Watching this thriller after the tragic, far too early, passing of Chadwick Boseman, inevitably colors the viewer's experience. It is hard to miss how skinny and almost frail he seems during his private battle with cancer. "21 Bridges" is a smart, bullet opera that brazenly uses some of the highly predictable ploys of this more than a bit-tired genre, and deftly rises above the yawn inducing, repetitious cliches. A movie doesn't always have to be a masterpiece to make an impression, quite the opposite. In a trite tidal wave of predictability, a spark of creativity goes a long way. One would suppose that would make the job easier, but sadly it often doesn't. It is nice to be pleasantly surprised.
Review of 21 Bridges
