Transformers Beast Machines - The Complete Series | 
| Directors: Raul Inglis, William Lau, Greg Donis, Gino Nichele
Actors: Kathleen Barr, Jim Byrnes, Gary Chalk, Ian James Corlett, Paul Dobson
Studio: Rhino Theatrical
Category: DVD
List Price: $59.95
Buy New: $35.58
You Save: $24.37 (41%)
New (33) Used (13) Collectible (1) from $25.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  57 reviews
Sales Rank: 18653
Format: Box Set, Color, Dvd-video, Ntsc
Language: English (Original Language)
Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Number Of Items: 4
Running Time: 700
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.6 x 5.5 x 1.1
MPN: 970189
UPC: 603497018925
EAN: 0603497018925
ASIN: B000BGH254
Release Date: February 28, 2006
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
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Product Description
The Beast Wars saga continues as the high-octane yet deeply layered series Beast Machines. The Maximals-led by a now troubled and soul-searching Optimus Primal-must battle the powerful Megatron and his new army of Vehicons while learning a whole new way of transforming that requires mind/body discipline. The future of their home planet of Cybertron is at stake! Get ready for a complex spiritual and action-packed chapter in the Transformers story! System Requirements:Running Time 700 Mins.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: ANIMATION/ADULT SWIM Rating: NR UPC: 603497018925 Manufacturer No: 970189
Amazon.com
The animated adventures of the Transformers took a dramatic turn with the 1999-2000 series Beast Machines; the complete series set, which compiles all 26 episodes of its two seasons, will give fans either a chance to re-examine this controversial series, or more fuel for their particular likes or dislikes. Beast Machines picks up where the previous (and well-liked) Transformers series, Beast Wars, left off, with Optimus Primal and the remaining Maximal team returning to their home planet of Cybertron, and still in their animal forms. There they discover that the planet is without power, and a race of drone machines known as the Vehicons on the prowl for the surviving heroes. Optimus consults with the super computer Oracle, who reveals that Predacon villain Megatron is behind the power loss and the Vehicons, and is using two re-wired Maximals to uncover the Key to Vector Sigma, the mega-computer that gave life ("sparks") to robots, and destroy the Maximals by transforming organic matter into "technomatter." What follows is an epic (and often convoluted) struggle between the forces of Megatron and Optimus that, as with Beast Wars, frequently touches on decidedly mature subjects as spirituality and racial identity. However, the liberties taken with the depiction of many of the characters, as well as the somewhat downbeat ending (which were in part the sources of much division among fans during its broadcast) may turn off those who particularly enjoyed Beast Wars or carry fond memories of the original animated series, from which this is far afield. The four-disc set includes commentaries on three episodes, one with story editor Robert N. Skir and legendary Marvel Comics artist Marv Wolfman, who helped develop Beast Machines, and two with Skir and writer Steven Melching; Skir and Wolfman are also featured in separate interviews, as are voice director Susan Blu and voice actor David Kaye (who essays Megatron). --Paul Gaita
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| Customer Reviews: Read 52 more reviews...
 Beast Machines: Not as Great as Beast Wars, but still Extremely Entertaining August 16, 2008
Now I know that fans usual don't care for Beast Machines and I respect them for their own opinion but to me...this series is great! Yes, it isn't quite as great as Beast Wars but it is close.
The storylines and characters are memorable and the action is great as usual...especially when it comes totechno-organic beings slugging it out with one another.
Episode One- The Reformatting
Episode Two- Master of the House
Episode Three- Fires of the Past
Episode Four- Mercenary Pursuits
Episode Five- Forbidden Fruit
Episode Six- The Weak Component
Episode Seven- Revelations Part One: Discovery
Episode Eight- Revelations Part Two: Descent
Episode Nine- Revelations Part Three: Apocalypse
Episode Ten- Survivor
Episode Eleven- Techno-Organic War, Part One: The Key
Episode Twelve- Techno-Organic War, Part Two: The Catalyst
Episode Thirteen- Techno-Organic War, Part Three: End of the Line
Episode Fourteen- Fallout
Episode Fifteen- Savage Noble
Episode Sixteen- Prometheus Unbound
Episode Seventeen- In Darkest Knight
Epsidoe Eightteen- A Wolf in the Fold
Episode Nineteen- Home Soil
Epsidoe Twenty- SparkWar, Part One: The Strike
Episode Twenty One- SparkWar, Part Two: The Search
Episode Twenty Two- SparkWar, Part Three: The Siege
Episode Twenty Three- Spark of Darkness
Episode Twenty Four- EndGame, Part One: The Downward Spiral
Episode Twenty Five- EndGame, Part Two: When Legends Fall
Episode Twenty six- EndGame, Part Three: Seeds of the Future
Buy the Final set and make your collection complete!!!
