Netflix original "Bright"

[TheMightyQuinn]

So, this just came out this morning, and I have to admit, i rather enjoyed it.

It wasn't a blockbuster or anything, but I really enjoyed the attempt at modern magic and interaction between the races, racism ECT.

I probably enjoyed the graffiti scenes at the beginning the most as a great and colorful was to establish the setting without having to beat you over the head with narrative or something.

Anyone else see it yet?

[JoshL]

Just finished it, and absolutely loved it! They did a great job blending a fantasy epic with a gritty cop film. The world was well done and interesting, and I hope they do more with it.

[Blackhawk748]

I went in thinking itd be Shadowrun with less cyperpunk, and i was not disappointed. Good movie, with excellent acting and great visuals. Solid all around.

[TheMightyQuinn]

I went in thinking itd be Shadowrun with less cyperpunk, and i was not disappointed. Good movie, with excellent acting and great visuals. Solid all around.

Exactly. I thought it was really well done.

Rare magic, and no cyberware, but I hope they do more with it too.

It seems like they meant to do more with the orcs too, since they had a lot of the clan / traditions in the background (the shaman ect), but it made for a very immersive world.

I couldn't quite figure out if they wanted orcs to be superhuman strong or not.

I think it could actually be a really fun d20 modern setting yo have a game in.

[Pex]

What is it about?

[TheMightyQuinn]

Here's a synopsis I found

In an alternate present day, humans, orcs, elves and fairies have been coexisting since the beginning of time. Two police officers, one a human, the other an orc, embark on a routine night patrol that will alter the future of their world as they know it. Battling both their own personal differences as well as an onslaught of enemies, they must work together to protect a young female elf and a thought-to-be-forgotten relic, which, in the wrong hands, could destroy everything.

[Reddish Mage]

The trailer that chooses to focus on the scene (apparently played for laughs) that "fairy lives don't matter" puts a bad taste in my mouth. Only partly because of any political implication, Mostly because they choose to open the movie with a joke about killing a possibly sentient being using a bug zapper and fly swatter presumably because its annoying like an insect.

Read the reviews of the movie, I read that it double downs on stereotyping orcs (with recognizable racial stereotypes for people of color) simultaneously with its message of diversity and conclusion. The movie implies the orcs themselves are responsible for their condition.

I'm not sure if I can stomach this movie.

[Blackhawk748]

The trailer that chooses to focus on the scene (apparently played for laughs) that "fairy lives don't matter" puts a bad taste in my mouth. Only partly because of any political implication, Mostly because they choose to open the movie with a joke about killing a possibly sentient being using a bug zapper and fly swatter presumably because its annoying like an insect.

Read the reviews of the movie, I read that it double downs on stereotyping orcs (with recognizable racial stereotypes for people of color) simultaneously with its message of diversity and conclusion. The movie implies the orcs themselves are responsible for their condition.

I'm not sure if I can stomach this movie.

To quote Jakoby (the orc in the movie) "2000 years ago, Orc chose the wrong side, we're still paying for that" So in that way they are. Frankly its not as bad as it sounds, as its this thing in the background for the most part and i felt it was rather well done.

[BannedInSchool]

I'm not sure if I can stomach this movie.

I've seen others saying that the social tones are garbage, as one would expect from something produced by "Trigger Warning Entertainment". So, yeah, if you're conscious of that then it sounds like a pass.

[TheMightyQuinn]

I didn't think the social tones were garbage, and I tend to care about that.

Nothing is perfect, and sure, it's a hard topic to handle well, but they tried to point out how little sense racism makes, or that's what I saw.

[Daer]

good movie even if first half hour or so was kinda pushing off with way fairy got killed and then whole kill the orc stuff seemed so exaggerated.

But as action started it was enjoyable. Would have wished to see bit more differences that existence of magic and different humanoid species would have done. I mean bit more imagination on world.

and then shouldn't' have watched with finnish subtitles.. for brights they used translation 'säihky' which isn't very cool sounding, and closer to 'twinkle' or 'sparkle' but again finnish isn't that great language for cool sounding stuff can't blame movie for that.

But again int he end very enjoyable movie and i hope this will come a thing and movie gets sequel or perhaps even better tv serie.

[Kitten Champion]

I think Ayer-styled grittiness is interesting with the fantasy elements. However, as a whole it feels like a whole bunch of harder-edged cop movie cliches smashed together. Honestly the second act felt like 16 Blocks maybe with some Assault on Precinct 13 mixed in, and there's a lot of Training Day in there. While I'm sure that's somewhat the point, to channel those elements into a fantasy-esque world... the fact that Orcs, Elves, and Magic are involved on some level seemed rather incidental for a substantive length of the movie.

