Although Superman is often looked at as an all-American do-gooder whose mission is to always fight the forces of evil, longtime fans know that Kal-El has walked a fine line between good and evil many times. In fact, we have seen him even cross that line in various comic stories. That concept of an all-powerful being landing on Earth and not fighting for good is the story that the new James Gunn-produced film, Brightburn, takes on.
Although the film is not an official DC Comics or Superman film, the story, and main characters will all be quite familiar. A couple living on a farm is shocked one night when a small spacecraft crash-lands on their property. Seeing as how they have trouble conceiving, Tori (Elizabeth Banks) and Kyle (David Denman) Breyer choose to see the arrival of the baby boy found inside as a blessing. Cut to twelve years later, and we have a loving family, despite the mystery that surrounds the Breyers’ son, Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn). That all changes, however, when Brandon gets a sudden calling from his spacecraft and realizes that he is something more powerful than anyone on Earth and begins using his powers in selfish, violent ways.
While Brightburn is a horror film with gory and gruesome scenes (more on that soon), it is also a family drama. The family dynamics are crucial to the story so that audiences feel the heaviness of Brandon’s sudden heel turn and his parents’ sense of loss and helplessness. Tori refusing to let go of the bond she has with her son and Kyle’s desperation to protect his wife while realizing his son is an unstoppable force adds a healthy dose of emotional depth to the story.
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Both Elizabeth Banks and David Denman give outstanding performances, with Banks bearing much of the weight. Jackson A. Dunn, who had a brief appearance in Avengers: Endgame as a young Scott Lang (Ant-Man), served the Superman-esque role well, flipping from sweet and playful to raging and monstrous in an instant.
Brightburn delivered on the promise to be a dark film and did not go easy on the brutality. There are some graphic and gory moments mixed in with intense cat-and-mouse games. I appreciate the fact that writers Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn (yes, of that Gunn family) and director David Yarovesky did not waste time showing the baby and toddler years or give us a slow burn by withholding the action until the very end. The pace very rarely lets up, and the horror and drama elements effectively complement each other.
Overall, the film is a satisfying “what if” Superman origin tale and I truly hope we see more of the stories and characters teased during the mid-credits scene. After getting so many great “good guy” superhero films in recent years, maybe it’s time to jump into this universe and witness our heroes flip to the other side.
