan's supernatural horror franchises, The Conjuring and Insidious, have expertly tapped into this primal fear, delivering spine-tingling experiences that linger long after the credits roll. Insidious: The Red Door, directed by franchise star Patrick Wilson in his feature debut, is the fifth instalment in the series and brings audiences back to the haunting world of the Lambert family. While it revisits familiar themes and terrains, it offers a worthy finale that digs deep into familial ties and psychological unease.

The Insidious films have earned their reputation for cleverly using PG-13 ratings to evoke fear without relying on excessive gore. The Red Door follows suit, drawing on creepy atmospheres, unsettling visuals, and well-timed jump scares to deliver its frights. The film thrives on the lingering dread that comes from unseen terrors, building tension through moments that stretch out, allowing anticipation to gnaw at the audience's nerves.

For those well-versed in the series, the shared cast and interconnected stories can sometimes blur together. Hence, distinguishing between Patrick Wilson's roles as a haunted sleepwalker and a paranormal investigator is crucial. Wilson's presence as both actor and director in The Red Door brings an interesting meta-dimension to the film. It's a testament to his versatility that he seamlessly transitions between these roles. His directorial debut maintains the franchise's signature style, while also injecting a fresh perspective.

Understanding the franchise's backstory is essential, particularly the events of the first two films, to fully grasp the intricacies of The Red Door. These movies have always centred around a young boy's unique ability to enter a realm of lost souls during sleep, while his father also possesses a similar ability tainted by possession. Past traumas and resolutions play a significant role in shaping the current narrative. Even for those unfamiliar with the series, the film provides essential exposition, especially regarding Josh Lambert's (Patrick Wilson) own memory issues, which drive the plot forward.

With the backstory established, The Red Door introduces us to an adult Dalton, whose parents have since separated. Dalton's transformation into a tormented artist serves as a narrative vehicle to unlock his suppressed memories, pulling him back into the terrifying dimension known as "The Further". The film briefly touches on themes of mental illness and alienation but unfortunately doesn't explore them fully, leaving potentially intriguing avenues unexplored.

Surprisingly, the film takes its time before fully immersing the audience into its supernatural realm. Instead of diving straight into traditional apparitions, the story unfolds as a meditation on shame, regret, and familial bonds. Josh's struggle to connect with his estranged son and confront his own traumas drives the emotional core of the film. This shift from outright horror to psychological exploration gives The Red Door a unique flavour within the franchise, showcasing its willingness to evolve. For dedicated fans, The Red Door serves up nostalgic references, familiar faces, and nods that underscore its position as a fitting conclusion. Visually, the film's muted colour palette and shadowy backgrounds enhance the sinister nature of the narrative, making the titular red door stand out like an ominous beacon in the darkness.

Scott Teems' script leans more towards jump scares than profound terror, and Wilson's portrayal of Josh is marked by a poignant blend of familial pity and sadness rather than sheer fright. This departure from overt scares might divide audiences, but it aligns with the franchise's gradual shift from conventional horror to psychological introspection.

As a culmination of the Insidious series, The Red Door effectively returns to its roots, echoing themes and motifs that have resonated throughout. This journey does tread on familiar territory, especially in its final act, which navigates through a fog of well-worn scares. While the film doesn't necessarily break new ground, it delivers a satisfying conclusion that encapsulates the series' essence.

Insidious: The Red Door solidifies its place within the franchise as a thoughtful, if somewhat predictable, finale. It captures the essence of familial ties and psychological torment, delivering scares through tension and well-crafted jump scares. Patrick Wilson's directorial debut maintains the series' signature style, while also exploring new emotional dimensions. Although it might not be the most terrifying instalment in the franchise, it leaves a lingering sense of unease—a testament to the power of fear lurking within the shadows of memory and family. 

Insidious: The Red Door is in NZ cinemas from July 6, 2023 

ELEMENTAL (2023)

 

In a city where fire, water, land, and air residents live together, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy discover something elemental: how much they actually have in common.

Pixar's latest offering, Elemental, once again proves the studio's remarkable ability to infuse its animations with profound emotional depth. With each film, Pixar manages to tap into unexplored corners of our hearts, making us ponder subjects we've never considered before. Elemental follows suit, cleverly using its heartwarming rom-com veneer to delve into an array of significant issues including cultural clashes, systemic racism, classism, segregation, and immigrant experiences, all while maintaining a universal charm that leaves a lasting impact.

