Bumblebee (2018)
84%RT Audience Score: 74%
Awards & Nominations: 2 wins & 13 nominations
Bumblebee proves it’s possible to bring fun and a sense of wonder back to a bloated blockbuster franchise — and sets up its own slate of sequels in the bargain
Bumblebee is the Transformers movie we all deserved, and I’m not just saying that because I have a soft spot for yellow cars. It’s got heart, humor, and a killer soundtrack that will have you feeling like you’re back in the 80s. Plus, who doesn’t love a good underdog story? Bumblebee may be small, but he’s mighty, and watching him kick some Decepticon butt is pure cinematic joy. So grab some popcorn, buckle up, and get ready for a wild ride.
Production Company(ies)
Screen Gems Jerry Bruckheimer Films, L Star Capital
Distributor
Paramount Pictures
Release Type
Streaming, Theatrical, Theatrical (Wide)
Filming Location(s)
Santa Cruz, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated PG-13 for sequences of sci-fi action violence
Year of Release
2018
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Surround 7.1 IMAX 6-Track Dolby Atmos Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 54m
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Language(s):English
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Dec 21, 2018 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Apr 2, 2019
Genre(s)
Action/Adventure
Keyword(s)
starring Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Jorge Lendeborg, John Ortiz, Jason Drucker, Pamela Adlon, directed by Travis Knight, written by Christina Hodson, PG-13, action, adventure, Transformers, box office, budget, reviewed by Ben Sachs, Tim Cogshell, Stephen Romei, Richard Brody, Simran Hans, Anton Bitel, Cory Woodroof, Nicholas Oon, Rick Marshall, Collier Jennings, Olly Richards, Alex Bentley, Hailee Steinfeld as Charlie, John Cena as Agent Burns, Jorge Lendeborg as Memo, John Ortiz as Dr Powell, Jason Drucker as Otis, Pamela Adlon as Sally, produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian, Dolby Atmos, Dolby Digital, DTS, Flat (1.85:1), on the run, 1987, Autobot, refuge, junkyard, California beach town, battle-scarred, broken, yellow Volkswagen, Charlie, turning 18, finding her place in the world, Decepticon soldiers, US military, undercover, soundtrack, heart, charm, adventure, bad guys, likable young leading lady, good sense of humor, Transformers franchise, prequel, 1980s nostalgia, boy and his first car, girl, simple, satisfying, best live-action Transformers movie ever made, low bar, clear and absolute winner, highly enjoyable, exciting adventure, kids, bad guys, usual Transformers territory, great moments, classics, been there, done that moments
Worldwide gross: $467,989,645
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $550,717,933
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 260
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 60,056,481
US/Canada gross: $127,195,589
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $149,680,431
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 515
US/Canada opening weekend: $21,654,047
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $25,481,914
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 537
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $135,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $158,864,457
Production budget ranking: 198
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $85,548,510
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $306,304,965
ROI to date (est.): 125%
ROI ranking: 840
John Cena – Agent Burns
Jorge Lendeborg – Memo
John Ortiz – Dr. Powell
Jason Drucker – Otis
Pamela Adlon – Sally
Director – Travis Knight
Producers – Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian
Writer – Christina Hodson
Director(s)
Travis Knight
Writer(s)
Christina Hodson
Producer(s)
Lorenzo di Bonaventura, Tom DeSanto, Don Murphy, Michael Bay, Mark Vahradian
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
2 wins & 13 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (252) | Top Critics (54) | Fresh (228) | Rotten (24)
The film presents late-80s America so fetishistically that it feels at times like a follow-up to Bennett Miller’s Foxcatcher (2014), and its recycling of 80s teen-movie cliches are also weirdly reverential.
February 21, 2020
Ben Sachs
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Energetic and a whole lot of fun.
September 13, 2019
Tim Cogshell
FilmWeek (KPCC – NPR Los Angeles)
TOP CRITIC
Bumblebee is the sort of Transformers movie I want to watch. It surprised me in a decidedly non-automated way.
January 2, 2019 | Rating: 3.5/5
Stephen Romei
The Australian
TOP CRITIC
Where the Bay “Transformers” movies alternated between ecstasy and dullness, “Bumblebee” is consistently middling.
December 31, 2018
Richard Brody
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Though the references are familiar, it’s a fresh direction for the macho franchise.
December 29, 2018 | Rating: 4/5
Simran Hans
Observer (UK)
TOP CRITIC
At times very funny, Bumblebee is still at heart a big ol’ B-movie, but less bumbling and bombastic than its post-dated predecessors.
December 27, 2018
Anton Bitel
Sight & Sound
TOP CRITIC
Well always have Transformers movies as long as they keep making money and selling merchandise, so they might as well feature the Bee’s kinder, more invigorating zeal.
February 10, 2022 | Rating: B
Cory Woodroof
The Playlist
They needed to make it a safe, solid movie in order to revitalize the franchise, get people believing in the Transformers again, and I think to a large extent, they did do that.
August 17, 2021 | Rating: 6.5/10
Nicholas Oon
Maximum Hype (YouTube)
Bumblebee offers ample evidence that change can be a very good thing for a movie franchise, and there are still plenty of great stories to tell in the Transformers universe.
July 13, 2021
Rick Marshall
Digital Trends
Succeeds due to a talented director who loves the source material, a well-rounded cast, and an abundance of heart.
June 24, 2021 | Rating: 10
Collier Jennings
But Why Tho? A Geek Community
…finally, a Transformers movie that’s fun to watch.
April 29, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Olly Richards
NME
Bumblebee may very well represent a vast improvement in quality for the Transformers series. But that means the previous five films must be even worse than you think, as Bumblebee is pretty dang awful.
April 9, 2021
Alex Bentley
CultureMap…
Plot
On Cybertron, the Autobots, led by Optimus Prime, are on the verge of losing the Great Cybertronian War to their enemies, the Decepticons, had begin making preparations to leave the planet. The Decepticons led by Shockwave, Soundwave and Starscream ambush them during the evacuation, and Optimus sends a young scout, B-127, to Earth in order to set up a base of operations where the Autobots can regroup. B-127 reaches Earth alone in 1987, crash-landing in California and disrupting a training exercise being conducted by Sector 7, a secret government agency that monitors extraterrestrial activity on Earth. Sector 7 agent Colonel Jack Burns presumes B-127 to be a hostile invader and attacks, driving B-127 into the forest, where he is then ambushed by the Decepticon Blitzwing. When B-127 refuses to reveal Optimus’ whereabouts, Blitzwing spitefully tears out his voice-box and damages his memory core. B-127 manages to destroy Blitzwing before collapsing from his wounds. Before entering stasis, B-127 scans and transforms into a yellow 1967 Volkswagen Beetle.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Bumblebee.
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