SLASH AND BURN

MOVIE
Brightburn
Elizabeth Banks, David Denman, Jackson A. Dunn 
Director David Yarovesky
Review Ray Chan

The concept has been toyed with in comic books before, but this is the first time it’s been brought to the screen: what if an alien boy who crash lands on Earth turns out to be evil instead of fighting for truth, justice and the American way?
    In Brightburn, the baby in a rocketship, first seen as a godsend to a couple who have been trying for years to conceive a child, begins to manifest a mission for death, destruction, and world domination as he nears puberty.
    And he doesn’t hold back. Indeed, the movie leans into blood and gore to accentuate just how powerful this being becomes. Make no mistake, this is more a horror offering than a stock super-hero feature.
    Tori Breyer (Elizabeth Banks) and her husband Kyle Breyer (David Denman) live in the small town of Brightburn, Kansas, where they find the baby and adopt him, naming him Brandon.
    When the boy (Jackson A. Dunn) reaches his teens, the ship he arrived in begins influencing his mind, mixing in a desire to take over the planet along with his hormonal urges, resulting in wanton destruction and in particularly gruesome murders of various individuals.
    Much of the film is spent on the carnage, and in pretty horrific detail, though Brandon’s powers are shown in a way that doesn’t suggest any kind of shoestring budget.
    In an era where horror movies can appear to be jaded, Brightburn literally burns bright as an homage to how the genre can still get the adrenaline flowing with a clever mix of jump scares and truly frightening effects.
    The deaths here aren’t simple murders. They’re the kinds of intricately designed, lovingly presented acts of sadistic brutality that characterised many slasher flicks, turning them into orgies of crimson viscera.
    If the very concept of an evil version of Superman excites you, and you get a boost from bloodshed and butchery, Brightburn will entertain in a big way. The stamp of super-hero filmmaker James Gunn (whose brothers wrote the script) is all over this one, even though the directorial duties are carried out by David Yarovesky.
    The darkly funny aspect to the film is never overplayed, and instead serves to keep this from being a morbid experience. Dunn is solid as a stereotypical child demon, bringing back memories of Damien in the Omen series, and the aura of nastiness he exudes will be sure to attract viewers to the inevitable sequels to watch him get his just desserts.
    While the movie only scratches the surface of its promise and potential, what it ends up with is definitely good enough to justify a recommendation.
    Remember the smaller scale that it’s playing on and don’t go in expecting a blockbuster. With that in mind, there’s a good chance you’ll find a substantial amount of fun here.

#brightburn #sonypictures