The bombastic blockbuster Transformers franchise returns with an origin story about its beloved fan-favorite, Bumblebee. In 1987, Bumblebee is broken and on the run, seeking refuge in California when he meets Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), who helps revive him while discovering
Considering the Transformers franchise has just gotten increasingly worse, I had a lot of doubt about seeing Bumblebee. However, seeing its shocking Rotten Tomato’s score and getting a special request to watch, I had to see what the hype was about.
Instead of following in the footsteps of the other films, Bumblebee takes on the formula of John Hughes-like teen adventure resulting in a safe, playful, humorous, heartwarming and fun family film. Bumblebee has always been the sweetest characters of the series (although let’s be honest, were any of the other Transformers developed?) and it is clear that director, Travis Knight, embraced this sweetness and wove it into the film
Hailee Steinfeld does a fantastic job as the film’s protagonist, playing a young woman looking to find herself while grieving the loss of her dad. She is in large part the emotional core of the film.
Would I watch it again and again? Probably not. But it was refreshing to see this franchise with a little more emotion and not take itself so seriously. As I am sure this franchise will continue rolling out installments, I hope they all take notes from Bumblebee.
Final Thoughts: Bumblebee is sweet, simple and full of heart.
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