Bright
David Ayer
Writer:
Max Landis
Cast:
Will Smith (Daryl Ward), Joel Edgerton (Nick Jakoby), Noomi Rapace (Leilah), Edger Ramirez (Kandomere), Tikka (Lucy Fry), Veronica Ngo (Tien), Alex Meraz (Serafin), Happy Anderson (Montehugh).
Opening sequence:
Imagine a world where Elves and Orcs, humans, are on one planet. Have to imagine they're part of our society so that the experience could be more real. The film Bright takes on a journey that to me is unbelievable. With that being said, this film received some pretty bad reviews. Guess the critics needed a new movie to pounce on since Star Wars made their day. Well let us get to it, shall we? Without further adieu, Bright.
Review:
The film takes place in a very different world. Imagine fairies, Orcs, and Elves being apart of that world.
Los Angeles, lunch-time. Daryl Ward ( Will Smith ) waits for his partner, Nick Jakoby (Joel Edgerton). The gang is nearby, one of the Orc members reaches for his shotgun and shoots Ward, putting him out of commission. Jakoby runs after the perpetrator. Both heading towards an alley. Backup is on the way.
Jakoby (Edgerton) is behind the gang member, pistol out, take down in progress. Until he realizes something... fade to black...
After some time, and recovery Ward (Smith) is back on the beat with his partner, Jakoby. He gets picked up at his house.
The opening to the film we have the main characters connecting with each other. The writer does a good job making that happen. Notice how the characters have their own issues, lives. All within the parameters of the film. It really does derail. The story goes from one Act to another without any issue. That is a good sign of a great film.
In Act 1 we get the human characters hating on the Orc (Edgerton). Granted there was a chase in the alley scene with Jakoby and an Orc, which got away according to Officer Jakoby. But what really happened in that alley? That issue comes up again at the end of the first Act. You get a view of the world in Act 1. The Elves, Orcs, and the mystical realm in this new planet Earth.The scenes are not boring, they introduce you to the Antagonist.
Act 2 comes along you find out more about the world and the characters main issues with each other. The problems that escalate the story to a whole new level. The bad cops don't like Nick Jakoby because of him being an Orc. Racism to a whole new level. Ward has many choices he is given harshly. The cops don't like the Orc, so he either ditches the program he is on by the department or suffers the consequences. His life is on the line, the bad cops want Ward to leave Jakoby to hang or dire problems. (The choice isn't really made, just kinda agree to get the guys off his back.)
Ward and Jakoby go downtown (the Elf community) A crazy human in the middle of the street, yelling some weird things. Sheriff Rodriguez (Jay Hernandez) on the scene. Ward and Jakoby back up the Sheriff. The crazy guy, Serling (Chris Browning) waving a sword, continues yelling despite the Law being present. After an exchange, he is arrested, and taken in. Serling pukes and speaks in Orkish. "The shield of Light." The prophecy has chosen Ward.
The other critics are wrong in every way. The story does flow, the pacing is also done to perfection. From Act 1 to the second part of the story, you understand the characters, story, it's not hidden or all over the place. It moves to the next part, and it does it fast, which I like. The story is good, it manages to bring out the antagonist, although they have minor ones, not just the big guys. The bad cops are minor, added a certain flavor to the story. Giving a sense of danger in the department, even though it was supposed to be a safe place. Not all cops are bad, kinda sense. There are political themes that are put on the back burner, which I like. They could've made this film a complete bad cop, good cop thing. Glad they stuck to the overall plot. The wand, Elf, Bright storyline, which made the film entertaining, and not political in any way.
Act 3 the end of the second Act the characters go through so much. Ward is approached by Captain Perez (Andrea Navedo). She wants Ward to record Jakoby admitting that he let the shooter go. (Back in Act 1, the alley scene) The Captain is not alone, she has Yamahara (Kenneth Choi), and Arkashian (Bobby Naderi) present as well.
Meanwhile, Serling is interrogated by an elf FBI agent, Kandomere (Edgar Ramirez). Serling goes on about two sisters, Leilah (Noomi Rapace), and Tikka (Lucy Fry). He goes on and tells them that Leilah is a Dark Elf. She wants to resurrect the Dark Lord. An evil, powerful Lord that was defeated 2000 years ago by the Nine Armies. Leilah is also a Bright (Magic User). She wants to control the wand, which was stolen, her sister Tikka has the wand, but it is really unknown where the wand is.
The middle of Act 3 Ward gets his partner to admit what had really happened. The shooter, he let go because of the age. A young Orc. He had let him go. So he made up the story. On top of that, the story goes dark, really dark. Right back to the cop vs cop storyline. Ward and Jakoby are alerted to Abrams street, where a shootout took place. The assailant is inside. Here they meet Tikka (the Elf female with the wand) and afterward the bad cops, including the Captain, wants the wand for themselves. The Captain and her guys want the wand but want Ward to kill Jacoby, making it look like the assailant did it. Ward chooses not to side with the bad cops, and they shoot each other leaving a huge mess. Tikka, Ward, Jacoby flee the scene and from this point, it becomes a cat and mouse game. The Dark Elf chases Ward, Jakoby until there is nowhere to hide.
The actors did an outstanding job in their roles. the whole world gave me the creeps. There is even a shot, far shot of a dragon in the backdrop. The setting of a world that is fantasy, magic, and technology mixed all together. I liked the fairy scene back in Act 1 which was comical, the fairies are the pests. Funny stuff. The goody, goody mythology about these winged creatures are not so nice in this film. I loved that scene. Was the film good? Yes, it was, I enjoyed every minute of it. The writer really tried to mix in a unique world, which to me he delivered. If you want a dark world, mixed in with a fantasy setting, then this film is for you. Keep an opened mind and you'll love this movie. The critics to me are a bit off their proverbial rocker.
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