I wouldn't say it's bad or even that I disliked it really, the direction is quality and the actors do good work, it's just rather underwhelming script-wise. I couldn't help feel I'd rather have been following the Magical FBI people in a police procedural, rather than the kind-of-everyman Will Smith going through the fantasy version of the Urban Hellscape.

[Lacuna Caster]

Rotten Tomatoes- 30% critic score, 90% audience score. Well, this should be interesting...

[lunaticfringe]

I enjoyed it. I wasn't looking for anything deep or socially woke, just a fun Modern Fantasy Action Movie. I was not disappointed. If you want a movie version of your super serial shadowrun or d20 modern game you probably will be.

I wouldn't mind them revisiting that World in future movies or series. I want to know more about the Dark Lord & Shield of Light.

[Tom Tearcamel]

I want to know more about The Shield of Light,

Spoiler

Show

they seemed like a run of the mill domestic terrorist cell by their compound, but we never really got to know any personally, except the drunk, who was extremely underused. I expected him to come back in the last act. (Maybe them busting him out of lockup to see what he knew) I want to know how he picked up strange vibes off of Ward.

Also, their symbol was super cool.

[Blackhawk748]

Rotten Tomatoes- 30% critic score, 90% audience score. Well, this should be interesting...

I seem to be noticing and increasing disconnect between the audience and critics.

[Starbuck_II]

Orcs seem super strong and tough, but weirdly unathletic. Why can't orcs jump really good? Seems strangest thing I ever heard to joke about.

Elves are apparently ninjas with their speed/agility.

Was a really good story. Loved the mixture of magic and modern.

Hope they do a TV series like that.
So about the Brights

Spoiler

Show

So Brights are wizards and wands can only be safer used by them. Not fully safe as the elf started dying from repeated magic useage. I'm surprised they didn't chuck the wand at the gangster and hope they kill themselves.

[Blackhawk748]

Orcs seem super strong and tough, but weirdly unathletic. Why can't orcs jump really good? Seems strangest thing I ever heard to joke about.

Elves are apparently ninjas with their speed/agility.

Was a really good story. Loved the mixture of magic and modern.

Hope they do a TV series like that.
So about the Brights

Spoiler

Show

So Brights are wizards and wands can only be safer used by them. Not fully safe as the elf started dying from repeated magic useage. I'm surprised they didn't chuck the wand at the gangster and hope they kill themselves.

They arent, they just cant jump apparently. My guess would be weight, which kinda makes sense cuz they arent lean muscle by any stretch.

[Lacuna Caster]

I seem to be noticing and increasing disconnect between the audience and critics.

Yeah, I didn't realise there was such a gulf between critics and audiences on the Last Jedi, for example. I thought it had it's problems, sure, but nothing that seemed to bother the fanbase previously. What's up with that?

[Kitten Champion]

I suspect the disconnect here is largely that the critics watch more movies than your average person. The cliched and repetitive elements of Bright are more evident.

[Blackhawk748]

Yeah, I didn't realise there was such a gulf between critics and audiences on the Last Jedi, for example. I thought it had it's problems, sure, but nothing that seemed to bother the fanbase previously. What's up with that?

Go look through TALK thread

I suspect the disconnect here is largely that the critics watch more movies than your average person. The cliched and repetitive elements of Bright are more evident.

Maybe. I certainly don't watch an awful lot of cop films so the cliches don't stand out as much. Combine that with the fact that I find the setting fascinating and that the action feels well paced and I'm pretty willing to overlook an overabundance of tropes.

[HolyDraconus]

Here's my take on it.




For starters, way too much focus on political bs. Considering who the main actor is and one of the studios in charge, I wasn't surprised, but it's there. Fairies are the equivalent of parrots in this movie: can talk but aren't sentient, so the opening trailer isn't as bad as it could of been.

Did I mention political bs? Cause I mean it. Even though you have a cop movie that doubles down on it, it's there. Excessively. Even tho there's magic, it's there. And honestly, this whole thing would of faired a LOT better if they serialized it instead of presenting it as is. You don't care for Ward, but is told no one wants to deal with him. Sure. His life is crap, but it's not shown how. Just told. Jakoby it feels like you are forced to like even though at the end of the movie you realize that Ward is RIGHT in how he is treating him (without trust), and everyone else that you think is sum, IS scum.
There's a lot of questions that it doesn't answer (like why in the entire movie there is shown two people handling these super power weapons barehanded, if it has a 99% chance of killing you) and I get the feeling if this was a series, or even a mini series, they would of gotten you more invested. It's a good idea though......if there wasn't so much bs political crap

[Dragonus45]

Mostly because they choose to open the movie with a joke about killing a possibly sentient being using a bug zapper and fly swatter presumably because its annoying like an insect.

The movie implies the orcs themselves are responsible for their condition.

I'm not sure if I can stomach this movie.

