Was Netflix’s first attempt at a blockbuster film a successful one? The company’s new movie, Bright, with a budget of $90 million, was no small project. The movie’s director David Ayer had tackled projects of this magnitude before, but never one without a movie theater release. The mishmash story was confusing and even awkward at times, but the at-home convenience of Netflix made the film an enjoyable and worthwhile experience.
The movie takes place in a fantasy world that is full of characters resembling those of Lord of the Rings. In the alternate reality, humans, orcs, and elves all live in present day Los Angeles, each representing a seperate class, with elves being upper, humans middle, and orcs lower class. The story follows cop Scott Ward (Will Smith) who had recently been shot by an orc and is making his return to the force. His partner Jacoby (Joel Edgerton) is the only orc on the force, and with the tension between cops and orcs this puts Ward at risk. The turning point in the film is when the two cops respond to a call that turns out to be more than they bargained for. What they find is a magic wand, which is an extremely rare and deadly weapon used by a class of people called “Brights,” hence the title. It then becomes a transport movie where Ward and Jacoby have to move the wand from one side of the city to the other. During this sequence there is a mishmash of characters, a lot of violence, and an overall unsatisfying ending. However, the overall experience was still worth it.
What makes it worth it is Netflix, and the convenience of watching the movie right in bed or on the couch, all the while not having to spend any extra money. The strong acting performances and gripping fantasy world are enticing enough to keep the audience entertained. The action sequences are exciting enough to stick around for as well. Overall, Bright is an average movie on an above average platform, and that is what makes it a worthwhile experience.
