"This is why you are here, Bee."
Trailer Review 015 & Movie Preview 027
Bumblebee
PARAMOUNT
[December 21st, 2018]
Trailer(s) Effectiveness = 80% for effectively introducing the start of the relationship between Charlie and Bumblebee and the looming threats.
After the solid first outing, Michael Bay started to go down a specific direction of action over narrative and he falsely viewed the rising box office earnings from film to film as an indication of audiences actually prefer this particular approach, he kept going down the same well over and over again until he diluted the franchise down into typical CGI visual-fest-turned-mess with convoluted storylines that kept getting worse. This began to sour the fan's opinions on the IP that we saw an ongoing decline on the bottom line throughout the times the last two Transformers films had spent in the cinemas. Finally getting aware of the negative feedfack, the studio was forced to readjust their approach in handling the IP and actually stepped back and get back to basic of the very first entry, focusing instead on the humane relationship between the Transformer and a human friend and how their interactions affect the world around them. That is the basic throughline in the bond between Sam Witwicky and Optimus Prime and it seems it would be the main backbone of Hailee Steinfeld's character, Charlie Watson's and Bumblebee's relationship for this first spin-off. It is definitely much more grounded comparatively to the Last Knight, reminisces to that first introduction into this universe, while we see how she would be affected with this new old car-slash-robotic alien in her life. That scene where she found out his true identity was beautiful and perfect in and of itself, with her being brave and understanding of the Transformer hiding from her while Bumblebee starts to open up and being vulnerable to a breathing human being by placing his face in her arm! This is actually a prequel whereby we see the gentle yellow giant before the events of Michael Bay's creations in the 80's and we might actually see how the events taking place in this film would be build upon to create the mute sidekick we knew in the 2007 feature. With the invading government army and the apparent appearance by the classic Starscream, this project looks to be set in the right direction. Albeit the first live action debut by the director, his past experience making LAIKA films that are filled with familial values and friendship would be hugely beneficial in his first venture here!
Chance of Success =
85% with a more grounded adventure in an established Transformers universe.
a case for the monotonous repetitious franchise:
+ Highlights +
massive hits worldwide reintroducing the franchise into the modern pop culture lexicon.
? Main contention ?
the overemphasization of action over story has a lot of cons over pros in this limited approach.
- Lowlights -
the director isn't learning any lesson from the downturn in the box office earnings, sticking to his guns movie after movie to the eventual detriment of the franchise.
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a case for this grounded, peppy spin-off:
+ Highlights +
a talented up-and-coming lead leading a grounded romp in an established sci-fi universe.
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smartly going with a more simplified design of the Transformers, finally being able to decipher what they are from a single glance.
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appreciate the tribute to the late Bernie Mac with his voiceover in the first scene.
? Main contention ?
I am certain the relationship between the girl and the lone Autobot would be believable just from that one scene in the trailer but whether it would retain for the whole film is still up in the air.
- Lowlights -
don't compare this with the Shape of Water, this is more of a friendship rather than love.
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- Synopsis -
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie, on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken.
Cast
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie, on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken.
Cast
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