 Not Exactly Beast Wars, But... August 2, 2008
It's inevitable that Beast Machines will have comparisons to its predecessor, Beast Wars. This show followed BW and featured the exact same characters, but both shows were very, very different. Upon first viewing of the show, I, like most Beast Wars fans, felt quite alienated due to the major differences.
However, it's been a while since I've seen either Beast Wars or Beast Machines. Since I stopped watching BM after the first few episodes, I decided to go to local video store and give it another chance. Many aspects of Beast Wars had escaped me, so I watched the series with a fresh point of view.
I can say that I actually enjoyed Beast Machines more a second time around. It is a very unique series in the Transformers franchise, with the protagonists starting out as the underdogs against the world rather than fighting an equally matched opposing force. The ideas of transforming were quite different, not to mention the look, the music, and the themes of the show.
After I watched Beast Machines for a second time, I decided to watch Beast Wars again and compare the two. The main thing that bugged me and many other Beast Wars fans were the complete 180 change in the majority of the characters. Optimus Primal was changed from courageous leader to a Zen-like hippie, willing to do whatever it took to save Cybertron, even at the expense of alienating his once-loved Maximals. Bad-Girl Blackarachnia was suddenly transformed into a constantly pining annoyance, Rattrap turned from a mighty warrior into a technicians expert, Rhinox became a traitor, and worst of all, the once chivalrous Silverbolt changed into a completely unbelievable clone of the self-hating Maximal loners Dinobot and Depth Charge, and as a result he lost much of his previous charisma. While some may say that I am simply whining about the characters, what made Beast Wars so enjoyable was watching the characters grow and interact. To see these characters butchered really alienated the original audience.
However, despite this, there were many highlights within Beast Machines. The animation was slick and beautiful, which made the action scenes fun to watch. The techno-driven soundtrack was really an interesting counterpunch to the guitar-based one back in Beast Wars.
And there WERE interesting character arcs within Beast Machines. Cheetor's journey from "the kid" to second in command was arguably the next step from his original arc from Beast Wars. The lovingly hostile Jetstorm and the silent loner Thrust were arguably the breakout characters for the show, while the Botannica and Savage/Noble provided unique kinds of Transformers previously unseen in the franchise.
Overall, the series was not that bad. It will always draw criticism from fans of Beast Wars, but it should be watched with the mindset that it is its own series. With that point of view, you have a very enjoyable 26 episodes of good tv.
Awesome for the few May 22, 2008
0 out of 1 found this review helpful
I'm one of the few that really loved this short series.
I totally understand why most didn't like it and preferred the more monotonous (repetitious) BEAST WARS over enlightened BEAST MACHINES.
BEAST MACHINES was one of first great advances in TV CGI. It also tried not to rehash every plot we've seen a million times already. Sure, it had its filler episodes, but over all the intelligence of it's story arch had more depth than 20 other TV kid shows put together.
The spiritual tone offended or missed some, but these are universal memes (ideas, thoughts, and events) that are embedded in all religions and societies throughout history. Light/ Dark; hot/ cold; good/ bad. But really they're just yen an yang.
For me, I love the CG and the well thought out premise of this overlooked refresh of Transformers.
Great series May 11, 2008
This was a great series with a dumb ending. If you have little kids they will like it. Adults who grew up with the original transformers will like it until the last episode.
It isn't Beast Wars, get over it December 23, 2007
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Beast Wars was enough of a departure from the Transformers mythology, but the show proved to be something special indeed. Beast Machines picks up where Beast Wars left off, and things take even more of a turn with this series. Beast Machines picks up with Maximals Optimus Primal, Cheetor, Rattrap, and Black Arachnia on Cybertron and trapped in their original beast forms. Silverbolt and Rhinox are missing, and none of them have any memory of what happened. Things are complicated even more so by the fact that they are being hunted by the drone-like Vehicons, who are controlled by Megatron. As the series develops throughout it's two seasons (both of which are collected here) the Maximals slowly learn the truth behind their comrade's disappearances and what Megatron is planning, while gaining new attack modes, finding new allies, and learning the truth behind Cybertron's history as the barrier between the organic and the mechanical begins to break. Unlike on Beast Wars, the Maximals don't transform, instead they "morph" into their robot modes. This alone is one of the reasons that Beast Machines never attained the greatness that Beast Wars achieved, along with the convoluted, and a bit confusing, storyline, and the whole "organic VS mechanical" storyline just really didn't fit here. Not to mention that the new robot forms of many of the Maximals (Rattrap comes to mind) just come off as lame. Still, there's plenty of great twists and turns, spectacularly animated battle sequences, and a downbeat, shocker of an ending to the series that may come as a surprise to longtime viewers of the Beast Wars/Machines saga. All in all, while Beast Machines never reached what Beast Wars managed to achieve, it's still a more than worthy addition to the Transformers mythos, and needless to say, if you loved Beast Wars, you should give Beast Machines a chance just to see how it all comes to an end.
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