After last year's critical flop Suicide Squad, director David Ayer and Will Smith once again team up for what's essentially a modernised retelling of 1988s Alien Nation. Written by Max Landis the film tells the story of an alternate earth where Orcs, Fairies, Elves all co-exist with man, set in a modern day L.A. Will Smith stars as a beat cop Daryl Ward who's forced to work with a rookie Orc cop Nick Jakoby played by Joel Edgerton, the first of his race to be accepted into the police force. Together they stumble into a plot of deceit, murder and betrayal as a mystical wand that can grant wishes and stop a dark lord is fought over by gangsters, fellow officers and Eleves.
On the surface level the film is a fairly entertaining buddy cop film. Will Smith is essentially playing a sweary version of himself, and whilst it's not his most challenging role he still retains his unmistakable level of charm and charisma. Joel Edgerton also does a good job in his role as the inexperienced rookie learning on the job. Again it's nothing out of his wheelhouse but he helps carry the film alongside Will Smith convincingly.
The action and mystical elements are well done in this film. David Ayer also does a great job of building a world where elements such as Orcs and Elves living in L.A could've felt ridiculous. However they were nicely integrated into the story. David Ayer's dilapidated urban grimy visual motifs also help to sell the world the characters live in.
Where my main issue comes into play is in the films subtext and dialogue. I get that this wants to send a deep message of racism, inclusion, poverty etc, but at times it was so on the nose and forced it felt rather clumsy. Where-as a film like Alien Nation shows you injustice and bigotry visually, this film has the characters stop and tell each other every few minutes which at times had me rolling my eyes with cringe.
Other then that issue, and a slightly overlong runtime Bright is a solid buddy cop film with an added twist of fantasy, that manages to tick all the boxes it needed too. Whilst it might not be the most original or intelligent film, the backlash against it from the critics has been rather harsh. Bright is a film worth watching especially if you have Netflix.
On the surface level the film is a fairly entertaining buddy cop film. Will Smith is essentially playing a sweary version of himself, and whilst it's not his most challenging role he still retains his unmistakable level of charm and charisma. Joel Edgerton also does a good job in his role as the inexperienced rookie learning on the job. Again it's nothing out of his wheelhouse but he helps carry the film alongside Will Smith convincingly.
The action and mystical elements are well done in this film. David Ayer also does a great job of building a world where elements such as Orcs and Elves living in L.A could've felt ridiculous. However they were nicely integrated into the story. David Ayer's dilapidated urban grimy visual motifs also help to sell the world the characters live in.
Where my main issue comes into play is in the films subtext and dialogue. I get that this wants to send a deep message of racism, inclusion, poverty etc, but at times it was so on the nose and forced it felt rather clumsy. Where-as a film like Alien Nation shows you injustice and bigotry visually, this film has the characters stop and tell each other every few minutes which at times had me rolling my eyes with cringe.
Other then that issue, and a slightly overlong runtime Bright is a solid buddy cop film with an added twist of fantasy, that manages to tick all the boxes it needed too. Whilst it might not be the most original or intelligent film, the backlash against it from the critics has been rather harsh. Bright is a film worth watching especially if you have Netflix.