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Transformers - Beast Machines - Series 2 - Complete


RRP: £9.99
Our Price: £1.48 (subject to change)

Transforming a whole world...
Review date: 2008-08-04 Rating: 10 out of 10

The second and final series of Beast Machines serves up more inspired CGI Transformers action! At the end of the first series, Optimus Primal and Megatron faced off and their battle threatened to destroy Cybertron. The second series picks up directly afterward, with Megatron apparently destroyed and the Maximals on their way to succeeding in their goal of balancing the technological and organic on Cybertron by reformatting the planet with technorganic trees. However an enemy like Megatron is never truly defeated. From there the story builds, through the introduction of characters like Noble and Savage, Obsidian and Strika - Cybertron's greatest generals, and Botanica, a transformer who turns into a plant. The final episode is an epic battle which seals the fates of Optimus and Megatron and Cybertron itself.

Along the way the stories touch on loyalty and love, on resentment and sacrifice. It's the sort of stuff that reminds you how you can possibly get hooked on the adventures of giant robots that transform into other stuff. It's nicely epic and introduces exciting ideas to the Transformers mythology while referencing the past, for those of us with long memories (the hate plague from the Return of Optimus Prime, anyone?).

Okay, the CGI is not up as good as Toy Story, but it is still quite impressive and gives the different, sometimes startling designs of the transformers real character. I particularly love the designs on Silverbolt and Botanica.

The shame is, there seems so much more that could be done with the characters beyond the end of this series. I think this is well worth buying.

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Reviews


A fitting end to a well made series
Review date: 2008-03-06 Rating: 10 out of 10

First there was Generation One, Autobots and Decepticons knocking the bolts out of one another, whenever they got around to being allowed to fight in 80s TV. Then we got Beast Wars, a good show that is hard to get in the UK since it's still not been released in a full box set yet, and then we got Beast Machines.
Beast Machines is the continuing story of Beast Wars, the Maximals have won and they end back to Cybertron with Megatron strapped to their ship. He gets free however and proceeds to change history - He wins.

This is the second season box set of Beast Machines, the first season was slow at points, but remarkable with gripping stories and a very different take on the good and bad, the bad guys win from the start!
As the series progresses in season 1, we see the Maximals learn how to control their transformtions and their inner animal so that they can fight back against Megatron and his Vehicons. At the end of season 1, we were left with a cliff hanger.

Enter season 2 and things seem a lot slower, I won't explain why, but there's a good reason for it and it all comes to a head near the end. We are introduced to new characters and getting to see how cunning Megatron can be when backed into a corner.
I would recommend this for sure, for adults and kids alike. It's a smart cartoon, which is surprising, and brings the whole Generation One/Beast Wars story arch to a fitting end.
Enjoy, it's as gripping as the first season and worth every penny.

"We finish this now, Megatron! You and I!"
Review date: 2008-01-06 Rating: 10 out of 10

The first season of Beast Machines was many things. Dark, deep, radical, intense, controversial and very, very compelling. So how exactly do you follow something like that? The answer is simple. By making the second (and final) season even MORE dark, deep, radical, intense, controversial and very, very compelling.

Some die-hard Transformers fans viewed Beast Machines as the `bad thing' when comparing it to the prequel series Beast Wars, as well as Generation 1. Drastic character changes and the whole challenging concept of Cybertron once being an organic planet (and could be so again) drew the show a lot of backlash. And that only continued with this season as the radical changes and organic concepts further developed...and skyrocketed to an epic conclusion.

But for me, personally, all the daring new concepts excited me. While I agree whole-heartedly that Beast Wars was the superior series, Beast Machines nonetheless remained expertly written and animated, sporting a real dark and mature feel to it, great characters and ties to Generation 1 that made for fantastic story-arcs, such as use of the Key to Vector Sigma and the Plasma Energy Chamber.

Those who watched the first season of Beast Machines will remember the epic cliffhanger in the final episode "End of the Line", where Optimus Primal and Megatron unleashed the full furies of the Plasma Energy Chamber and the Key to Vector Sigma, creating a worldwide maelstrom that threatened to destroy all Transformers along with their planet. The first episode here in this box set, "Fallout", gets right into the thick of the action as Optimus must confront his sins while save his homeworld at the same time.

Again, as with the previous season, Season 2 of Beast Machines features great development in terms of plot and character. Nothing remains static and there are two great three-part episodes that feature absolutely epic stuff. Characters from Season 1 also go away with new arrivals coming to take their place.

