Bumblebee 3D Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		0.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		5.0

Bumblebee 3D Blu-ray Movie Review

Bumblebee is the best Transformers feature-film in the long-running franchise. Bumblebee serves as a prequel and spin-off entry to the original feature-film that launched the Transformers film series. An incredible entry in the series, Bumblebee was produced by Michael Bay (Armageddon, Transformers), Tom DeSanto (X-Men, Transformers), Lorenzo di Bonaventura (Transformers One, Madame Web), and Mark Vahradian (Transformers, Transformers: Age of Extinction). Starring Hailee Steinfeld, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., John Cena, Jason Drucker, Pamela Adlon, Stephen Schneider, and Ricardo Hoyos.

Charlie (Hailee Steinfeld) is determined to get her first car – doing whatever it takes to whip up some money and pay for an old hunk-of- junk vehicle so she can start driving. Charlie is a hip and smart girl with a headstrong belief in her abilities and a do-it-yourself attitude. When Charlie gets a hold of a Beetle car on her birthday (after the local junk yard owner helps her out) she finds the vehicle can transform into Bumblebee. It’s not long before Charie is on an extraordinary adventure – one with surprises in store. Trouble awaits with the Decepticons and it is up to Charlie to be the hero of the story.

Hailee Steinfeld is the star of Bumblebee. Bumblebee is a great showcase for her acting talent. Steinfeld is not only remarkably gorgeous – it’s impossible to take one’s eyes off of her radiant beauty – but she has the natural charisma to carry the role and be a perfect lead. Steinfeld arguably delivers the best performance out of the entire Transformers film series. There is a great sense of comedic timing. Steinfeld is a natural when it comes to comedy and her physical nature makes the film all the more enjoyable. Steinfeld also delivers a strong emotional backbeat to the entire film.

The supporting cast of characters in Bumblebee include Memo (Jorge Lendeborg Jr.), Agent Burns (John Cena), Otis (Jason Drucker), Sally (Pamela Adlon), Ron (Stephen Schneider), and Tripp (Ricardo Hoyos). The supporting characters help to round out the cast. The family dynamics between Charlie and her family members add to the charm of the film. The performances by the supporting cast members certainly help to add to those charms.

The production designs by Sean Haworth (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, Deadpool) are top-notch and deliver a fantastic visual style. Haworth is a great production designer and there is lots to love about the designs. Haworth imbues creativity into the feature in spades – every element of the production. The style recalls the 80s with its impressive visual nods and references.

The costumes by Dayna Pink (Bad Boys for Life, Focus) add to the style of the film in spades. Bumblebee has beautiful costumes. The costume designs work well for the entire cast of characters. There is a lot worth appreciating in the designs.

The cinematography by Enrique Chediak (Transformers: Rise of the Beasts, 28 Weeks Later) is lush and visually stunning. The cinematography shines with breathtaking beauty – the landscapes and outdoor visuals are fantastic. Chediak showcases the natural beauty of the scenery. A gorgeous looking high budget production and one that has impeccable lensing. One of the most beautifully lensed blockbusters.

The score composed by Dario Marianelli (Pride & Prejudice, Anna Karenina) is exceptional. The score is beautiful and serene. The music also works wonders during the action sequences. The action scenes feature incredible score music by Marianelli. Marianelli knows how to balance both aspects of the original score.

Edited by Paul Rubell (The Fate of the Furious, Collateral), Bumblebee is perfectly paced. The editing is fantastic. Rubell provides a fantastic cut of the feature-film. The top-notch editing helps the film be exceptional.

Written by Christina Hodson (Birds of Prey and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn, The Flash), Bumblebee has a perfect script. I do mean perfect – not simply well-written or top-notch – the screenplay is an instant classic as far as blockbuster filmmaking is concerned. The script penned by Hodson is terrific. The dialogue, story, characters, and pace are all exceptional. Hodson did something remarkably special with the film and wrote the best screenplay for any of the films in the Transformers film series.

Directed by Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings), Bumblebee is one of the best blockbuster films of the past few decades. Bumblebee is so heartfelt, entertaining, and fun. The emotional gravitas of the film helps to make it a special blockbuster.

Bumblebee became a favorite from first viewing. Bumblebee is an outstanding film and one that far surpasses any expectations. Knight transitioned from animation to live-action filmmaking seamlessly and has proved himself to be an incredible filmmaker in both film mediums. Bumblebee joins Kubo and the Two Strings as a favorite. There is something remarkably special about Knight as a filmmaker and every film he makes in the future is one to look forward to.

Bumblebee 3D Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on 3D Blu-ray by Turbine, Bumblebee is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 MVC in the theatrical aspect ratio of 1.78:1 widescreen. The 3D presentation is outstanding. There is something quite profound about the 3D experience.

Bumblebee wasn't natively filmed in 3D and is a conversion. However, one could easily wonder if the film was filmed natively in 3D. The 3D depth and visual splendor is that impressive. The filmmaking is beautiful and every scene impresses in 3D.

While the 3D Blu-ray presentation doesn't over-emphasize 3D pop-out effects, the level of depth and detail provided by the 3D conversion team makes it a reference-quality disc. It is a perfect example of how 3D conversion studios can bring out the best quality in the filmmaking and provide an exemplary experience for 3D enthusiasts.

Viewed on my reference-quality OLED65E6P, Bumblebee provides top-notch visual fidelity in 3D. The 3D presentation even exceeds the quality of projection theatrically and the 3D looks even more robust on the OLED65E6P display. There are numerous sequences during Bumblebee where the 3D Blu-ray gave complete body chills and the "wow factor" was enormous on this reference-quality 3D Blu-ray disc.

Bumblebee 3D Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Dolby Atmos. The Dolby Atmos audio features a 24-bit high-resolution Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core. The Atmos sound mix is incredible and enormously immersive. The sound stage is an outstanding aspect of the release. The 3D depth and detail to the Atmos sound mix makes the sound come alive from every direction and with each speaker. The immersive nature of the audio brings a sense of wonder to the audio presentation. LFE isn't as tight as on a DTS track but still sounds quite impressive overall. The score and sound effects are beautifully robust and well implemented into the sound mix.  

Bumblebee 3D Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The 3D Blu-ray release is presented in an attractive clear case. The clear case is reminiscent of Criterion style cases. The packaging looks stunning in hand.

The cover art features reversible artwork. Each side features a different cover art. One side features German-language cover-art and spine text while the art featured on the reverse side provides English-language cover-art (with English titles on the front cover and spine). The English cover art side doesn't have any ratings logos or stickers. The packaging design certainly works well and will look great on the shelf.

There are no supplemental features on the release. Turbine has released a statement about the lack of supplements on the 3D Blu-ray collector series. The 3D Blu-ray releases are designed to provide 3D enthusiasts the best quality 3D video and lossless audio presentation. Fans can purchase separate 4K/Blu-ray combo pack releases to obtain supplemental features for the main feature.

Bumblebee 3D Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Bumblebee is a fantastic 3D experience. Bumblebee is an instant classic and one of the best 3D films ever made. The storytelling is incredible. Hailee Steinfeld is a perfect lead and carries Bumblebee to great heights. Director Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings) is an extraordinary filmmaker.

Bumblebee has received a reference quality 3D Blu-ray disc. The 3D presentation has perfect 3D depth and immersive 3D detail. The Atmos sound mix is incredible and there is great clarity across the entire soundstage. A must-own for enthusiasts. Highly recommended.