Sunday 23 June 2019

Brightburn - The scoop and digest

Producer James Gunn and director David Yarovesky bring what's best described as a superhero horror hybrid.

Elizabeth Banks - Tori
David Denman - Kyle
Jackson A. Dunn - Brandon

Summary

In 2006, Tori and Kyle Breyer are trying without much success for a baby.

After seeing a spaceship crash-land in the woods, they adopt alien visitor and name him Brandon.

10 years later.

One night, Brandon is called by craft hidden inside barn's cellar and seemingly possessed.

Pissed off at lawnmower refusing to start, our kid discovers he's been gifted superhuman powers.

Things turn nasty...

Mid-credits

News reports and conspiracy theorist (Michael Rooker) compare Brandon to other super-beings, alluding to twisted versions of Justice League members, namely Aquaman and Wonder Woman.

Mixing things up, we see image of the Crimson Bolt (Rainn Wilson's character from James Gunn's earlier film Super).

Surely this is only the beginning?

Take the world

Expecting a load of shit, I left pleasantly surprised.

Superman meets Chronicle rumbles along nicely, looks far more expensive than its budget and strong performances ensure we're invested in family's tumultuous decline.

Screenplay from Gunn's cousin Mark and brother Brian is hit and miss, but I've heard much worse.

Erica pulling a glass fragment from pupil made me squirm and Noah's jaw detached from face (having been thrown and dropped inside his vehicle) is nicely gory.

Kill count exceeds way over 200, as Brandon causes a plane to crash.

My primary criticism is that from the very off, mystery is immediately extinguished.

Why not leave out opening scene (carbon copy of Superman early doors), and keep us guessing?

Just before she's taken for an unwanted flying lesson, Tori takes shard from spaceship (alternative Kryptonite) and fails to stab him.

Entire sequence is so much like Carrie (1976).

Comparisons to Man of Steel aside, Brandon is basically Dane DeHaan's Andrew.

Awkward teenager bullied at school using powers to gain revenge?

Hmmm.

Goof

As already mentioned, film begins in 2006, and home video footage shows Brandon as both a baby and young child (approximately 4-6 years old).

But at birthday party, alien states he's 12.

That makes no fucking sense.

What's more amusing is dialogue mentions age several times.

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