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Bumblebee

Name: Bumblebee
Item: Bumblebee
Rating: 3
Author: Sandie Angulo Chen

Movie review by

Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 11+

(i)

Better-than-expected Transformers prequel is big on action.

PG-13
2018
113 minutes

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Parents recommendPopular with kids

Parents say

age 12+

Based on 18 reviews

Kids say

age 9+

Based on 27 reviews

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We think this movie stands out for:

Character Strengths

A lot or a little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

Positive Messages

Teamwork, friendship, family bonds are all promoted. Charlie and Bumblebee befriend each other/bond, show that not all Transformers should be prejudged. Bumblebee's voice demonstrates power of music to communicate.

Positive Role Models & Representations

Charlie is enterprising, intelligent, resourceful. She does hide Bumblebee's existence from her family, but she's patient, gives Bumblebee the benefit of the doubt, getting to know him, helping him. She and Memo are courageous, selfless, risking safety to rescue, support Bumblebee. Charlie's mother, stepfather, little brother are concerned, encouraging; when things get dangerous, they don't shy away from helping her. Villains are clearly delineated as bad guys.

Violence

Opening sequence shows Transformers' civil war on Cybertron: They use their weapons on one another, blasting, shooting. On Earth, soldiers (and civilians) see a ball of fire crash, with Transformers emerging. Soldiers fire on Bumblebee, who runs but doesn't retaliate -- unlike Decepticons, who start firing upon humans. Additional, similar scenes of Transformers fighting each other, humans. In one sequence, Bumblebee is tortured. Charlie and Memo are thrown about, hurt but not seriously injured. When Transformers kill humans with one particular weapon, it turns them into clear goo (happens a couple of times).

Sex

Charlie and Memo hold hands, kiss on the cheek; he's obviously interested in her. She asks him to take off his shirt for an experiment, not romance.

Language

Infrequent use of words including "s--t," "damn," "hell," "ass," "crap," "freaking," "shoot," "shut up." Exclamations like "oh my God."

Consumerism

On camera: Volkswagen, Sony, Atari, Camaro, BMW, Ford, Corvette, Scope, Fritos, Tab. Several bands/artists mentioned or shown on merchandise: Elvis Costello, The Smiths, Sam Cooke, Simple Minds/The Breakfast Club, etc. Off camera, there's a ton of Transformers/Hasbro-related merchandise, from toys themselves to video games, apparel, more.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Bumblebee is a Transformers universe prequel that's set in 1987 and stars Hailee Steinfeld as Charlie, a gearhead teen who finds a yellow VW Bug that's actually the titular Autobot. This tween-friendly adventure features slightly less violence, language, and sex (the romance is downplayed and positively chaste) than its predecessors. That said, there are still big fight scenes between Transformers and between Transformers and humans; weapons are used (one reduces humans to a clear goo), there's explosive destruction, and Bumblebee is tortured. Language includes a few uses of "damn" and "s--t"; refreshingly for the series, there are no crass or sexist jokes. Charlie is a surprisingly nuanced and courageous lead character, and the movie has clear themes of teamwork and friendship.

User Reviews

Parents say
Kids say

Adult Written byBeefhash December 8, 2018

age 9+

Fun with heart and good action.

Would definitely recommend this for Transformers fans and 80's nostalgia. Great references and feels. Not a perfect movie but a lot of character developm... Continue reading

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Parent Written byJem P. December 29, 2018

age 11+

A good, entertaining enough for 11 year+

There're some scenes violent for children under 10, so I want to mention them for other families; 1. Some Decepticons kill Autobots by cutting the bodies c... Continue reading

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Teen, 13 years old Written bycadence_thurber December 27, 2018

age 11+

Best. Tf. Movie.

As a HUGE Transformers fan myself, the first five movies were disappointing to me, so I expected this one to be the same way. After I watched it I was like “WOW... Continue reading

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Teen, 14 years old Written byangelqueen88 December 31, 2018

age 6+

Very good movie

Me and my family went to watch this movie over the weekend. We brought my two brothers along (ages 6 and 4) I was a bit skeptical that they would get scared and... Continue reading

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What's the story?

BUMBLEBEE starts during a civil war on the Transformers' home planet of Cybertron, where Autobot resistance leader Optimus Prime (voiced by Peter Cullen) sends his young lieutenant, B-127 (Dylan O'Brien), on a mission to Earth to establish a base, protect the planet's inhabitants, and await their allies. But B-127 is followed by two Decepticons, who wound him and destroy his voice box. Later, in 1987 California, angsty Bay Area teen Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) finds an old yellow Volkswagen Beetle while scouring a junk yard on her 18th birthday. Charlie, who's still grieving her late father, fixes the rusty old VW, which quickly transforms back into a robot alien that Charlie names Bumblebee. As Charlie befriends Bumblebee and introduces him to her neighbor, Memo (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), two Decepticon enforcers land on Earth. Shatter (Angela Bassett) and Dropkick (Justin Theroux) convince government agents, including a reluctant John Cena and an awed John Ortiz, to collaborate in order to find the "dangerous" Bumblebee.

Is it any good?

The talented, expressive Steinfeld and a nuanced script elevate this prequel from "unnecessary" to "surprisingly poignant and entertaining." Comparisons between Bumblebee and E.T. are easy to draw, because Charlie nearly instantly connects with the voiceless, skittish alien. They bond over clips of '80s movies and music cassettes (he hilariously ejects The Smiths, one of her favorite, angsty bands, instead preferring radio jams that can speak for him). Charlie's sidekick is her adorkable neighbor, whom Lendeborg plays with sweet comedic sincerity. Their chemistry is cute, with only a hint of romance -- a much-needed change from the previous films.

Director Travis Knight, making his live-action debut and working from a script by Christina Hodson, helms the movie with a sensibility that mirrors the Laika films he's directed/produced (Kubo and The Boxtrolls): A lonely, grieving adolescent goes on an unexpected adventure, through which she learns about herself and her legacy. Knight might not have seemed like a natural fit for this live-action directing gig on the face of things, but it makes sense given his love of coming-of-age stories that feature particularly sensitive and brave young protagonists. Ultimately, there was no need for this prequel, but it's much better than expected, and the best (story wise) of the Transformers series to date.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about the violence in Bumblebee. Is it more than, less than, or about what you expected? How does it compare to the violence in the other Transformers movies? What's the impact of media violence on kids?
What are the other differences between this film and the other Transformers movies? What did you like about this installment? Do you want there to be more?
Do you consider any of the characters to be role models? What character strengths do they display? Why are teamwork and courage important?