Bumblebee Review

PG-13: For sequences of sci-fi action violenceDir: Travis Knight | Christina HodsonParamount Pictures, Di Bonaventura Pictures, Allspark Pictures, Tencent Pictures1 Hr and 53 MinutesCast: Hailee Steinfeld, Pamela Adlon, John Cena, Stephen Schneider, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., Jason Ian Drucker, Kenneth Choi, Ricardo Hoyos, with the voices of Angela Bassett, Dylan O’ Brien, Justin Theroux, and Peter Cullen Release Date: December 21st 2018Ugh, another Transformers movie.
This franchise has been the bane of my existence since 2009. I say 2009 because that's when the second installment, “Revenge of the Fallen”, came out and that movie is the beginning of an abusive relationship. Last year when “The Last Knight” came out, I reviewed it during a 3-hour work break and I wanted to die. I vividly remember literally walking out, asking for a refund, and getting denied one because I was already 40 minutes into this two and a half hour movie. That is how much Michael Bay abused this franchise. So, now we have “Bumblebee”, a Transformers film helmed by… Travis Knight?
Wait… this is not a Michael Bay movie? This is directed by Travis Knight? CEO of stop-motion company Laika Studios? Director of “Kubo and the Two Strings”? And now Savior of Transformers? Wow. Who knew the previous Transformers title was a future indicator to the man who was going to revitalize the franchise.
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.
For “Bumblebee” being director Travis Knight’s first live-action feature, he powerfully kicks out of the gate running circles around Bay, who never seemed to get this franchise right despite his decade-long attempt. Over the past 11 years, one of the recurring issues that has seemed to plague the Transformers series was the editing. Most of the action was indiscernible because of two major factors: the lame designs of the Transformers where you couldn’t really distinguish the difference between Autobots and Decepticons, and the many quick cuts Bay would use for each action sequence, preventing you from understanding what the hell was going on. A cartoon cloud dust of violence was more distinguishable than the action in any of the Transformers films.
The aforementioned issue isn’t applicable to this new “Bumblebee” film. The designs of the Transformers are (thankfully) completely different. You can tell this is a soft reboot because the Autobots and Decepticons don’t look like junk metal, but more like the toys and cartoons you’re familiar with. I love how Bumblebee himself looks and the way he functions which leads to a lot of fun visual gags. They got rid of most of his grey, metallic exterior from the other films in favor of his trademark design we recognize. Now, he’s all colorful, meaning you can see who he’s fighting when a battle scene occurs. Besides that, the editing is well done where shots fully play out and you get to see the robots in disguise in action. Not going to lie but, for the most part, the action is completely badass. When Autobots or Decepticons get killed, they get obliterated gruesomely. What makes it even more impressive is the fact that this is a much smaller film in accounts of setting. The film takes place in one state and has a completely grounded atmosphere the entire time.  Even the climax, which takes place in a shipyard as opposed to an entire city, is far more welcoming and Knight uses that to its full potential.If there ever was a reboot that didn’t just spit in the face of all the entries that preceded it, but also provided a strong narrative that feels fresh for a franchise, it has to be “Bumblebee.” All of the excruciating factors that we’ve known to hate, from inappropriate humor to blatant product placement, are absent and it’s so glorious.
The core of the film overall is (believe it or not) the story itself. The Autobot vs Decepticon stuff takes the backseat while the major narrative focuses on Charlie who is suffering after the loss of her dad. While this character type has been done before in films, she’s nicely characterized. Usually in films like this where a teenage girl is going through a loss, they’re depicted as a bratty rebel who lashes out. That’s not the case with Charlie, for not only is she likable, but you resonate with her and what she’s going through. She’s going through a rough patch and, surprisingly, the film explores her depression without making her an asshole or a brat. She has an attitude, but it’s a relatable one. You see her being emotionally closed off to the world so, when her alien car becomes her only companion, the film tells this heartwarming tale that will make you smile. The core of the story truly is the bond between Charlie and Bee, which is strong. As far as human actors go, Hailee Steinfeld's performance runs circles around LaBeouf and Wahlberg. Because of her character’s youth and her relatable personality, the scenes of the two having fun are charming. Even the sequences of Bee curiously learning about the Earth, “Iron Giant”-style, are fun. With “Spider-Verse” also releasing around the same time, this truly is the season of Hailee Steinfeld as she continues to prove how incredible of an actress she is! The way she gently interacts with Bee and the constant whimsical and friendly nature she maintains while going through this depression genuinely tugs on your heartstrings. Not going to lie, there were moments where I got a bit teary-eyed because of how strong their bond becomes.
The screenplay written by Christina Hodson unexpectedly features an amount of depth that you wouldn’t expect to be delivered in a Transformers film. While it bears some similarities to “The Iron Giant” (machine of destruction with its lost memory and kid in need of a friend), it still manages to have its own flair that’s heartwarming and fun. It follows in the same vein as other solid buddy human/creature films such as “E.T”, “How to Train Your Dragon”, etc. It’s a huge upgrade for Hodson considering her two previous works (“Shut In”, “Unforgettable”) were pretty weak. So, for her to deliver this amiable sci-fi tale with heart and complexity gives me faith in the current project she’s penning which is DC’s “Birds of Prey”. She has written such a strong female lead with Charlie that I can’t wait to see how she tackles a female-driven superhero ensemble film. The film definitely plays out like a movie set in the 80s. You get the old-school humor and the cheesy character types, such as the creepy-yet-charming neighbor Charlie befriends, or the typical bullies with perms. This is an 80s film and the primary reason it feels that way is the comedy. When it comes to the humor, the film feels like an episode of “The Goldbergs”. But to be honest, I love “The Goldbergs” and think it’s an hysterical show. Thus, I find the film hysterical as well. The film may be rated PG-13 like the previous entries, but this is only for the action. There are dark moments, for you see robots get brutally destroyed and humans pop like bubbles (which is an odd yet respectable choice), but for the most part it features a light, campy tone. It’s so campy that it becomes hilariously self-aware. There are meta jokes here and there where the film pokes fun at itself and honestly they’re well-deserved.
A lot of the second act is just Charlie and Bee lollygagging and while you’re thinking, “Okay, it would be nice to get back to this story,” the scenes are entertaining and often times hysterical. While it gets comically silly, nothing in the film ever comes close to the cringefest that we’ve sat through for the past decade. The humor is safe and family-friendly and it took a director who knows family films firsthand to deliver it.
The film does trigger a pet peeve of mine which is scenes of slapstick comedy where the CGI creature messes up a human's house on their own. Garfield, Alvin, Pooh, etc. all went live-action and followed this trope. But because “Bumblebee” has a dimensional backbone to compensate for its silliness, it’s something that can be overlooked.
It took Paramount 11 years to get a Transformers movie right and, to be honest, I’m glad it took that long because it made me love it even more than I should’ve. Just like “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse”, the film brought out the kid in me who loved playing with toy cars and the film delivers on that nostalgic spectrum. Kids are going to eat this up for dinner and will be begging for more. Hell, adults who grew up in the 80s are going to follow suit because this is the “Transformers” movie they deserved instead of that animated one. Speaking of which, that animated film is referenced in the funniest way imaginable and I appreciate what they acknowledged with this.
Thanks to the competent and effortful work by director Travis Knight and screenwriter Christina Hodson, “Bumblebee” is a fun campy ride that doesn’t just add an invigorating (all)spark to the Transformers franchise, but it also proves that there truly is more than meets the eye.Rating: 3.5/5 | 79%Bravo, Travis Knight. Bravo.