Anthony's Film Review - Bumblebee (2018)

The Transformers live-action film series goes in a satisfying new direction...

Bumblebee is the sixth entry in the series of live-action Transformers movies, but it is unlike any of the previous five. You might be thinking, "Seriously?" And that's understandable, because I, too, wasn't sure what to expect when I heard that plenty of critics like this movie even if they really hated the other Transformers movies. I asked myself, "Could a Transformers movie actually be THAT good, given what critics thought of the first five?" I suppose any kind of movie has the potential to be good if done right. All of this led me to check out Bumblebee with more curiosity than I anticipated. Boy, was I pleasantly surprised.

In order for me to explain this, let's review the Michael Bay formula of the earlier Transformers movies. You have the core element of giant fighting robots, which is what Transformers is all about, but you also have Michael Bay turning up the octane and adrenaline to very high levels. On top of that, throw in juvenile humor and sexual innuendo. As for the plot, be sure to have one, but character development is optional. With all of this, you will hate the Transformers movies if you expect much more and enjoy them if you're willing to just let it all go and enjoy the ride.

Now imagine some modifications to that formula. For the action, tone down the intensity from super high-octane to a lower level that is still hard-hitting. Also trim most of the action in the middle of the movie. That way, you have enough action in the beginning, some in the middle where it makes sense, and just enough at the end to still provide a climax. Then limit the climactic action to just one protagonist versus two antagonists. Elsewhere, eliminate all juvenile and sexual humor. And most importantly, devote the film to developing the central character relationship, and let the plot simply be a way to bring out the heart of the characters.

If you're still looking for that exciting Transformer action, you do have that in the beginning. The film starts with a battle on the robot planet of Cybertron, where Optimus Prime, B-127, and the other Autobots duke it out with the evil Decepticons. It's actually a nice homage to the pilot episode of the Transformers animated series in the 1980s, especially as the Transformers in this scene are more similar to the classic characters fans know and love. Anyway, B-127 is ordered by Optimus to seek refuge on Earth and start a new base for the Autobots. B-127 arrives on Earth, in the year 1987, but faces a hostile military right away and barely makes it out alive.

Now we get to the heart of the movie. This is a Transformers movie that centers on B-127, later dubbed Bumblebee, and his relationship with a young human. I would describe this as a Transformers version of the 1999 animated film The Iron Giant or the 1982 Steven Spielberg-directed E.T. the Extraterrestrial (Spielberg is also a producer for the Transformers movies, including this one). The human is Charlie (played by Hailee Steinfeld), an 18-year-old girl living in Northern California. She longs for the freedom that owning a car would grant. One day, she comes into possession of a junk car, a dusty yellow Beetle. And while she attempts to fix it, she witnesses the astonishing transformation of the car into a giant robot.

From there, the story has moments that are like those from The Iron Giant and E.T. the Extraterrestrial. Charlie has to teach Bumblebee a few things here and there, while taking other actions to keep him hidden from other people, including her parents and younger brother. As a friendship forms, she even takes the time to have fun in new ways with Bumblebee's aid. But knowing the origin of Bumblebee, things eventually take a dramatic turn when the military enters the scene. And even as this young adult story dives deep into the premise of war involving alien robots, we still end up looking at it as the story of a girl and a friendly robot.

The conflict is ultimately driven by the two antagonists: a pair of Decepticons named Shatter and Dropkick (voiced by Angela Bassett and Justin Theroux, respectively). They come to Earth to destroy Bumblebee and foil the Autobots' plan to establish an Earth base. By having just two main Decepticons in the movie, we are given more of a chance to appreciate a Transformers villain. Both are ruthless in their quest to hunt down Bumblebee. They're also deceptive enough (as hinted by the name of their robot faction) to convince the U.S. government to allow them the use of military communications technology. In battle, both Shatter and Dropkick can transform into either a fast car or an aerial vehicle.

No matter what happens in this movie, we ultimately care about Charlie and Bumblebee. That's a major departure from the previous five Transformers movies where we just want the action. Don't get me wrong. The action here is good too, but it's definitely not overdone to quickly annoy so many film critics. This is a good time to mention that this is related to Michael Bay just being a producer for this movie, with Travis Knight taking over the director role, and having a woman, Christina Hodson, write the script. It just goes to show that making filmmaking crew changes can have an impact, and in this case, it's a good one.

After further consideration, I am declaring that Bumblebee is the best Transformers movie yet, not because it does more than its predecessors but rather it does LESS than its predecessors. In other words, it focuses on what any movie should: characters, relationships, and emotions. I am saying this even as the Transformer action in this movie is essentially secondary to the human-robot bonding story. For anyone who makes a movie that many dislike, Bumblebee is an inspiring example of how one can reinvent a movie series in a way that turns the critics into fans. And for anyone who watches certain action movie series and thinks the series cannot get smarter, Bumblebee proves that notion wrong. Even Transformers, a movie series with a ton of action and special effects, can develop a heart that will win people over.

Anthony's Rating:

For more information about Bumblebee, visit the Internet Movie Database.

In addition, check out my reviews of the following: