Bumblebee (not to be mistaken for the short film Bumblebees)

How do you make a good live-action “Transformers” film? A: make “The Iron Giant” but add many giants and set it in the 80s. Michael Bay’s dehumanizing and desensitizing take on the franchise has robbed it of so much meaning that this prequel slash soft reboot, which dares to give all of its characters some form of meaningful characterization as well as convey its action scenes in a matter that is never confusing to its audience, looks like “The Godfather” Parts One and Two in comparison. Also, Hailee Steinfeld is a better Shia LaBeouf than Shia LaBeouf, don’t @ me.

7