QR Film Review: Bumblebee

Directed by Travis Knight, Bumblebee is the latest instalment in the Transformers franchise, and focuses on the iconic character of Bumblebee and his journey to Earth in the 1980s, to find a new home for the Autobots who have been driven from their home by the Decepticons. This is potentially a film that will slip under the radar, with audiences being dissuaded by the lower than average history of the franchise, yet is an enjoyable film to watch, regardless of your knowledge of the Transformers.

This is arguably a very predictable film, and nothing is unexpected or shocking. This is especially notable in the third act, which centres around the inevitable big battle and threat of invasion. This sequence features expertly choreographed fight scenes, which hold audiences interests aided by surprisingly good CGI.

The obvious star of the film is Bumblebee himself. He is instantly lovable and has the audience rooting for him the whole way through. The other characters within the film lack this sense of likeability, and while Hailee Steinfeld gives a great performance as Charlie, a lot of her character traits feel shoehorned in to serve the plot, rather than to make her a well-developed character. Some of the other performances do fall a bit flat, with Charlie’s family all having very phoned in performances, and the character of Memo (Jorge Lendeborg Jr) feeling like an almost unnecessary addition to the story. 

For me, the standout parts of this film are obviously Bumblebee himself, the excellent fight scenes, but also the soundtrack. Set in the 1980s, the film calls upon iconic 80s songs that really help to create the atmosphere for the sense of coming of age and friendship that surrounds the first two acts.

Ultimately, Bumblebee is a very fun film that doesn’t take itself too seriously. While it hasn’t completely revamped the Transformers franchise, it is a refreshing change to the explosive style of Michael Bay seen in the earlier instalments. Bumblebee is simply a fun film with an incredibly lovable protagonist, and I would definitely recommend it on the basis of entertainment value and enjoyment.

3.5 / 5 Stars