It’s been 11 years since we see the first live-action Transformers movie. Now, the franchise has seen five movies. With Bumblebee, the Transformers franchise sees its sixth instalment in the series, but make no mistake, Bumblebee is anything but like its predecessors.
Starring Hailee Steinfeld, John Cena, Angela Bassett (doing voiceover), Justin Theroux (doing voiceover) and Peter Cullen (voice of Optimus Prime), Bumblebee hurtles us back to the 1980s. Here’s a look at how it differs from other Transformers movies.
Not a Sequel
Unlike the previous movies, Bumblebee is a prequel, not a sequel. The movie brings us to 1987, and in case we forget which year it was, no worries. The soundtrack will remind us. Serving up songs from Steve Winwood, The Smiths and Simple Minds, and with a heavy reference to the 1985 classic Breakfast Club, there’s plenty to keep us rooted in the 80s. The movie centres on Bumblebee’s time on earth after Optimus Prime sent him here. He met an 18-year old girl who forms a fast bond with him, and joins him in his fight against the Decepticons.
Homage to the Classic Transformers
There’s a significance to the year 1987. The decade was when the Transformers saga was born and the year was when the original series ended. Apart from that, there are also other tributes to the original series. The design of Bumblebee and the rest of the Transformers is also a throwback to the original Transformers series, unlike those in the sequels, with their parts showing. Oh, and listen out for The Touch by Stan Bush, the theme song for The Transformers: The Movie back in 1986.
Bumblebee Speaks!
In all the Transformers movies we’ve seen, Bumblebee doesn’t speak. Instead, he uses his radio to communicate. But expect to see a talking Bumblebee at the beginning of the movie, and find out how he lost his ability to speak. Dylan O’Brien from The Maze Runner and Teen Wolf fame voices Bumblebee’s voice. Like the title suggests, the movie is a Bumblebee origin story, you’ll even find out how he got his name. His name back in Cybertron was just B127.
No Transformers Galore
If you’re looking for multiple fights between teams of Autobots and Decepticons, there aren’t any. That’s not to say there are no epic fights. Right at the movie’s intro, there’s a war going on in Cybertron and there’s plenty to keep fanboys entertained. Besides that, there’re also a few fight scenes between the two Transformers factions that will keep you at the edge of your seat.
Where’s Michael Bay?
You won’t find a sliver of Bay’s signature moves in this one. That’s because the movie is directed by Travis Knight instead of Bay. Knight is the same guy who brought us Kubo and the Two Strings and Coraline. In fact, this is his live-action movie debut. Bay serves as the film’s producer, while Steven Spielberg takes on an executive producer role.
