Brightburn Turns The Origin of Superman Into A Horror Movie [Review]

Is it fair to call the main character an ‘evil Superman’?

By Ummara Sheraz | 10:21 am | May 29, 2019
Brightburn-review

Have you ever wondered what could happen if someone like Superman didn’t turn out so great? Well you’re in luck then, because David “Yarvo” Yarovesky’s Brightburn explores that very scenario, with explosively horrific results. 

We knew from the trailer of the film that Brightburn was going for an ‘evil Superman’. True to that premise, we get to see the story of one ‘extra-terrestrial migrant’ Brandon Bryer.

What did Earth do to turn this blank slate extraterrestrial into a raging sociopath? We explore this theme and much more in this review.

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Script

Brothers Mark and Brian Gunn wrote the screenplay for Brightburn. The story is pretty complete, despite a few loose ends here and there.

The film’s writers opted to keep the part about Brandon’s upbringing to a minimum, instead choosing to rely on the audience filling in the blanks. In hindsight, that may not have been a great idea. Personally, it could’ve been great to see the antagonist’s slow descent into sociopathy or psychopathy.

While Earth certainly played a part in Brandon’s transformation as an unchecked weapon of mass destruction, the end result is a bit more than ‘we made him turn against us.’

We could’ve also liked to see Brandon’s emotional triggers fully fleshed out, and why he transforms into a coldblooded killer when he does.

Brightburn really emphasizes just how creepy this movie’s version of Superman and his actions are, provided you’re not wearing Lois Lane’s rose-tinted glasses.

Superhero fans, especially those who have read Superman comics, are in for a treat though. There are plenty of neat nods and easter eggs that could feel familiar to you from all those storylines where Superman has gone ‘wrong.’

While the overall theme of the movie was perfect, the script and screenplay could have done well with a bit of polish. There were a lot of ends left loose.

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Direction

The film aims to combine two different genres together – superhero movies with horror. On that premise, it succeeds.

David “Yarvo” Yarovesky has previously worked on Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) with James Gunn and The Hive (2014), so it makes sense why he took on this project.

The concept of superhero horror was unheard of till X-Men’s New Mutants first teased the concept. Brightburn just beat it to the punch.

To be honest they did a pretty fair job at it. The movie did not have your typical overuse of low-frequency sounds or sudden camera cuts in every other horror outing. From the first frame, we could just sense that something sinister was up.

The film has been produced by Sony Pictures and Guardians of Galaxy film-maker James Gunn. How they managed to do such a great job with limited set locations is praise-worthy.

On the production front, the film-makers relied on superb acting and clever direction, with minimal props.

For Guardians fans, there’s a pretty nifty easter egg waiting for them at the end credits.

Acting

Brightburn cast Jackson A. Dunn in the lead role. The child actor really did a phenomenal job.

The way he portrays Brandon Bryer, from your average school kid to the scared teen who is experiencing explosive changes during puberty, makes us feel bad for the character.

When he goes full-blown murderous alien, that is when you’ll find yourself switch gears in a heartbeat.

Meanwhile Elizabeth Banks, who plays the protective mother Tori Bryer, was also phenomenal.She’s always quick to protect Brandon, and we can’t help but think that was pretty much the formula to creating a monster.

“You’ll always be my baby boy.”

The father Noah Bryer, played by David Denman, stays wary of his child and his moody attitude.

We can understand why a couple who struggled to conceive may go full ‘mama-bear’ and protect their child at all costs. 

One of the most emotional moments of the movie occur when Noah Bryer learns of his son’s true nature and is confronted with a difficult decision. What happens next is enough to make anyone with a difficult parent-child relationship squirm.

Tori, on the other hand, seems pretty forgiving of most things. She’s just too desperate not to lose her son (reminds us of a typical desi mom).

“No matter what you’ve done, I know there is good in you.”

Tori’s role as a mother may be how Brandon Bryer ends up as the polar opposite of Clark Kent (Superman). While learning to deal with suffering can help build character (hello Clark Kent and Bruce Wayne), Brandon’s shielded upbringing might have made him unequipped to deal with rejection, opposition, torment, sadness, and ultimately…… power.

Besides, Supes was born with power and he had to struggle throughout his life to hone it. In Brandon’s case, he’s going through puberty. That in itself is a trying time, and then you discover you got unlimited power (Justin Bieber anyone?). The results are of course, absolutely corrosive.

A List of Questions

We have to be honest. While the movie was a good package, it left a lot of questions.

  • While the takeaway is that Brandon’s childhood happens right in front of our eyes, it could’ve been better if the writers explored his mommy issues more.
  • Brandon’s origin and his space-ship are left unexplained.
  • If the spaceship was sending him subliminal messages, how does he understand the foreign language?
  • If the species that Brandon belongs to has a hive mind, why does he even need to ask ‘where am I from?’
  • Was he sent to Earth as a weapon? Or are we humans to blame for his turn to villainy?
  • Can we expect a Batman or Aquaman-turns-bad movie next? One can only wish.
Review Breakdown
  • Plot
  • Acting
  • Direction
3.7

Verdict - If you ever wanted to see a horror movie starring a superpowered being, Brightburn will be your cup of tea.

Despite a weak script, fans of horror movies are in for a treat. Plus if you ever wanted to know how Superman turns bad, Brightburn’s probably it. A solid 3.7/5