Bumblebee (PG)

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action

A fantasy action film in which a robot takes refuge in a Californian town, where he is befriended by a teenage girl.

The critical consensus

After her Spider-verse voice-work, Steinfeld leads another fresh, breezy franchise reinvention nicely. Knight takes the wheel with affectionate retro-care.

(*) Kevin Harley, Total Film, 09/12/2018

An impassioned ode to both the toys and their era, this, at last, is the Transformers movie we’ve been waiting for.

(*) James Dyer, Empire Online, 09/12/2018

With a new director at the helm, the standard Transformers crassness has been replaced by a sweetness reminiscent of classic Spielberg.

(*) (*) Phil Hoad, The Guardian, 09/12/2018

Tears and thrills for all the family.

(*) Elena Lazic, Little White Lies, 15/12/2018

Bumblebee is a considerable upgrade on the previous films in the Transformers series. That is largely because, for once, it pays as much attention to the human protagonists as to the gigantic Hasbro toys around which the franchise is based.

(*) (*) Geoffrey Macnab, The Independent, 19/12/2018

Surprisingly fun.

(*) (*) Alistair Harkness, The Scotsman, 21/12/2018

Travis Knight's charming Transformers prequel course-corrects a franchise out of fuel.

(*) Kevin Harley, The List, 21/12/2018