In between all of the Marvel IP, Disney juggernauts, and every other major studio release, it can feel like a pleasantry to see a smaller action-thriller come out given we don’t see a lot of those anymore, or at least good ones. 21 Bridges was a project that seemed like one of those pleasantries, given the involvement of Marvel veterans Joe and Anthony Russo as producers as well as the leading star power of Chadwick Boseman, off the heels of his renowned role as the Black Panther.
Unfortunately, 21 Bridges falls short of delivering what would be considered “thrilling” or even “entertaining” for that matter. Chadwick Boseman does the best he can with what he’s given, and so does the rest of the cast. But nothing about the story feels new or even worthwhile given how bland, wooden, and bare-bones straightforward it winds up being. You get a sense this would’ve made for a pretty decent run-of-the-mill police procedural series that would air right after “CSI: Miami” or something of the like on cable television. But as a feature-length cop-thriller, 21 Bridges fails to spark any sort of thrill or excitement that could come out of a story littered with bland characterization and twists you can see coming miles ahead.
Andre Davis (Chadwick Boseman) is an NYPD detective with a rather violent reputation given his “trigger-happy” tendencies, which gets him involved with Internal Affairs regularly. His tendencies motivate him to solve and crack the case of 8 murdered police officers, which forces him to close off Manhattan to prevent the perpetrators from escaping. Working with Narcotics detective Frankie (Sienna Miller), Davis must work to find the criminals before the island reopens and they can escape. At the same time, the perpetrators, Ray (Taylor Kitsch) and Michael (Stephan James), must make their way through the seedy underbelly of Manhattan if they are to survive the night against the entire police force of Manhattan.
Chadwick Boseman is more than capable of leading his own project, as we have seen even outside of the MCU. But here, while Boseman maintains that commanding presence and charisma, nothing superficial comes about from his character. We are told so many things about him, such as his habit of shooting cop-killers, as well as him being “the right man for the job.” They key word here is “told,” because towards the beginning of the film, we see Internal Affairs spell out how he’s a ‘badass” who shoots first and asks questions later.
But we never get to see him as anything other than a responsible, well-mannered, and morally incorruptible detective who refuses to shoot at the perpetrators. It wouldn’t even be entirely inaccurate to say he’s the central moral compass of the entire police force. Even though Boseman nonetheless commands the screen and is commendable for his performance, his character lacks any of the fire that would’ve helped the story shine brighter as a thriller.
The rest of the cast are sadly wasted, from J.K. Simmons’ old, gruffy detective to Sienna Miller’s paper-thin personality. The only ones to really show commitment to the story at hand are, oddly enough, the criminals themselves, Kitsch and James. While our story is meant to center around Boseman’s “trigger-happy” detective, the real magic originates from the harrowing survival story of our cop killers as they attempt to escape the confides of Manhattan to escape incarceration and death. Kitsch and James give it their all, balancing the desperation they’re enduring throughout with their conviction for the survival of one another. Even the journey they undertake introduces a multitude of interesting world-building aspects of the gritty criminal underworld of Manhattan. Everything about their struggles and fight for survival brings the kind of dark drama and frenetic energy this movie desperately needs.
As far as the story they must endure for 100 minutes, it feels more like an hour-long special premiere for your by-the-books procedural, like the ones that would air on the same channel as “CSI: Miami.” The structure lacks distinction, not just in context with other cop-thrillers, but within itself as well. Typically, some, if not most, movies will have moments that’ll stand out, moments that pop for the audience, good or bad. These are moments that most audiences will remember and thus associate with the movie. Here, however, there’s nothing unique. All the scenes have the same coating of paint and hide amongst themselves. It makes the film totally forgettable and impossible to identify each scene as distinguishable.
The only scene that tends to stand out at least for me is the final chase sequence between one of the perpetrators and Boseman. It was the only moment that had energy and levity as well as genuine stakes and tension. The rest of the film, unfortunately, falls flat on its face with its blandness and pale, one-dimensional atmosphere.
It also doesn’t help that the story also attempts to add tension and life by incorporating a couple twists and turns towards the end. But the problem isn’t simply how predictable its twists are. It’s how it keeps reminding us over and over again how predictable they are. Whether it’s a character’s decision or a piece of dialogue, the film seems intent on experimenting with the “rewind and look for clues” format of storytelling when it comes to a twist of some kind. But you don’t simply find those clues or hints on your first viewing of the movie. The film repeatedly spells out the twists for you with every choice a character makes and every dialogue uttered.
21 Bridges wasn’t a complete waste, but it’s evident that there were a lot of missed opportunities with the story and characters. Boseman does everything he can and the perpetrators bring a lot of depth and emotion, especially towards the final act, but none of it is enough to overcome the story’s indistinguishable identity and wooden characterizations. If you want a simple, straightforward cop caper, then knock yourself out. Just be aware that there’s not much else to the movie, and that there’s probably a few better options to spend you time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaZoSTG10lw&t=1s&w=585