Netflix Cinema: Bright
In the “Netflix Cinema” series, Logan Sowash takes a look at the films that have been released under the Netflix Original Films moniker.
This has been one hell of a year for Netflix. They have constantly been releasing quality content month after month, doing a great job of staying relevant in the public eye. However, the most admirable thing about Netflix’s plan this year is the bold move to take on something they’ve never had a grip on: Hollywood blockbusters. This is supposed to be Netflix’s attempt to jump into creating films with big budgets, producing content that could compete with theatrical releases without having to deal with ratings, rely on box office reports, or worry about having enough money to put the film in enough theaters. The streaming service is always growing and with Hollywood studios feeling threatened by their growth and methods, it makes sense.
However, what Netflix has decided to be their tentpole blockbusters for the year is...odd to say the least. Those include two previously-released films: “War Machine” starring Brad Pitt ($60 million dollar budget) and Adam Wingard’s American adaptation of “Death Note” ($40 million dollar budget). “War Machine” had some good moments but was overall a tonal mess with pacing issues, and “Death Note” was an adaptation that was goofy fun but also a jarring change from the source material. This leads me to the 90 million-dollar, fantasy crime film that is supposed to cap off Netflix’s year of blockbusters: David Ayer’s “Bright.” It’s a film that has been heavily advertised for about a year, resulting in a question that has plagued me since its release: was all of that really worth it for this film?
The film takes place in an alternate version of modern-day Los Angeles. The world still has a problem with cops, major events in American history (like the Battle of the Alamo) have still happened, and race is still a controversial topic to discuss. However, there is a catch: In this version of LA, elves, orcs, fairies, and other fantasy creatures co-exist with humans. It’s a blend of reality and fantasy that perfectly makes sense once you see the creative minds behind-the-scenes. “End of Watch” director David Ayer leads the project with a script written by Max Landis, a man who seems to love world building as much as he loves creating long video essays about the WWE and Superman. These two minds have created a world that melds reality and fantasy really well, creating a world that is much more interesting than the actual plot.
The film revolves around police officers Daryl Ward and Nick Jakoby. Will Smith’s Ward is a jaded man who is recovering from damage on the job, hoping that he can make it to retirement in five years.Joel Edgerton’s Jakoby is in a different situation; He’s the first Orc police officer in the LA department, receiving backlash from both police who hate him just being there and Orcs who think he’s not a “real” Orc for choosing to be an officer. Both Ward and Jakoby answer a call to investigate a house, leading to gunfire and strangely charred corpses lying around the premises. At the center of the chaos is an elf and one of the most dangerous weapons in their world: a magic wand. Knowing full well that the wand is only going to lead to trouble, Ward and Jakoby make hard decisions as they attempt to survive against gangsters, corrupt cops, and a radical trio of elves led by Noomi Rapace.
The film’s story is by-the-numbers. It’s an incredibly straightforward story about partners that are at odds with each other that is only elevated by the script’s successful world-building elements. I ended up being interested in the story solely to see how the fantasy elements mixed with the recognizable ones. It’s the type of film where a standoff in the streets and a public cop beating keeps your interest thanks to a homeless man with a rusted broadsword and a centaur in SWAT gear. It’s bizarre and weird in the best way possible, perfectly blending with the more grounded elements. Besides that though, the story feels like “End of Watch” meets “The Lord of the Rings” without really fully elaborating on how awesome of a concept that can be.
Thankfully, the performances in the film are really good. Will Smith’s performance is nothing groundbreaking but he definitely does a good job as the jaded, experienced officer, especially when it comes to building a rapport with Jakoby. Speaking of Jakoby, Joel Edgerton’s performance is great. He really loses himself in the Orc makeup without taking himself too seriously. He plays a genuinely wholesome character that just wants to be accepted as something. While it isn’t one of his best performances, I legitimately enjoyed every time he showed up on-screen. Smith and Edgerton’s chemistry is really good, leading to a duo that isn’t iconic but has the potential to be something great if expanded in a sequel. As for everyone else, they do a good with what they’re given, especially Noomi Rapace as Leilah and Brad William Henke as Dorghu.
As for the effects, they certainly use that 90 million to its fullest. The film has great moments that subtly use special effects to establish other races in the background and give magical moments an otherworldly feel that certainly amplify the notion that anything magical is dangerous in this world. It also does a phenomenal job practically, creating such good looking creatures that I was actually amazed at how three-hours-worth of makeup on Edgerton looked like his actual skin at times. However, they also decided to use that budget for slow-motion moments in the film which, overall, were fine but certainly felt excessive. If Netflix’s main objective was to make this film look like a Hollywood blockbuster, they certainly succeeded on that front.
Speaking of a blockbuster, the action in this film had moments where it felt like one. While the action certainly had rough spots in the editing department, the action was enjoyable and exciting at times. All of the action sequences have distinct moments, keeping them from blending together. Ayer certainly isn’t as good of an action director as the “John Wick” team or the Russo brothers but he keeps the fights from feeling too confusing or boring. There were even moments where I vocally reacted in excitement, something I didn’t expect this film to do for me. I’m glad it surprised me like that in the end because it gives me more incentive to go back and watch it again in the future.
Looking back on the film though, I do have a few nitpicks. There were a few moments where The Fresh Prince popped up and made a few one-liners that just didn’t fit with Smith’s anti-hero cop. There was also a moment where an important scene became confusing due to the film not editing in a necessary fact for the situation. You can certainly guess where the scene is going but even with that, you start to question the last 10 minutes as to whether or not you missed something. Also, the cinematography works but doesn’t do too much interesting with the urban fantasy scenario. It’s shot by the same cinematographer as Ayer’s last three films so it looks exactly like “Suicide Squad,” “Fury,” and “End of Watch” in the camerawork. If you’ve seen how those films do cinematography, don’t expect much different with this film.
In the end, “Bright” is the best Netflix blockbuster to come out this year. It’s flawed but very entertaining. It’s the first film in awhile where I don’t agree with the majority of critics. I will agree with them that the film doesn’t reinvent the wheel and is very broad with its handling of race. However, it’s far from being one of the worst films of year. In fact, it’s a lot better than “Suicide Squad” so it’s got that going for it. It’s not the type of film where I’d say it needs to be seen as soon as possible. That being said, it is the type of film that if it gets a sequel in the future, I’ll certainly be there to watch it when it comes out.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6EZCBSsBxko]