Bumblebee

photo courtesy of geektyrant.com

SPOILER-FREE REVIEW

     Much to everyone’s collective surprise, the new Transformers movie actually isn’t too shabby. Bumblebee, the sixth installment in the overall franchise and the first Transformers spin-off, takes place in the 80s before the events of the previous installments. It finds Bumblebee (voiced by Dylan O’Brien), a member of the Autobot resistance, sent on a mission to scout Earth as a potential secret base. But when an attack from the Decepticons leaves him without his memory and voice, it falls to a friendly human teenager (Hailee Steinfeld) to help Bumblebee fulfill his mission and defend Earth. Jorge Lendeborg Jr. and John Cena co-star.

     Bumblebee aims to be a crowd-pleaser, and the initiative makes it a significant, substantial improvement on its predecessors. Some of the Transformers standbys still show up—CGI, plenty of action—but for the most part Bumblebee represents a formula overhaul, limiting the animated chaos and using the free time to invest in the humanity of its characters. Bumblebee has a decent character arc for its protagonist, a cast of likeable heroes, and an entertaining, breezy dynamic between its human characters and the Transformers. It also cranks up the humor (often targeted at kids) and wrings its 80s setting for every last drop of nostalgia. The result? A Transformers movie that’s honestly kind of a blast.

photo courtesy of variety.com

     Still, we shouldn’t overstate the case. The previous Transformers movies have set a low bar, to say the least, so Bumblebee surpassing them isn’t exactly high praise. You can still expect to see some rough acting, a paper thin plot, and predictable beats. Even the 80s nostalgia, a surefire way to please audiences, has become such a commonplace trick that it’s losing some of its luster. So while Bumblebee is fun, it doesn’t exactly have the narrative strength to rival many of the other films in the increasingly competitive superhero/action market.

Bumblebee is rated PG-13.

TRAILER