Bumblebee did something no one has been able to do for the last couple of years…get people to care about Transformers again!
Many believe myself included, the franchise was losing focus and direction. The battles were getting out of hand, the enemies were the same over and over, and the main characters who interacted with Optimus Prime and the gang just didn’t bring the same flare Sam Whitwickey once did.
The BumbleBee landed on planet Earth in 1988 and the Transformers movies were given a new lease on life. Everyone’s favourite yellow robot makes friends with a young teenager named Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld). Together they will fight off her parents, the US Government, and some rogue Decepticons.
What I loved about this movie, besides the awesome 80’s mixtape, was this movie had more heart and soul than the other five movies combined. I did not cry, repeat did not cry, but there were moments when I left in awe. I can admit I was never a huge fan of Bumblebee, Optimus Prime is my favourite, but this guy is so lovable. Whether he’s learning to hide in car mode, destroying the house while watching TV, or being afraid, this guy is truly one of the best parts of the Transformer universe.
John Cena is another big name attached to the film and he does something that hasn’t been seen in previous films. He goes from bad guy to good guy. It’s a weird character flip in a world where the sides are always clearly defined. His turn added a new element to the overall story of the military working together with the Transformers.
I really enjoyed this film, leaps and bounds than I could ever enjoy The Last Knight, so if you were ever concerned to venture out to Bumblebee, let me tell you it’s good. I was happy with the way the story played out and how this was a great prequel to a world we have come to know and hate.
The ONLY drawback I got to say about the film and the characters is… after five movies and many cities/countries destroyed all over the world, where are they? How come Charlie’s name never comes up again and how when she sees Bumblebee on the news, she doesn’t contact the US Government to say I know them? John Cena went from foe to friend, why doesn’t he join up with Josh Duhamel’s character in the other films? Maybe I’m the only one who cares about continuity and maybe the writers never thought a prequel was possible. Either way, I’m not gonna let those feelings get in the way from owning this movie and watching it again. 8/10
(The only angle I think the studios owe us today is a film about the epic war on Cybertron. That could be worth the price of admission if done properly.)
Ten Stars or Less 