IndieWire by Liz Shannon Miller

What Bumblebee does best is remember that this is a franchise for the young, and embrace that fact without any shame while also still delivering on the action. There’s no self-importance, no grafting of ultra-patriotism and too-dense mythology onto what should be a simple narrative.

Entertainment Weekly by Leah Greenblatt

John Cena is top billed, and though his brick-jawed military man doesn’t actually get many scenes, he does get a disproportionate share of the script’s best lines. He gives good muscle, but Bumblebee brings something even more important — and actually transforming — to the series: a sense of humor, and a heart.

TheWrap by William Bibbiani

Bumblebee is, again and easily, the best “Transformers” movie. Heck, it’s probably the only genuinely good “Transformers” movie, with nary a caveat to be found. But it’s also a lively and earnest 1980s nostalgia trip, made with affection for the era and its characters and its soundtracks and its storytelling styles and, yes, even its toys.

Total Film by Kevin Harley

Despite the odd awkward tonal gear shift, Knight’s origin story makes refreshingly light work of its uphill climb, fuelled by wit and warmth. And – crucially – with better songs on the retro-tape deck.

Uproxx by Mike Ryan

Bumblebee is a total delight.

The Telegraph by Robbie Collin

As a toy-advert movie full of artistry and heart, it’s as slyly progressive as it is shamelessly nostalgic.

Empire by James Dyer

An impassioned ode to both the toys and their era, this, at last, is the Transformers movie we’ve been waiting for.

The New York Times by Glenn Kenny

There’s a lot to like here, particularly Steinfeld’s performance.

The Verge by Bryan Bishop

It isn’t a flawless movie, and it nearly descends into self-parody at times, but after a decade of Bay’s rock-’em sock-’em battles, Bumblebee nevertheless comes across like a mini-revelation: Transformers movies don’t need to be terrible.

Paste Magazine by Oktay Ege Kozak

It’s hard enough to have a fully CG character as your co-star, and it’s even tougher when an actor is tasked with creating a deep emotional bond with something she can’t even see during production. Steinfeld is up to the challenge, making us believe in Bumblebee’s existence almost as much as the animators who worked on bringing him to life.

Screen Daily by Tim Grierson

Director Travis Knight does his best to balance clattering spectacle with a modest girl-and-her-robot tale. He’s assisted mightily by Hailee Steinfeld, who infuses this uneven action film with significant soul.

The Hollywood Reporter by Justin Lowe

The selection of Oscar-nominated animated feature film director Travis Knight (Kubo and the Two Strings) to helm the prequel turns out to be spot-on, as he exhibits an instinctual sense for the film’s requisite action quotient while attentively crafting the central characters’ emotional arcs.

Los Angeles Times by Justin Chang

The ending packs a lovely surprise, not because you don’t see it coming, but because for once you’re not simply grateful that it’s arrived.

IGN by Jim Vejvoda

The Transformers franchise gets a much needed tuneup in Bumblebee.