Transformers prequel hits theaters
Although most Transformers movies are full of explosions and fake computer generated imagery effects, this two hour prequel, “Bumblebee,” directed by Travis Knight is a good backstory for the Transformers franchise.
In the outskirts of San Francisco in the 1980s, Charlie Watson, an amusement park worker, needs a car to get to work and back home. She is always spending time at her uncle’s junkyard, looking for parts to fix up her dad’s old car. One day she finds a Volkswagen Beetle and asks to take it off her uncle’s hands for her 18th birthday. The car turns out to be a Transformer, Bumblebee, which Watson discovers rather quickly.
Little does Watson know that her new car/friend is being hunted by a pair of evil Decepticons from Cybertron, who have managed to manipulate the U.S. government into helping them track down down Bumblebee. The Decepticons use government satellites and technology to find Bumblee so that he can reveal the location of Optimus Prime, the leader of the Autobots. After Bumblebee accidently transmits a signal while exploring Charlie’s house, the Decepticons come after them and soon Bumblebee, Watson, and her friend Memo are on the run.
While Watson and Memo use a transformed Bumblebee to flee, they run into the Decepticons, who are trying to transmit a signal to their home planet from a communications tower in San Francisco. Bumblebee transforms and fights his way through a military presence and the Decepticons to take down the tower from which the signal was being transmitted. As a result, Optimus Prime’s location remains safe and Watson and Bumblebee go back to living a normal, everyday life.
After two hours of an amusing action filled feature, the audience gains more insight into the history of the Transformers saga. As in the previous Transformers movies, Optimus Prime remains an elusive character, but the relationship between Bumblebee, Watson, and Memo carry the story line and create an enjoyable and lively movie for kids of all ages.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars