Bright

Stupid is as stupid does, flat characters, mythology inadvertently ridiculous and not laying the foundations for an interesting and functioning world, not even remotely. A fussy mish-mash Boo over which even Czech fairy tale characters would turn up their nose. But at the same time, it soon picks up a frantic pace, one action after another, and it's a solid, straightforward, explosive, silly good second-rate movie. (12/22/2017)

Everything is fine about the idea. Urban fantasy, social metaphor, Nigga/Orc buddy chemistry ... even Ayer's directing decision to put it in a realistic tone a la Patrola is good. However, the execution is this case is not very good. After a promising quarter of an hour, it turns into an absurd show of clichés and dysfunctional props without any rhythm or satisfactory tension, which Will saves with his one-liners. The action is cumbersome and makes you yawn. The story is reminiscent of the worst from Underworld. Edgar Ramirez is probably the most absurd face since Travolta and Whitaker had whiskers in Battlefield Earth. There is little mythology to be seen, and what ended up in the film, feels retarded. I don't want to call it a blockbuster because of a few parlor tricks and the A cast. Golden Spectral. (12/23/2017)

If it wasn't for the supernatural world full of magic, Bright would be just a generic film about cops fighting criminal gangs that also deals with racial issues. It's a pity that they didn't make exploit more the magical potential that hovered over this project. In terms of action and suspense, the film works, but on the other hand there are a lot of flat jokes that fizzle out as soon as they are uttered. The visuals are nice, and the soundtrack perfectly underscored the dirty streets setting, but I still felt that more could have been made of it. (03/20/2020)

Detective films by Ayer are quite specific; he has a distinctive style that offers viewers a look at the darker sides of big cities, often in a way that can be chilling. Bright follows a similar system, except here you'll encounter not just humans (what a surprise), but also orcs, elves, and even a police centaur (that was the most impressive part for me; that detail was flawless). It's true that the introduction of this fantasy world is meticulous, wherein I liked the social hierarchy where each race holds a certain position on the ladder. Amidst this mix, a magical wand appears that can grant any wish, sparking a battle over it. That summarizes the film. Now, seriously, Will Smith can still deliver a decent quip, but Edgerton, disguised as an orc, somewhat overshadowed his colleague with his performance. Their collaboration and the dialogues between them were flawless. Noomi Rapace as the murderous elf was outstanding. However, I found the script a bit lacking, sometimes not working at full capacity, resulting in something that was hard to grasp. I also don't fully understand the budget; sometimes you get why it's $90 million, but often it feels like an expensive film with a TV aftertaste. Overall, it held together, the characters were well presented, and I could imagine a sequel because this world has huge potential. I give it 75%. (01/02/2018)

Bright is a bizarre, entertaining genre hybrid that surprisingly manages to maintain a little dignity. The social issues of minorities, class-based society and racism addressed in the first half are presented decently, and Edgerton’s orc character is the movie’s best feature. In the second half, we get to see demons, a magic wand everybody wants and the threat of enslavement of the world by a potentially coming dark overlord. And, of course, some kung fu, torture and gunfights. Futuristic sci-fi, social drama and crazy fantasy with a hint of buddy cop comedy. I wouldn’t say that it’s a pity Ayer kept it only slightly above average, but rather a miracle. (05/15/2019)