Bumblebee

So I thought that "Herbie" had it tough! Well his traumas look like tea with the Queen compared to poor old "Bumblebee"! He actually starts off life with the much less friendly moniker of "B-127" when he is sent to Earth to set things up amidst what looks like the end of the war between the his "Autobots" and the "Decepticons" on their home planet of "Cybertron". He lands slap bang in the middle of some top secret American military testing that handily looks at all things extra-terrestrial and that's when we encounter the menacing "Burns" (John Cena) who deduces that our yellow Meccano is not natural and that it must be hunted down and captured or destroyed. As if that we're not enough, "Blitzwing" is also on the planet and they have a duel that renders our yellow hero unable to speak and forced to turn into his more recognisable motor car shape while he repairs the damage from that combat and awaits his pals. "Charlie" (Hailee Steinfeld) discovers it hiding in a scrapyard and by touching things she shouldn't, activates all sorts of beacons and gadgets that breaks his cover and summons friend and foe alike for the usual slew of "Transformer" tear 'em limb from limb escapades. There's quite a bit of fun from the dialogue and the visual effects are enjoyable too as we follow a well trammelled path of formulaic storytelling, tempered with a little human bonding, and some mediocre acting. They've tried to give "Bumblebee" some personable characteristics - think of a less cowardly "C-3PO", but as an action adventure it's all just a bit long and predictable. The denouement is quite action-packed, though, and I think it's at the better end of this franchise so just about worth two hours.

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