Tuesday, January 22, 2019

Bumblebee

At the transformative heart of Travis Knight's Bumblebee rests polarized misperception glacially endowed.

Cybertron is lost and the Autobots have fled, B-127 (Bumblebee [Dylan O'Brien]) tasked with finding them sanctuary, wherefrom they can regroup and plan, whereupon they'll be cloaked and hidden.

But the Decepticons have followed, three in fact, eventually, one at first, and if they're able to report their findings, his mission will end in failure.

He has landed upon Earth during its most exceptional decade, even if he's greeted none too kindly, even if he then forgets all.

The internet has yet to revolutionize everything planet wide, however, Cypertron correspondingly suffering from a lack of technological advancement, for even though the Decepticons know he is hiding on Earth, they cannot easily transmit this discovery.

As if Cypbertron and Earth are unconsciously linked through intergalactic evolution, and what happens on one planet contemporaneously takes place on the other, technologically speaking, even if humanity does not explore space.

Bumblebee is found by a defiant young adult (Hailee Steinfeld as Charlie) who is dismissive of her stepfather (Stephen Schneider as Ron) and seeks her own car.

Little does she know that her unassuming angst-ridden pursuits have opened a gateway to starstruck conflict, and that her newfound friend and confidant is sought after by mature disaffection.

The concern of her parents is augmented by the military's presence, everyone eventually rallying to her side, in tune with the spirit of the times.

Although the romantic dreamer within (John Ortiz as Dr. Powell) is depicted as a do-gooding lump, tough-as-nails Agent Burns (John Cena) standing out in sharp contrast, yet as the plot unravels the dialectic pretensions of the Transformers cause both individuals to reconsider, Powell realizing he should never have trusted Shatter (Angela Bassett) and Dropkick (Justin Theroux), Burns accepting he was mistaken about Bumblebee.

Charlie also learns she was wrong to malign her stepfather's goodwill, for even though he promotes compassion, he can still drive like Satan himself.

Functioning like a stern loving synthesis of sorts.

Thus, within this humble Bumblebee we find rudimentary political philosophy reduced to democratic elements, as predetermined judgment is actively critiqued by withdrawn yet impacting middle-ground motivations.

Perhaps not the best transformers film, but that doesn't mean the music and legend of a long past fabled epoch can't still ensure good times, or at least make up for the film's overstated grumblings.

Too much of the, "let's shoot before asking questions and make the guy who asks questions look like a fool" though.

Possibly the best soundtrack ever.

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