Behind the Roar of the Robot War in TRANSFORMERS RISE OF THE BEASTS, Cultural Touch Refreshes

Kapanlagi.com - "I'm happy that there are various characters being showcased. There are many representations being voiced in this vibrant TRANSFORMERS film," says Anthony Ramos when we asked him via zoom about the future of the franchise. And we agree with Noah's actor in the film TRANSFORMERS RISE OF THE BEASTS. 

He continues the baton from Shia Labeouf and Mark Whalberg as a human character who must be involved in the war of the Transformers robots. In the film, Noah is a former soldier who now works odd jobs repairing electronic equipment. From there, he continues to live with his mother and also his younger brother who has a rare disease. 

Pressed by daily needs, Noah finally has to take on a job he didn't want. He joins in stealing a car parked in the basement of one of New York's wealthy people. Who would have thought that this illicit job would bring him to meet one of the Autobots, Mirage. 

For those who are not familiar with Anthony's films, his acting began to attract attention as Lady Gaga's friend in A STAR IS BORN, one of the lead casts in the Broadway drama HAMILTON, and as Usnavi in the musical IN THE HEIGHTS. He has also tasted acting in the blockbuster action film GODZILLA KING OF THE MONSTERS as one of the soldiers fighting to survive the rampage of giant monsters. 

The opportunity to play in RISE OF THE BEASTS is like a childhood dream come true. The reason is, since he was a child, Anthony has been familiar with the story of the Autobots. He even admitted that the Beast Wars story is one of his favorites. 

"Acting with these robots is like a dream come true. I can unleash my imagination when I was a kid while shooting," he said.  

In the film, Noah's character will have a lot of screen time with the robots, both with Autobots, Maximals, or Terrorcon. 

1. It's Brooklyn, Baby!

Tobe Nwigwe, scene stealer in the film.

The addition of Anthony Ramos is nothing but to strengthen the cultural touch in the film. Steven Caple Jr (director) and Lorenzo di Bonaventura (producer) are in agreement that besides his excellent acting, Anthony is considered suitable to strengthen the 90s Brooklyn vibe that is the setting of the story. 

"There are many blends here, one of which is about Brooklyn culture. Anthony himself has Puerto Rican blood and grew up in the 90s. He feels proud to do something for his family, where he portrays a character that was previously rare in this film," says Steven Caple. 

During the early scenes when Noah is introduced in the film, viewers will be able to enjoy what the daily life of middle-class Brooklyn is like with all its busyness. Everything is reflected in Noah's dialogues with his colleague, Reek (played by Tobe Nwigwe).

2. The Duo of Brooklyn Actors

Brooklyn culture becomes more prominent with the inclusion of Dominique Fishback as Elena, a female scientist. Elena is portrayed as a scientist who is still struggling with her career at the museum. She is constantly underestimated by her superiors.

"She plays a scientist, works at the museum, is smarter than her boss, but is hindered in her career. She feels very connected to a character like that. Above all, culturally, we rarely see characters like this in big action movies like this," Steven said about Elena.

In addition, it turns out that Dominique and Anthony, who both come from Brooklyn, have been friends for a long time.

"We once said, 'Hey, we need to do a project together.' And we never thought we could play together in a movie as big as TRANSFORMERS," Dominique recalled.

Audiences can see their chemistry from the scenes in the museum to the climax scenes in the Mayan temples of Peru.

3. Breakthrough in His Film

4. Hip-Hop Music that Awakens Nostalgia

Anthony and Dominique are reminiscent of the 90s Hip-Hop music that supports the story. RISE OF THE BEASTS, which is called a sequel to BUMBLEBEE set in the 80s, continues their stylish style by carrying the 90s era.

"When you hear Big G (Notorious G) song in the movie. It's crazy. It's so cool," he exclaimed.

Dominique further feels called back to her childhood memories because of the music in this film. "DMX, I remember when I was 6, my dad picked me up in his Jeep. He always played DMX music. It's always been a part of my childhood in Brooklyn. And when I found out the music was in the movie, trailer, and my family will watch it later. It's amazing," she said.

Get ready to hear upbeat songs from LL Cool J, Black Sheep, and WuTang Clan in the movie.

5. Exploring the World

Continuing the tradition from previous films, RISE OF THE BEASTS will also take audiences to new locations that not only support the story but also bring stunning visuals. 

In AGE OF EXTINCTION, audiences were taken to densely populated residential areas and metropolises in China. While in THE LAST KNIGHT, audiences got a taste of the green hill landscapes in England. In ROTB, Lorenzo takes audiences to Peru with mountain landscapes and Mayan temple. 

"We want to show different cultures to the audience. In every film, we try to show that. We don't just show about Brooklyn culture but also Peruvian culture. That's what makes the Transformers audience get a new experience," he said. 

From the story side, Lorenzo revealed that the story setting is one of the most difficult topics to discuss. He doesn't want the Maximals story to suddenly appear in a big city like New York. 

The new Maximals introduced here are giant animal-shaped beings. It would be very strange if they suddenly appeared there without a strong reason. Therefore, Lorenzo decided to choose Peru as the place where Maximals first appear on Earth. 

One of the Autobots, named Wheeljack, will also appear in a Peruvian dialect and accent. Interesting, isn't it?

TRANSFORMERS RISE OF THE BEASTS is now playing in theaters starting June 7th. 

(kpl/dka)