Directed by Peter Sohn, who draws from his personal background as the child of Korean immigrants and his own cross-cultural marriage, the film reflects a mosaic of inspirations from his life. This infusion of real-world experiences and cultural perspectives enhances the authenticity of the story, making it more than just an animated tale but a resonant exploration of societal nuances.

Inevitably, Elemental finds itself measured against the backdrop of Pixar's remarkable filmography. With its energetic visual style and emotional resonance, the movie rises to the challenge of surpassing initial expectations, successfully navigating through a slower exposition-laden first act. Drawing tonal parallels with acclaimed works like Inside Out and Zootropolis, the film capitalizes on its vibrant energy to craft an engaging narrative that captivates from start to finish.

Central to the film's thematic richness is the juxtaposition of the fire people and the water people. The fire people, brought to life with a fusion of Asian, Middle Eastern, North African, and Eastern European influences, stand as symbolic outcasts, marginalized due to their potentially destructive nature. In contrast, the water people, emblematic of privilege, enjoy the freedom to express their emotions without judgment. This dynamic serves as a potent vehicle for exploring themes of racism, classism, and societal prejudices.

Elemental paints a vivid picture of Element City, a high-concept metropolis where fire, water, earth, and air elements coexist despite their supposed incompatibility. This juxtaposition serves as a clever metaphor for the persistence of racism and discrimination in a diverse society. The fire family's journey as outcasts finding a home in this diverse city is both touching and poignant, highlighting the resilience and strength that marginalized communities often demonstrate.

While the narrative's stakes initially centre around seemingly mundane elements like plumbing, permits, and maintenance, these elements merely serve as a backdrop to a burgeoning romance that anchors the film. The elemental beings, with their unique challenges and emotions, are masterfully humanized, transcending their fantastical origins to become deeply relatable characters. The film's clever wordplay, infused with fire and water terminology, strikes a delicate balance between humour and significance, culminating in a beautifully nuanced portrayal of love's complexities between seemingly opposing forces.

Visually stunning, Elemental enchants audiences with its lush colours and entrancing imagery. The acoustic original score by Thomas Newman enhances the emotional resonance, underscoring both the film's poignant and lighthearted moments. Despite the narrative's eventual predictability, the film's thematic depth and genuine character portrayals ensure a powerful and memorable viewing experience.

In the end, Elemental emerges as more than just a predictable rom-com; it's a poignant exploration of identity, love, and society. As is often the case with Pixar's works, the film prompts a range of emotions from laughter to empathy, and even to tears. Its gradual pacing, akin to a slow burn, contributes to its ability to deeply resonate with viewers. By the film's conclusion, the emotional journey of its characters becomes ours, leaving an enduring imprint.

Pixar's Elemental might adhere to a familiar storytelling structure, yet its thematic complexity, emotional resonance, and endearing characters elevate it to something truly remarkable. Amidst its vivid imagery and masterful storytelling, the film encapsulates the studio's magical touch—crafting stories that entertain, provoke thought, and ultimately resonate on a deeply human level.

Elemental was released in NZ cinemas on June 22, 2023

DRACULA: VOYAGE OF THE DEMETER (2023)

 

Based on a single chilling chapter from Bram Stoker’s classic novel Dracula, this movie tells the terrifying story of the merchant ship Demeter, which was chartered to carry private cargo from Carpathia to London. Strange events befall the crew as they are stalked each night by a merciless presence onboard the ship.

Based on a couple of pages of content, there was always the risk of Voyage of Demeter being another The Hobbit, something dragged out, far beyond its means. To an extent, it is, on the other hand, Demeter is only restricted by a single story point; reaching London. This provides screenwriters Bragi F. Schut and Zak Olkewicz carte blanche to do whatever they wanted with this well-known character.

To fully enjoy this film, you need to remove everything that you remember of Dracula. There is no sophisticated European white man mesmerizing his victims, and no transforming into tiny bats. Prior knowledge will actually be the audience's downfall as you start to overanalyze how the impending victims are (or aren't) reacting to this vampiric threat. Had the film avoided the name Dracula in the title, and left its foreshadowing to the end of the film, it would have been able to avoid the baggage that comes with the expansive franchise.

Because in reality, Voyage of the Demeter is a chilling nautical period horror. The vampire genre has been heavily romanticized and diluted in the entertainment industry (just look at Twilight, True Blood, Vampire Diaries, or Buffy) and it is refreshing to have a shift in the character, to bring a more animalistic, instinctual, and savage creature to this feature.

Narratively, Voyage of Demeter is quite weak, but it doesn't really need to be strong. Its own cast of characters largely are undeveloped and have the role of simple cannon fodder. Realistically it's more appealing this way, as the characters that are developed, feel forced and unnecessarily bringing racism, sexism, and classism into this horror flick. The creature feature succeeds on its creature; the power it has, the kills it makes, and the escapes of its victims. 

Demeter has a great creature. With a heavy focus on practical make-up and effects, there is a grounded and real feel to our creature antagonist. The dedication to practical effects contributes significantly to the film's eerie atmosphere. It's hard not to appreciate the intricate detail that has gone into crafting the monster. In notes not dissimilar to Alien, our main creature, isn't overly present in the first two acts, instead, picking off its victims from the outskirts and stalking in the darkness. Our cast are trapped on a vessel, unable to escape, cut off from the rest of the world, fighting for survival, and it works great to build suspense and tension.

What doesn't help with the suspense and tension, is how the cast work around the nocturnal nature of the creature. The film surges and recedes as the crew cycle between attacks at night and the creature disappearing during the day. There are some ways to overcome the presence of the sun, but the writers did manage to bring some creative distractions to the issue.

In the realm of horror cinema, the key to an immersive and spine-tingling experience lies in establishing a set of rules that the audience can rely upon. Unfortunately, Demeter falls short in this crucial aspect, creating a jarring disconnect that significantly diminishes viewer engagement. There are some unnecessary and illogical choices made by all parties for the sake of aesthetics, and it leads to the film feeling inconsistent. The disregard for consistent rules often leads to a disjointed narrative progression. Scenes that should have created heart-pounding terror instead bring head-scratching confusion due to the lack of coherence in the established horror elements. 

Where the film starts to fall short is in putting all these ingredients together into a single narrative, complete with individual character arcs and a believable payoff. Sometimes the plot holds together while at other times the characters, including Dracula, simply make choices because the film decided they should, or because it would be creepy for something to happen despite an apparent flimsiness to the rules the film has established.

Dracula: Voyage of Demeter displayed a promising and innovative approach to the Dracula mythos, offering a breath of fresh air to the genre. Unfortunately, the film's own anticipation to label itself a Dracula movie and its decision to reveal the threat from the start thread through early foreshadowing, hindered its journey towards greatness. This reimagining had the potential to captivate audiences with its savage perspective, but the upfront reveal robbed viewers of the suspenseful intrigue that could have elevated it to new heights.

Dracula: Voyage of the Demeter is in cinemas from August 10, 2023

GRAN TURISMO (2023)

Based on the unbelievable, inspiring true story of a team of underdogs - a struggling, working-class gamer, a failed former race car driver, and an idealistic motorsport exec - who risk it all to take on the most elite sport in the world.

I've never been a sports or racing kind of person. Regardless, I've still managed to thoroughly enjoy underdog stories and other sports or racing films (2013’s Rush or 2019’s Ford v. Ferrari are great examples of exciting racing films). So despite my apathy towards live sports, in movie form, I can still be quite the happy chappy. This is why, overall, I am disappointed in Gran Turismo. To its credit, the film does exceptionally well for a videogame movie, considering the game has zero plot or backstory. The game has inspired the events of this film, but not in such a straightforward fashion. Much like 2018's Bohemian Rhapsody, events have been omitted or moved around in an attempt to increase the tension and drama. 

The premise brings an intriguing question; how transferable are gaming skills to the real world? There has historically been quite a lot of friction around gaming and its effects, with a lot of misconceptions due to a lack of understanding from the previous generations. But as technology and the accuracy of certain games have also improved, it increasingly starts to make you wonder, how well do these hours to coordination and timing translate? Is it possible to learn a skill at a professional level through gaming?

Which is where the film starts to get a bit dismissive and vague. More time is spent ensuring that the audience's view is flooded with Sony and Nissan products than has been taken to explain how the gap between simulation and real life was bridged. We knew to expect the movie to be an advertisement for the Gran Turismo game, but with so many well-executed racing films around, it's expected that the film will still be engaging.

Gran Turismo suffers in its attempts to collect multiple underdog stories into one. Being the best to achieve the goal, then being back at the bottom and having to be the best to reach the next goal, then being back at the bottom and having to be the best to reach the next goal, rinse and repeat, over and over. Writers Jason Hall and Zach Baylin simply put so much content into the storyline that everything gets neglected. Our main protagonist Jann (played by Archie Madekwe) has no onscreen chemistry with either of his parents, or his romantic interest. Orlando Bloom has no presence or emotion in the film at all. The Nissan executives aren't even given names, they simply nod and look concerned. Everything is so overgeneralized and lacks any sense of depth, that the audience is left not really caring about the characters.

The exception to this is David Harbour. Much like his role in Stranger Things, Harbour excels at the grounded aspects of life. Understanding frustration and loss, and having a genuine personality, make his character the redeeming factor in this film. His character's relationship with the protagonist is the only relationship that has any substance. His character is the glue that holds this film together.

Director Neill Blomkamp chooses an almost Michael Bay-esque direction for the racing scenes in the film. The fast-paced editing between overhead shots, in-car shots, and CGI close-ups of mechanical goings-on make for exciting viewing if only it were followable. It is shot and filmed in such a way that we rely heavily on the Gran Turismo game overlays and insistent titling, to explain what is going on in the race, as we have no idea of the geography or progress in the races (we aren't even told who is winning most of the time). Everything is so focused on our protagonist, that the situational awareness is completely wiped out. Luckily Harbour's role allows him to narrate the situation to the audience and provide some context.

Let's be clear, this is not a bad film. Harbour salvages it, but even without Harbour, the film does have some genuine moments that stop the audience from completely dissociating. Gen Z and Millennials will understand the frustration of dealing with parents who only support the child who excels in sports or academics. The excitement and anxiety of rebelling for a chance to see and spend time with someone who gives you that warm and fuzzy feeling. The determination and confidence that come with hours of gameplay, rarely translate to social confidence. Madekwe plays that neglected teen well; he embodies the anger and frustration of the teen population that feels misunderstood and unrecognized.

With a better curation of events, Gran Turismo may have been a brilliant film. All of the elements were there. The writing and direction simply glossed over the interesting parts, and forced too many races into a single movie, at the expense of character development. If the film didn't spend so much time on the "executive-level" side of the story, trying to sell how amazing Gran Turismo is, then the audience may have had a better chance to fully experience it through an engaging film.

The racing does have an odd focus on the physicality of the sport and the risks of fatality. It's a peculiar direction that leaves you questioning why the sport is even allowed, let alone widely supported. But that's a debate for another night. It's a reasonable film, based on a true story (the real-life gamer-turned-driver acts as the stunt driver in the film). It'll never need a sequel, it'll be forgotten a few days after you've seen it, but it'll certainly provide some short-term entertainment on the day. Check it out, even if its just for Harbour, but check it out.

Gran Turismo is in NZ cinemas from August 10, 2023

TALK TO ME (2023)

When a group of friends discovers how to conjure spirits by using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill -- until one of them unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.

A24 has quite quickly set itself apart from the competition. In just a few short years they have had a clear vision of finding and distributing low-budget films that subvert expectations, and provide raw emotional connections with the audience. I first encountered A24 back in 2019 when I was absolutely mesmerized by Gloria Bell; a film about the night-life of a middle-aged divorcée. Not something I'd typically expect to love, but a film that would have easily been in my Top 10 of the year. 

I digress.

Where I am going with this, is that whether A24 is simply distributing films, or producing them, their films all have a distinct flavour to them. A sense of atmosphere, emotional clarity, and reliability. And Talk to Me is another great choice for the outfit.

The film is marketed as a horror, but it is quite apparent, even when watching the trailer, that this film isn't quite what you would expect. More accurately, the film uses horror settings but acts as a dramatic thriller. It's an intriguing and terrifying viewing that is best served in the cinema, in the dark, surrounded by strangers, with surround sound audio. To be clear, this isn't a film that relies on jump scares and overly loud noises to shock the audience. Talk to Me doesn't want to shock you, it wants to disturb you and make you feel uneasy and on the edge of your seat for the entire 95-minute runtime.

