Brightburn (2019)

With superheroes, everyone imagines them to be, well, heroes. But what if the intention of the hero was to be evil? That is where the film “Brightburn” comes into focus. While it may not be a true superhero film, it combines the suspenseful nature of a thriller with that of a comic book. There is more mystery in this film rather than action, and I think that what makes this movie stand out the most. “Brightburn” is an exploration of what a being from another world could accomplish, had they gone the darker path.

The story follows a couple named Toni and Kyle Breyer (Elizabeth Banks and David Denman respectively), who are trying to conceive a child. Then, a spaceship falls out of the sky, and carries a baby boy, whom the couple names Brandon. As the years progress, Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn) becomes a sweet and innocent boy. But on his twelfth birthday, things take a turn for the worst, and Brandon starts to those he finds wronged him, leaving his parents wondering if picking him up was the right thing.

With “Brightburn”, it has an interesting concept, but a somewhat flawed execution. First of all, the cast does a really good job with the roles they are given, especially Banks who gives the concerning mother a new take on the trope. But what really makes the movie stand out is Dunn; he delivers a really great performance as a kid who tries his hardest to withhold the truth from the world.

This, in turn, can be contributed to the direction from David Yarovesky, who is mostly known for short films, but here, he can shine as a full on movie director.

Another positive that the movie earns is that the film has been made on a rather low budget; somewhere between $6-$12 million. And what the filmmakers have accomplished with that is something terrifying and unexpected. It's really clever that filmmakers can utilize so much for so little.

Now, onto the negative aspects of the movie.

For one thing, the story is the weakest element of the film. There are a lot plot details that don't seem to add up in this world, and a lot of the dialogue is pretty bad. Also, the whole production feels rushed; if the budget had been increased by a little, and the film might have gone longer, then the film might have been perfect. It would be quite interesting to see what scenes, as well as moments, were cut from the finished product.

But the big issue is that the film does not live up to its marketing. What the studios are doing is that they are marketing the film as an anti-superhero film. But when one watches the actual product, it's more like a horror movie than anything else. It's pretty misleading, sure, yet the film is still interesting to watch.

In conclusion, while “Brightburn” might not be perfect, it doesn't need to be. It's not a superhero film, but it doesn't have to be. It's a dark take on what people already know and love.