Well, color us stunned that the best preview that we’ve seen so far on this trailer-heavy Tuesday came from Bumblebee, the fucking Transformers prequel that everybody forgot was hitting screens everywhere this Christmas.
To say we didn’t even remotely give a shit about this film is an understatement: It’s taking up schedule space and underwhelming much in the same way that Aquaman is, but that’s what happens when you replace a filmmaker like Michael Bay (who is a great director, but stopped giving a shit about these movies long ago) with someone like Travis Knight, the Laika Entertainment founder and Kubo and the Two Strings director. That, everybody, is worthy of your undivided attention, no matter the giant robot involved.
Take a look at it, and prepare to be unexpectedly moved:
The result is something sweet and sad and, of course, Spielberg-derivative, but there’s a charm and heart in these two minutes that hasn’t been present in these shitty movies since 2007, as well as the voice of Bernie Mac, who is dearly missed around these parts. He acts like a giant robot-dog superhero once again, and it’s almost as if Paramount decided that if Disney wasn’t going to make a Big Hero 6 sequel, they might as well make one in spirit. It also helps a ton that Hailee Steinfeld (The Edge of Seventeen, True Grit) is our human protagonist here, and that somehow John Cena is involved with all of this, which means we’ll be there on opening day. Also, we’re digging the ’87 setting, and Steinfeld’s hair. That’s not really important, but girl’s rocking those bangs.
Here’s a synopsis:
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.
Bumblebee hits theaters everywhere on December 21.
Featured image via Paramount Pictures.