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Bumblebee receives praise in first reviews

Photo credit: Paramount
Photo credit: Paramount

From Digital Spy

Bumblebee – the upcoming Transformers spin-off/prequel from director Travis Knight, and the first to not be directed by Michael Bay – is receiving overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics.

It's been described as "amazing", "fantastic" and "easily the best Transformers film", which is a bit like saying stubbing your toe is marginally less painful than a migraine, but nevertheless, people still think it's brilliant.

Here's a round-up of the early reviews.

The Guardian

"In a better, truer cinematic universe, Travis Knight would have been in charge of the Transformers franchise all along. For this prequel/spin-off, the sixth in the series, the director gets under the hood of Michael Bay’s pumped-up blockbuster machine, and strips it down to something succinct, fun and sweet-toned."

IGN

"After years of cinematic scrap heaps, Bumblebee redeems and reinvigorates the Transformers live-action film franchise with some heartfelt fun. It might not be a great movie or a radical reimagination of the familiar concept, but this ‘80s-set prequel does strip away all the clutter and bloat that had piled onto the series over the last decade and refocuses on the bond between young human and ‘bot that it all began with back in 2007."

Photo credit: Paramount
Photo credit: Paramount

Empire

"It’s not from Bay but rather the movie’s other big-name producer that Knight has drawn inspiration. Steven Spielberg’s DNA feels baked into Bumblebee, resulting in an ’80s movie not just in setting and aesthetic but also sensibility - a high-octane concept Transformed into an Amblin love letter. Knight has served up a gleeful romp with wit, warmth and a whole lot of heart. It’s taken six movies to get here, but we finally have a Transformers film that’s more than meets the eye."

Variety

"With his background in animation, Knight approaches the robot characters differently than Bay did, treating them as more than just flashy visual effects. He slows down the transformation scenes, so audiences can admire - or imagine that they are actually seeing - how they fold and twist from one shape to another, though it’s still all CG sleight-of-hand."

Bumblebee will be released on December 21 in the US and on December 26 in the UK.


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