BRIGHT (2017)

Directed By: David Ayer 
Written By: Max Landis 
Cinematography By: Roman Vasyanov 
Editor: Aaron Brock, Geoffrey O’Brien & Michael Tronick 


Cast: Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Noomi Rapace, Lucy Fry, Edgar Ramirez, Jay Hernandez, Brad William Henke, Margaret Cho, Ike Barinholtz, Veronica Ngo, Dawn Olivieri, Kenneth Choi 


Set in a world where fantasy creatures live side by side with humans. A human cop is forced to work with an Orc to find a weapon everyone is prepared to kill for.

There seems to be an unspoken racial element going on throughout the film even though they make some blatant obvious comments on race. Even though it is more ham fisted and sloppy, but makes sense to take place in a diverse city such as Los Angeles. As the film deals with classism and racism.

The film feels more like an addition to David Ayer’s former movies that he started off making and writing such as TRAINING DAY, HARSH TIMES and especially END OF WATCH.

Where as this film feels like the ending of END OF WATCH stretched out for an hour. So that the film feels like a modern odyssey where the characters are going across a lawless terrain to survive that feels like a western. As the film takes place In the hood and has gang bangers it seems as the posse looking to round up tow cops who are in the run with the treasure they seek. While eleven are in the hunt for this treasure. Here it is a wand.

It matches the high concept screenplays that screenwriter Max Landis usually writes. Which can only take place in cinematic universes of high budgets. That are big on ideas and entertainment by trying to look at the familiar in a different or new way. That usually seems to get lost in itself and it’s worse elements.

The film truly tests your appreciation for Will Smith as a performer. As here he is more hardcore, but still has the same charisma he always had, but seems to play someone more recognizable then usual. More a tough downer who stands for something. Who learns to come over his own Prejudices. He gives a fun performance and more jaded the. Usual but is in full action mode. Not as funny but curses a lot more.

Joel Edgerton is good in his role as his orc partner giving he character a humanity even while under a bunch of special effects make up. To create a familiar character who is innocent but also seems to be the most decent character.

The film also plays like a more action oriented ALIEN NATION. It’s not the worst film I have seen it’s just so formulaic and familiar that you find yourself rolling your eyes half the time. As you know what most likely Will happen. As we go on this journey with the characters. Though it is a bit more smarmy.

As with most sci-fi the film deals with racism and prejudice but here it seems more species prejudice as racism is never quite brought up and the film seems to go out of it's way to give the film a racially diverse cast to show this. As well as have Mr. Smith in an interracial marriage.

The films budget is $90 million even though it doesn’t look like it should cost that much as you constantly Wonder where the money went other than smith’s fee. As there are plenty of special effects and action sequences, but the locations look more simple and like sets.

The film is high concept as it tries to seem to cash in on video game culture which uses basic storytelling elements at it’s core and just makes them more physical or if in This current fantasy override of films they manager to combine those elements with a cops on the run story where partners learn to bond and trust each other through survival as they constantly save and depend on one another.

I don’t know if the running time is so long because it wants to feel like an epic fitting the fantasy characters.

The film has a similar dark feel of SUICIDE SQUAD, but feels more original and fun to a degree. It’s not as much as a mess as the former. Though it feels just as silly.

The film involves more of a simpler conspiracy and not so much a political multi-tiered one. The problem is that they do it in such a condescending tone.

I didn’t dislike this film as much as so many other who have been quite vocal. It’s not the worst I have seen. It just seems very basic and of you have seen the trailer you know what you are going to get. I wouldn’t recommend it and if released in theater I could understand the hate. But considering it is released by Netflix. It doesn’t feel as horrible or as quick a cash grab.


Grade: C-