The Netflix original Bright takes us into a world that isn’t very different from our own, one in which Elves, Orcs, Humans, and Fairies coexist, not-so-very-peacefully. This Will Smith-starrer boasts of action, magic, and some fantastic prosthetic.
*Spoiler Alert*
Right from the very first scene, an alternate universe is presented to us in which Elves hold the highest class, then come in the Humans, then Orcs and Fairies, who are plagued by the first two species. This draws a stark parallel to a Trump-esque era, police brutality towards the minorities, cities plagued by gang violence and so on. With as many of these issues that Bright addresses, the one thing that is lacking from the Netflix Original Bright is, ironically, originality. If you’ve watched Men in Black, Suicide Squad, and Bad Boys, trust me, you’ve already watched Bright.
Tell Tales
The plot line develops quickly and the scene is set where Nick Jakoby (Joel Edgerton) is the only Orc to be on the LAPD task force, and is tolerated by his peers so that they don’t get pulled up by the diversity department. Casual racism between the classes is so rampant, even Jakoby knows he isn’t going to make it far into his career. And then there is Daryl Ward (Will Smith), who is recovering from being shot while he was out on patrol with Jakoby. Ward was shot by an Orc that Jakoby failed to catch. With already a lot of tension between Orcs and Humans, things get heated up when a team of snooty Elves from Internal Affair start investigating the department after Ward’s shooting.
Looking for Meaning in the Mess
If this wasn’t already a bit verbose, the film’s writers go on to incorporate Magic (the use of which is a strict no-no) and a 2,000-year old prophecy (that is never defined). A highly random character of Tikka (apparently *exponentially* important) adds nothing but more incoherence, brings in the arc of a magic wand that can only be controlled by Infernis (who or what are Infernis, even we don’t know), and Noomi Rapace, who is wasted in this film as the villain.
Waste of Great Talent
I’m a bit angry about Noomi Rapace. Being an ardent fan of the Swedish films based on the Millenium Series, I certainly expected more from her character, Leilah. I expected a bit more depth to the villain. Not just platinum blonde hair and coloured lenses who wants possession of the wand that’ll bring back the Dark Lord (hearing this for the first time? Yeah, it’s barely even mentioned in the film). Rapace hardly speaks in the film, and worse, even her killing a baby is only hinted at, and not shown viscerally as we’re supposed to believe it is. More justice could have been done to her in terms of screen presence, as she is the supposed be a foil to the mumbling Tikka who wants to protect the wand.
The Saving Grace
There are brief moments of laughter when Jakoby and Ward are caught in serious situations, like being shot at behind a car, and being shot at behind a bar. The banter the two cop partners share did have the theatre in splits and were a genuinely good break from the predictable plot and ending.
Worth a Watch?
Bright is basically about two cops who are accused of a crime they did not commit and go on a night of rampage to prove themselves innocent. Which of course they manage to do. If it sounds familiar, it is because it is almost every buddy cop film. Don’t get me wrong, the film doesn’t make for a bad watch, but it doesn’t make for a great one either. Also, just ponder over the fact that David Ayer, known for the colossal mess that was Suicide Squad, was on board as director for Bright.
So, should you watch it? It releases on Netflix on the 22 December, and if you have nothing to do on the Christmas weekend, sure. Otherwise, you won’t be missing out on much.
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