Runtime: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: R (for horror, violence/bloody images, and language)
Who should see it? Adult fans of horror and superhero movies intrigued by the notion of seeing an evil Superman.
Produced by James Gunn (who's best known for writing and directing the Guardians of the Galaxy installments), Brightburn was written by Gunn's brother Brian and cousin Mark as a twisted take on the Superman archetype. The feature's directed by frequent Gunn collaborator David Yarovesky and realized as a super-villain slasher. Imagine if Clark Kent were an entitled brat and stalker with psychopathic tendencies growing up. That's the basic premise of Brightburn. If the idea of an evil Superman intrigues you, you'll probably appreciate what Yarovesky and the Gunns have to offer since they push the concept to its limits through the lens of an R-rated hyper-violent slasher flick.
In terms of sheer gore, the filmmakers fulfill the promise of their grim concept, and audiences should prepare themselves for a gruesome and bloody affair because this super-being hardly has an ounce of self-control. Yarovesky builds tension on the inevitability that Brandon Breyer will unleash his power against anyone opposing him. Once you see what he can do and his lack of restraint upon pre-emptively eliminating his "enemies," Brandon becomes an intimidating onscreen presence and the source of many scares. There's a menacing quality to Brandon's cold stares, and an awareness of his abilities only amplifies that sinister demeanor. On that level, the film is quite effective.
However, you can't help but notice something is missing beneath the surface. Brandon's motivation for lashing out is overly-simplified, and his perspective is minimized, so there's little-to-no conflict whenever he decides to misbehave. The pieces are there to present his quest as a personal vendetta against a world that has wronged him and cast him aside, but that groundwork is ignored in favor of a far less compelling plot device. Otherwise, it's a by-the-books cinematic slasher story, complete with unflinching, constant brutality and some trivial jump-scares to boot.
The Breyer family dynamic provides an emotional core, but Yarovesky hardly has the time to explore that in the ninety minutes allotted. As the Breyer family, Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, and Jackson A. Dunn lend their talents towards elevating a surface-level script and realizing a complicated onscreen dynamic. Banks and Denman convincingly characterize Tori and Kyle Breyer as unsure parents struggling to grasp with the revelation their son's a monster while Dunn bestows said monster with an uncaring attitude and chilling menace. An adequate anti-hero.
Don't be deceived by Brightburn's title. It's a bleak, bloody affair and the most twisted take on Man Of Steel imaginable.
0 Yorumlar