Bumblebee

Right, well the one and only reason for me sitting down to watch "Bumblebee" was because the rest of the family wanted to, so I gave in and joined them.

Which, I must admit, that I am actually glad that I did. Because this spin off on the "Transformers" live action movies was actually the best in the entire franchise. Who knew? A spin off movie putting every other single "Transformers" movie to shame and outshines them by a mile.

The story in "Bumblebee" was good, it had something for the entire family, because it contained action, comedy, love, and good vs evil. Everything that was required to entertain everyone in the family.

What also worked in favor of the movie was the fact that they had acquired a proper cast for the roles - well, with the exception of John Cena, as I can't really claim that he fit the role in this movie. But everyone else was really cast nicely for their respective roles and characters.

There is a good abundance of action in the movie, and it is done with elegance, whereas some of the movies in the actual main franchise seemed to focus more on just random destruction and violence, And the fact that there actually was a proper underlying storyline and plot to supported by the action just made it all the more enjoyable.

It is difficult not to get drawn in and be swooped away by Bumblebee himself in this movie, whereas I didn't have quite the same feeling or reaction in the countless previous movies.

This is actually how they should have started the entire franchise off, instead of giving us a continuous array of explosions and CGI bedazzlement. If you, like me, grew up watching the "Transformers" cartoons in your childhood, then you definitely should take the time to sit down and watch the 2018 "Bumblebee", because director Travis Knight really nailed it right on the head here.

This movie was a pleasant surprise.

Simple, but entertaining, and much truer to the characters and the spirit of the 80s cartoon than the Michael Bay films. The CGI is nice, and there is a good balance between the serious and comical moments.

Without being a masterpiece, this movie is a decent-watch for the whole family.

I hope the future "Transformers" movie keep a similar tone to this (Or at least, to the initial scene on planet Cybertron, which is easily the highest point from this feature)

Steps outside the Transformer series really well to be a successful standalone entry.

Provides all the fantastic shinny things the movies are renowned for but has a much better story than the later Transformer movies.

Very enjoyable movie that will keep most moviegoers entertained :)

I have never played with the toys or read the comics, but I watched all of the Transformers movies. When Bumblebee came out I was fatigued and frankly disgusted with the quality of the franchise, so I just gave up. But after a comment from a blogger, saying that the film is not directed by Bay and that it's one of the best Transformers movies, I've decided to watch it. The verdict: a return to form. The action is set in the 80s, the effects look more mechanical and less CGI and the main character is a young girl. I find it befitting to what the franchise should have been from the very start.

However, because of the timing, this is too little and too late. A lot of people did like I did and just flat out skipped the film, while others did not like it because they were coming for big explosions and special effects. Plus, to be honest, it wasn't that original or inspiring, using the same tired "kid finds friendly alien" plot and starring Hailee Steinfeld, who is very cute, but kind of one track when it comes to acting. Also the character of the neighbor was completely unnecessary.

Bottom line: this should have been, perhaps, the first film in the franchise. It's not the best, but clearly a lot better than the latest movies in the series. Not sure where they will go from here, though.

An entertaining film for fans and youngsters. When it comes to the editing and the story telling I feel it is lacking. There are many scenes where the viewer is left confused wondering or hanging. Some scenes are simply repetitive and I feel not cut smoothly to be cohesive. Bumblebee dies/gets killed and gets resurrected approx 10 times which gets old after a while. John Cena should just stop playing any serious roles. He is funny until he tries to be serious or bring emotions on the screen. Just does not suit him. Hailee delivers a solid performance and definitley is the perfect fit for the role. The Soundtrack is just awesome with the best of the 80ies. Not a "gotta watch it again" movie. The emotional component of the "missing father figure" and the "moving on" aspect is done nicely and gives the film some depth.