Live action · 2018

Bumblebee

California, 1987: a teenage girl finds an unusual friend inside an old car.

IMDb ★ 6.7/10Archive score 8/10

IMDb rating as of November 2026; see the link for the current value.

Facts

Year
2018
Type
Live action
Director
Travis Knight
Composer
Dario Marianelli
Studio
Paramount

Plot

Main event: The friendship between a girl and an Autobot who lost his voice.

It is 1987. The scout B-127 flees war-torn Cybertron for Earth to prepare a hideout for the Autobots. A fight with a Decepticon costs him his voice and his memory, and he hides as an old yellow Beetle. He is found by 18-year-old Charlie Watson, who names him Bumblebee. Two Decepticons, Shatter and Dropkick, hunt them with the help of the military. Together Charlie and Bumblebee save the Earth — and each other.

Archive review

What works

  • A warm, intimate story of friendship between Charlie and Bumblebee.
  • Robot designs inspired by classic G1, recognisable and readable in fights.
  • The atmosphere of 1987 and a great soundtrack of '80s hits.

What doesn't

  • The Decepticon villains are fairly simple.
  • The plot is predictable if you've seen many 'friendship with an alien' films.

Who should watch: For the whole family and for anyone tired of long, chaotic blockbusters.

Verdict — 8/10. The reboot that gave the series its heart back. One of the best Transformers films.

This is the Archive editorial opinion, not audience reviews.

SoundtrackBumblebee — Motion Picture Score — Dario Marianelli →