Bright

David Ayer sometimes makes me happy sometimes not, here it's about halfway through. This mix of fantasy in our world is certainly interesting, but not exploited enough. Story-wise it's very flat, Ayer doesn't know how to work with suspense much, at least he has Will Smith and an unrecognizable Joel Edgerton. The action is very decent, the elven trio perform some nice acrobatic stunts and it's pretty brutal too, but I couldn't enjoy the film to the full, there was something here that distracted me and I can't figure out which one it was. Anyway, decent work for Netflix. 65%. (2017-12-27)

“We're not in a prophecy, okay? We're in a stolen Toyota." This enjoyable action crime comedy is set in a fantasy alternate reality and it's actually a good thing that the fantasy doesn't draw attention to itself that much, and it's still mostly about the story. Although I'm not saying that I wouldn't want to see the mounted police of centaurs in action or that I don't care more about the dragon circling over the city. But so what? Will Smith is excellent and I liked watching him again in the most proven acting position, and Ayer's direction is brisk and there's no time for any boredom. Admittedly, I'd like to explore that whole world, but on the other hand, it didn't seem unutilized to me like, say, in R.I.P.D. - luckily, it was much closer to Men in Black and Hellboy. (2019-03-09)

That "multiracial" world is definitely interesting and would certainly offer decent possibilities for building some wider universe in the future. Visually it's very high-level, simply kind of a slightly above standard Ayer film. It's just that script-wise it's so terribly simple and routine that all you really enjoy for the entire two hours is the setting (which is great and original) and the occasional wisecrack here and there. I can't say I was bored with it, because it's really good to watch. But the fact remains that a sober (strict) assessment will yield a visually attractive yet otherwise in almost all respects superficial and flat spectacle for the undiscerning viewer. (2019-01-23)

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. (2019-05-15)

On the one hand, I thought this was original as hell, but on the other hand, the creators definitely didn't manage to get the most out of the world they present here. How the character of Jacoby is going to end up is clear from the start, Will Smith does what he always does, and Noomi is woefully underused. The potential here was much greater. (2018-03-02)