Bumblebee (2018)

Director: Travis Knight
Stars: Hailee Steinfeld, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Cena
Runtime: 113 minutes

Synopsis: The story of an unlikely friendship between Charlie, an 18-year teenager, and Bumblebee, an Autobot on a mission. 

• Performances: 7/10

Why? Ever since her big screen debut in the Coen brother's remake of "True Grit", Hailee Steinfeld has had an interesting career, starring in films such as "The Edge of Seventeen" or the "Pitch Perfect" franchise. However, "Bumblebee" marks a new turn in her young career as she proved that she is completely able to carry a blockbuster by herself. She's badass, funny, witty and incredibly likable in the lead role of Charlie making her, in my opinion, the best human character to ever appear in a Transformers movie. The rest of the cast, which includes an always lovable John Cena, did a fine job despite most of them being there either for comedic relief or to further develop Hailee Steinfeld's Charlie. There were definitely some scenes that were hard to buy or take seriously, but the acting was generally surprisingly good.

• Screenplay: 6/10

Why? When I first heard that a Bumblebee spin-off written by the writer responsible for "Shut In" and "Unforgettable" was in the works, I remember rolling my eyes at the thought of yet another entry in what is considered to be one of the worst critically received franchises of all time. And boy was I happy to have been proven wrong. The first Transformers film to not be directed by Michael Bay (replaced by Travis Knight) was a blast to watch simply because it focuses on the relationship between the Autobot and his new friend rather than huge action set pieces with no substance whatsoever. That relationship was funny, heartwarming, and, most importantly, left me leaving the theater wishing I owned a pet Transformer. It was by far the best aspect of a film that does try to stir away from Bay's films, but still has elements that sadly reminded me of them, especially in its weaker third act. Yes, "Bumblebee" is a huge step in the right direction for the franchise, but it is far from perfect. Apart from its third act, I also found it to contain some cheese and jokes that didn't quite land. Some characters' inclusion in the film felt a bit forced and unnecessary to its plot, with Memo, who acted as Charlie's sort of sidekick/love interest, being one of them. Despite these issues, I still obviously recommend watching "Bumblebee" on the biggest screen possible as it'll definitely leave a smile on your face whether you're a fan of Bay's installments or not.

• Special Effects: 9/10

Why? Extremely convincing and smooth. There has been a lot of backlash over the fact that "Aquaman" wasn't even shortlisted by the Academy in the Visual Effects category but for me, "Bumblebee" not making the final cut is an even bigger snub.  

• Costumes/Makeup: 7/10

Why? Charlie's wardrobe was part of her rebellious personality. It wasn't exactly spectacular but her character wouldn't have resonated as well with a different outfit design. 

• Editing: 6/10

Why? Despite some nice transitions, there were quite a bit of filler scenes that could've been left on the editing room's floor. The final act goes on for way too long as well and could've been trimmed down. 

• Cinematography: 6/10

Why? It's a Transformers movie. Does anyone really care about the cinematography? The action was well shot and that is all that matters. 

• Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Why? The 1980s soundtrack was used in such a creative and brilliant way that it had me smiling like a kid every time a song was played. The score, on the other hand, was a bit goofy and out of place at times.

FINAL GRADE: 7/10