The first new arrival to the series, Noble/Savage, is truly incredible. A purely organic Transformer that can shift from beast to beast. And this is perhaps the only thing about Beast Machines that I truly had mixed feelings about. Although an essential character to Nightscream's development and Megatron's own evolution, the idea of a non-robot Transformer does take things a step too far, I admit. In terms of utilizing the organic concept in what is supposed to be ROBOTS in Disguise at the heart of it all. Nonetheless, Noble/Savage is used correctly and wisely here, thus making for an interesting character, even though he is perhaps TOO unusual for his own good.

As the series progresses, we're finally treated to the full-time return of old Beast Wars favourite, Silverbolt, this time sporting a new look and a much darker personality which works just fine in Beast Machines. His old `knight-in-shining-armour' persona (though brilliant in Beast Wars) would have been very out of place here, so it's good that the creators thought long and hard about what would compliment the show's credibility and what wouldn't.

As for the other newcomers, new Vehicon generals Obsidian and Strika are very fascinating characters. Both are truly dangerous foes with a desire to protect Cybertron that's clouded by a questionable loyalty to Megatron, making them unique from other evil Transformers. And finally, there is Botanica, who is perhaps the most bizarre Transformer of them all, with her VERY odd alternate mode of a killer PLANT. Yet she somehow remains an intriguing character that seems to work, probably because of the setting she was used in.

To me, the second season of Beast Machines is just as great as the first. The whole series itself is such a different take on Transformers and, ergo, is filled with such extremities. And that's why I find it so appealing. The way it's been written is one of great quality. All the radical concepts are presented superbly well thanks to the script work and awesome voice-acting. Mainframe's CGI, the quality soundtrack, the structured-continuity and in-depth characters make it all so refreshing. While the Generation 1 cartoon will always be the best Transformers series in my eyes, and Beast Wars comes a VERY close second, Beast Machines is easily worthy of being in the same league. And it comes down to all the work put into the show.

However, I am glad they chose to end the series after the second season. Although a thing of greatness, Beast Machines had steered well away from what the original Generation 1 had laid out, and it was the right thing to do to go back to the roots of Transformers with the following series, Robots in Disguise. Still, the second and final season goes out with a true bang. On the second disc is (essentially) a seven-part closing arc, consisting of "Sparkwar Parts 1-3", "Spark of Darkness" and "Endgame Parts 1-3" which wraps up everything brilliantly in a truly epic swansong. The very ending is reminiscent of the original G1 show's finale and should be viewed as being on a par.

Although Sony has provided a quality release of Beast Machines with their superb transfer of the series onto DVD, they really could've made this box set (and the one beforehand) something spectacular. Audio commentaries, cast interviews, deleted scenes (like on the American releases) would have put these releases on the same level as the G1 box sets released by Metrodome. Yet there's not one measly extra here, and I think that's very poor, frankly.

But I suppose I shouldn't complain. Transformers: Beast Machines is an excellent series with practically every episode being a thing of near-perfection. And really, the beat and rhythm of Leftfield`s "Phat Planet" playing in the opening credits should be viewed as being the icing on the cake. Roll on Region 2 releases of Beast Wars.

"This is the end of the road Megatron!"
Review date: 2007-10-20 Rating: 10 out of 10

Mainframe's excellent CGI Transformers series continues with the second season of Beast Machines. Essentially telling the last chapter in the recorded Transformer history, like season 1 this show is set exclusively on Cybertron.
Leaving us with a decidedly shocking cliffhanger in End Of The Line in season 1, the series opener continues without missing a beat. With Megatron tricked by the spark of Rhinox (now free inside Tankor's body) into utilising the Key To Vector Sigma, Optimus Primal responds by unleashing the plasma energy core of the planet to stop him.
The other Maximals, infected by the Key program look set to go offline for good and the fate of the world hangs in the balance as Megatron and Primal fight to the bitter end.
With a great resolution to the story, the series progresses through 12 more episodes which leave us uncertain as to the fate of some of the characters. The show moves along with a rapid pace as the remaining Maximals seek to discover what Megatron did with the Sparks of the other Transformers and to free them before they join the Matrix forever.
The series moves into mini-arc territory with three parters including the amazing Sparkwar and the final Endgame trilogy.
The CGI is even better than series one and there are some brilliant twists and turns in the story. The revelation about the Sparks is shocking and the return of some characters from Beast Wars make welcome additions to the show. All that and a new alien lifeform reaches Cybertron in it's most desperate hour.
The Endgame saga is epic in the plotting and gives a hugely enjoyable and satifactory end to the Transfomer history and the final battles between certain characters does not disappoint.
So, if you love Transformers or have just enjoyed series 1, the don't hesitate to plough into another 13 episodes of action and adventure.
Transform and roll out!

Product Details/Specifications


Director(s):

Recording label: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
EAN: 5035822545311
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: PAL,
Release date: 2007-11-19
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Region code: 2
Running time: 298 minutes

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