Bumblebee did what Michael Bay never could do: make a decent movie. Bumblebee is a decent film on its own merits, but in comparison to the previous CGI metal-fest garbage, it’s great. Instead of massive planetary wars, it focuses on a grounded, focused narrative in 1987 where Bumblebee is amnesiac and befriends an antisocial teenager (Hailee Steinfeld).

Steinfeld carries the film and is largely responsible for why the movie works. Her character is never exploited sexually, never used as a butt of a joke, and is genuinely relatable. John Cena is good as the jaded Agent Burns, and Angela Bassett and Justin Theroux do well as the deliciously vile villains Dropkick and Shatter.

The CGI is crisper and better than the previous movies. They clearly take the appearance of the G1 Transformers and it works.

It isn’t to say, of course, that it’s perfect: the love interest seems to be shoehorned in, and the third act starts to devolve into generic blockbuster territory. However, largely thanks to the star power of Steinfeld, the direction of Travis Knight, and an actual attempt at the storyline, Bumblebee succeeds where the other Transformers haven’t; in having a good time.

7.3/10