What really sets the film apart, is its reliability. Being an Australian film, it's a bit easier for us to relate with, and the directors, Danny and Michael Philippou, spend the time to develop the characters and the world around them. Our main character, Mia (played brilliantly by Sophie Wilde) is not a non-descript teenager who happens to be in a dangerous situation. Time is spent to introduce her family, let us understand the relationship dynamics between each character, and tease some backstory, before even introducing the horror MacGuffin.

And then, how do these teenagers deal with a potential supernatural item supposedly causing possessions? It's time to pull out the camera and take videos and dare each other to do it; it's quintessentially Gen Z. Yet it doesn't come across as patronizing or condescending towards any of the characters, and really provides a fresh modern take on the old "ouija board" horror trope. There are definitely some drug metaphors going on in the arrangement and sequences

The imagery and violent nature of the action will make you cringe and wince involuntarily. The gore is minimal, but well-placed and extremely off-putting, and the use of practical effects brings in such a sense of authenticity that it manages to properly trigger the fear responses; not just in the instinctive "Loud noise could be predator" manner, but in a total body "This is not right, I can't trust what I am seeing, and should not be seeing this" way. Talk to Me is not an easy film to shake off, and I can honestly say that you will most likely leave the cinema in complete silence, as you come to terms and process what you have seen.

It plays with you. It throws every manner of psychological warfare at you, with red herrings, misdirection, and unreliable narrators, and while it doesn't let you stew on it for too long, it continually moves the goalposts throughout the film's runtime, leaving you full of uncertainty and dread for the majority of the viewing experience. There is a trauma that is woven into the film's narrative, that could have been better executed, but the rest of the film carries the burden well and uses it for great emotional heft.

The isolation, the breakdowns, the trauma, the desensitization, the grief and the torment. You can understand every decision, you can see each decision before they have made it, but the consequences of that decision are unknown, and it keeps you glued to your seat.

I was not expecting such a memorable experience. The trailer and poster fail to do it justice, but perhaps that is just reverse psychology to throw you off even more when you go to see it. Absolutely chilling. Thanks, A24 for bringing another great film to light. But I need a palate cleanser after that...when's the next Barbie screening?

Talk to Me is in NZ cinemas from July 27, 2023

MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - DEAD RECKONING, PART ONE

 

Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands. With control of the future and the fate of the world at stake, and dark forces from Ethan's past closing in, a deadly race around the globe begins.

The last few years of Hollywood cinema have felt like the studios have truly given up on the idea of creating coherent stories. Everything has been simply "beating the dead horse" bringing out the same intellectual properties again and again, and inserting things or people that were popular before, in an effort to win audiences over with nostalgia and easter eggs. But audiences are getting wise, or more accurately, audiences are getting bored. Bored of the same thing, again and again, rinse and repeat. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3, Star Wars 11, Ant-Man 3, Fast & Furious 10, Transformers 7, Indiana Jones 5, Insidious 4, Toy Story 5, Jurassic Park 6... I could go on, but you get the point.

What has been missing from these films has not only been an engaging story, but a sense of authenticity, made worse by the ever-encroaching capabilities of AI and CGI. More and more films are being made in front of a green screen; inauthentic locations, inauthentic action scenes, impossible stunts. All of which makes Tom Cruise an interesting point of difference. Apart from looking amazing for a 61-year-old, his dedication to the authenticity of his stunts has turned the Mission: Impossible franchise into something breathtakingly genuine, despite coming around to its seventh addition to the series. What should have been a decidedly predictable, unsatisfying, and uninspired sequel of sequels, Dead Reckoning, Part One proves once again that real stunts and practical effects are a guaranteed way to engage with audiences.

It shouldn't be a surprise. Tom Cruise has effectively marketed the Mission: Impossible films on his dedication to stuntwork himself; from jumping off a 120ft cliff into the sea and holding his breath for over 6 minutes underwater in Rogue Nation, to breaking his ankle jumping across rooftops in Fallout, even flying in his own helicopter pursuit through mountain ranges. This level of avoidance when it comes to CGI provides a secure sense of realism to a genre that has become saturated with false physics, and unbelievable stunts. The appeal of Mission: Impossible actually being achievable (in a sense) is what captures the hearts of the audience every time.

It makes us overlook the fact that nobody sleeps, eats, or suffers from any sense of damage once the scene ends (if they survived it). The frenetic energy and choreography of the action sequences are mesmerizing and hypnotic. Seamlessly blending action, thriller, comedy, and drama into a captivating viewing experience. 

The writers have done a superb job with what they are given: a need to introduce new characters, utilise established characters, write a story that connects with the previous films in the series, create new action sequences, provide adequate exposition for any new viewers, and sets up a satisfying end when Dead Reckoning is only part 1 of 2. All while ensuring there isn't a moment in the 163-minute runtime that the audience feels like they are sitting for nearly three hours.

Dead Reckoning is by no means perfect. It still has an outlandish premise that makes little sense if you really think about it, but the film takes itself seriously enough that you allow it. It hits recognisable elements to make the idea relatable (the opening Russian submarine sequence is very current right now with the Russian-Ukraine conflict and the Titan Sub tragedy, as well as the antagonising presence of the film, The Entity, being a somewhat ChatGPT-influenced AI), but still never truly explores the elements deeply enough to bog down the viewer. It merely floats a recognisable element, before jumping into the next action sequence. The biggest example of this is having the threat be an AI that can completely wipe and rewrite anything digital, altering live communications and records at will, yet the MacGuffins that need to be found to stop the threat are physical items, and allow the protagonist' success to be decided by pick-pocketing, one-on-one fights, and chase scenes. 

The cast is large but they all get their chance to shine. Ving Rhames’ Luther, Simon Pegg’s Benji, and Rebecca Ferguson’s Ilsa all return to help Ethan (Cruise) in his latest impossible mission joined this time reluctantly by Hayley Atwell's Grace. Atwell is quite a breath of fresh air in the franchise and injects a relatable hesitancy and comedic scepticism throughout the film's runtime. Rather than a simple game of cat and mouse, we have a cat trying to catch two mice, while being chased by multiple dogs. It's a fast-paced, sweat-inducing frenzy of action and chases that keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times, even during exposition scenes, where you are drip-fed new information that consistently changes the plans and the good-bad alignment of the characters. Double and triple-crosses galore!

Apart from a train sequence that is noticeably CGI-heavy, the film feels tactile and genuine. Ethan's determination, Benji's creative solutions, Paris' overarching indomitable ferocity, Grace's...grace, each character has its own defining features, yet they fit together like a band of bandits that have been together for decades. It doesn't feel like acting, it feels like old friends and new acquaintances.

I'm not even going to tell you about the film's physical antagonist. Just go and see the film. While Top Gun got a great response from the critics and the audience, Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning, Part One is on a completely different level. Bring on Part Two.  

Mission Impossible is in NZ cinemas from July 9

TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS

Optimus Prime and the Autobots take on their biggest challenge yet. When a new threat capable of destroying the entire planet emerges, they must team up with a powerful faction of Transformers known as the Maximals to save Earth.

These live-action Transformers films started off well. Michael Bay had a unique combination of loud noises, explosions, sexy women, military glorification, low-brow humour, and unorthodox close-up action choreography that was impossible to decipher. An unusual mix of styles, but you can't disagree that the end result was a pretty fun set of films. The plot was non-sensical, and frequently contradicted itself, but what can you really expect when you create a modern cinematic interpretation of an 80s toy line of vehicles that transform into robots and fight each other. As the franchise progressed, Bay's policy of going bigger each time began to collapse on itself and ratings eventually dipped.

Even after Bay's departure from the director's chair, the spin-off, Bumblebee, failed to gain traction at the box office, despite a more reserved, grounded, and emotional approach to the film, so the franchise did what all franchises do once they start seeing diminishing returns; they wait a few years and try again. Thus, Transformers: Rise of the Beasts was born.