The fairy is pretty explicitly stated to be a common variety of pest and not a sentient creature. As for orcs being "responsible" it's clearly shown that despite the great evil monster in the backstory being an Elf and it being an Orc who united the world against said great evil racism, and purely that as Will Smiths character states during a scene in a locker room, has Orcs taking the full blame unfairly.

Orcs seem super strong and tough, but weirdly unathletic. Why can't orcs jump really good? Seems strangest thing I ever heard to joke about.

Elves are apparently ninjas with their speed/agility.

Was a really good story. Loved the mixture of magic and modern.

Given what Jakoby not only survives but walks away from without any debitating broken bones, no spoilers but it's a lot, I got the feeling they are sitting on some real heavy bone density that likely means they're a lot heavier then they look.


As for the movie, it was campy but fun in exactly the way I wanted. A schlocky, goofy but earnest D&D modern campaign made into a movie. My one complaint is theway they handled the language barrier bit.

[t209]

Well, at least the one with investigating nightmare outbreaks with an Orc security officer, an Orc shaman, dwarven hacker, an undead Samurai, and a Russian techie is way better.

[Reddish Mage]

Well, at least the one with investigating nightmare outbreaks with an Orc security officer, an Orc shaman, dwarven hacker, an undead Samurai, and a Russian techie is way better.

Wait they did a Shadowrun movie?

[Mikemical]

Read the reviews of the movie, I read that it double downs on stereotyping orcs (with recognizable racial stereotypes for people of color) simultaneously with its message of diversity and conclusion. The movie implies the orcs themselves are responsible for their condition.

Don't want to get too political, but:It's true. Anyone can aspire and work to become whatever they want. But unfortunately for some, if they do, they're seen as traitors to their race and pulled down, crabs in a bucket-style because "how dare this orc think he can become a doctor? He should be out there listening to [genre] music and gang-banging."

Also, the reviewers are the same ones that gave Last Jedi those 90+% scores, guess who I'm not gonna listen to?

Personally, I felt it was a good movie. Will Smith as a lead tends to be rather bland, though. I liked Edgar Ramirez' character Kandomere, though mostly because I'm GAR for him.

[Eldan]

Intro sequence was cool, but my brother and I made itonly about five minutes in before finding something else to watch. "Fairy lives dont matter" was loud-groan-bad, but it felt incredibly heavy handed and forced.

[Mikemical]

Intro sequence was cool, but my brother and I made itonly about five minutes in before finding something else to watch. "Fairy lives dont matter" was loud-groan-bad, but it felt incredibly heavy handed and forced.

Just watched it again with my cousin. You're missing out.

Warning: The movie isn't gonna sugar-coat anything, and it shouldn't. All the political stuff is on point. They don't dance around the issues they present, and its great how they tackled them head on. The action scenes are great, the humor is great, the drama is great. Will Smith actually didn't make me yawn after a long time.

10/10, will watch it again.

[Dragonus45]

Honestly all the complaints about the movie remind me why so many creators just never touch on race at all. Even a good faith effort gets slammed to hell and back for being less then perfect.

[Reddish Mage]

Don't want to get too political, but:It's true. Anyone can aspire and work to become whatever they want. But unfortunately for some, if they do, they're seen as traitors to their race and pulled down, crabs in a bucket-style because "how dare this orc think he can become a doctor? He should be out there listening to [genre] music and gang-banging."

Also, the reviewers are the same ones that gave Last Jedi those 90+% scores, guess who I'm not gonna listen to?

Personally, I felt it was a good movie. Will Smith as a lead tends to be rather bland, though. I liked Edgar Ramirez' character Kandomere, though mostly because I'm GAR for him.

Honestly all the complaints about the movie remind me why so many creators just never touch on race at all. Even a good faith effort gets slammed to hell and back for being less then perfect.

This movie doesn’t seem so much of a good faith effort as one that just throws up lots of graphically groan-worthy scenes, double downs on racial stereotypes, and gives the obvious message at the end.

In 2017 saying one should be inclusive and judge people by the content of their character and not the blueness of their skin can only feel novel at the end of a movie filled with ubiquitous racism. People know that message, what they don’t know is how various behaviors, messages, and biases reinforce a status quo contrary to the message. We don’t live in a world where people are as explicitly racist as in Bright. By establishing the status quo for fantasy races in an incredibly regressive world the movie does little to forward its moral. Instead it uses allegories that are themselves offensive in an effort to shock and please as accompaniments to the action.

If that racism is played for laughs and sheer entertainment, that’s when it starts to seem this is a movie that simply serves up racism for cheap thrills.

Names like “Trigger Warning Entertainment” and statements like “Fairy Lives Don’t Matter” take words that carry significant political meaning and make them meaningless. There is no deeper point to these gags, the words are twisted just to render certain words meaningless so they lose their potency. It is an effective device but it is not a cerebral one. It doesn’t state an argument against Trigger Warnings or that one shouldn’t say certain lives matter, it merely ridicules for its own sake.