The lack of success from Bumblebee has led to a reversion back towards the Michael Bay formula. Explosions and low-brow humour still remain, alongside a nonsensical plot (i.e. antagonists arrive to acquire the MacGuffin that will end the world, and the Transformers must team up to defeat the antagonist at the last moment), but there are some clear adjustments made to the formula. The most striking of which is the (human) military focus being largely removed from the movie. Apart from one of our main protagonists being ex-military (which really plays no real part in the film), the government or military have no real part to play in this edition of the franchise. In fact, as this film technically occurs in 1994 (after Bumblebee but before the original Transformers film), our Autobot protagonists want nothing to do with humans, let alone cooperate and collaborate with them.

While very shallow an idea, the premise is an intriguing one; to delve into the origin of why the Autobots care so much about humans. To explore the transition from selfish to selfless. Aside from the interesting perspective, the lack of military presence simply makes Rise of the Beasts feel more homey and intimate. Despite still travelling the world to battle our antagonists in multiple countries, the lack of faceless black suits and soldiers brings the focus to our main characters and allows the opportunity to provide some depth and backstory (as minimal as it is).

We get a better feel of our human heroes, Noah Diaz (Anthony Ramos) and Elena Wallace (Dominique Fishback), one who is struggling to get a job to support his ill little brother, the other a highly intelligent and inquisitive historical intern who is never given the career advancement or credit that she deserves. The film flashes racism and inequality for fleeting moments and attempts to use Noah's sick brother in an attempt to form a quick sympathetic bond with the audience, before jumping into the action sequences. Regardless of how poorly executed the attempts at story and emotional depth are, the attempt is a praiseworthy step in the right direction.

The third point of our main protagonist triangle (not a love triangle, purely platonic) is Pete Davidson. I mean the Autobot, Mirage, voiced by Pete Davidson. This is the first time that the audience has been given the opportunity to properly get to know the character and personality of a Transformer, outside of Bumblebee and Optimus Prime. Whether you enjoy his characterization or not, Mirage is a fresh change of pace. These three take the spotlight for the majority of the runtime, and their adventures bring the reality that it would be great to see either a fully Transformers film without any human intervention or a Transformers film that doesn't have a world-ending threat; bring out the tomb-raiding, national treasuring adventures where the Autobots search for their history and their way off of Earth, without the need for constant battle. Bring the character arcs, strategy, and detective work, to the franchise about highly technologically advanced robots that can transform. Anything better than "if only we knew someone that could fit down the human-sized tunnel in this Transformers facility".

Rise of the Beasts is named thusly due to the introduction of the Maximals to the franchise (known from Beast Wars). Heavily represented in the trailers, one would have hoped they would have an integral part to play in the story, but like the Dinobots in Age of Extinction, their role is rather minor; new characters to increase the toys that can be sold around the film, but characters that could have easily been replaced or removed entirely from the film. Airazor and Optimus Primal (and the other forgettable cheetah and rhino one) look awesome, but there is no real substance.

It's refreshing to have a film that isn't centred around Megatron for once, and the Terrorcons (Sourge specifically) is an impressively indomitable adversary, ruined only by a lack of consistency in the film. Scourge is unbeatable, and dominates every character in every fight...until they decide he isn't. No reasoning, no cutting off his power, no discovering his weakness, not even the power of friendship. He, along with the other Terrorcons, simply gets nerfed in the final act. Not satisfying in the slightest.

To be fair the action sequences are a lot easier to follow as the characters have a lot more colour and simplified designs that make it much easier to distinguish movements, but when the extent of most battles rely on either pulling pieces off of each other or hitting and stabbing each other, there isn't a lot of variety to keep action sequences entertaining for long. 

It's an improvement, and it has taken some of the better aspects of Bumblebee and embedded it into the usual formula. It isn't something that is worth writing home about. In fact, you could even say that the positive elements of the film when put together with the negative elements, end up cancelling themselves out, leaving you with a mediocre and forgettable film. The younger audiences will still be entertained by it, and the fanboys will get some enjoyment from trying to pick out every piece of nostalgia bait and easter egg that has been injected into the film, but for the general audience, it's another piece of the Transformers franchise that will blend in with the rest.

To be honest, do any of us remember the locations, the names of the world-ending devices, or who the villains were in the previous instalments? Revenge of the Fallen, Dark of the Moon, Age of Extinction, or The Last Knight; all have much of a sameness. Rise of the Beasts fails to be something different. The young ones will love it, so drop them off with their friends, but mature audiences won't find much to appreciate here.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is in NZ cinemas from June 22, 2023