Brightburn aka Superman's origin as a horror film

[Heretic]

Oh yeah...I have a question about a conversation that takes place in a classroom with a teacher and the Evil Superboy. I'm not sure that it's the biggest spoiler on Earth, but maybe only people who have seen the film should click on this...I know some people are very sensitive to any spoiler info.

Spoiler

He is talking about bees and mentions a hive. USUALLY these types of classroom conversations in Horror movies end up being vital to the story. Obviously he was hearing voices, so maybe there is more to it and that his "people" communicate with a hive mind or whatever etc...I'd have to watch that scene again to see if it did have an impact on the film or the potential sequels (seems like it would, I just kind of forgot about the scene as the movie went on). HOWEVER, I just noticed that the director did a Horror movie before this called The Hive. I haven't seen that...know nothing about it. If anyone has seen both, is it possible that this takes place in the same "universe" as The Hive? Because that would be weird if this is a sequel to a movie no one saw. Eh...it's probably just him reusing an idea or set up for the next film.

 

[Kane52630]

I dug it overall. It's essentially an above average slasher flick masquerading as a Superman style origin film. The plot is very straightforward (almost too straightforward), but it's efficient for the goal of this movie. The kills and gore effects was incredible. The cast for the most part was really good. Elizabeth Banks and David Denman especially did a great job and their chemistry as parents was very believable. Matt Jones had a small part but he was just as great. As for the kid, I thought they didn't used him to his full potential. He wasn't nearly fleshed out as the other characters even before he became aware of his powers. The moment he started going off he became a very one note character. The movie doesn't really have anything new or interesting to say. They could have easily put a lot more story and depth, but they chose not to. That said, I still had fun with it overall.
8/10

 

[the last son]

I guess I give this like a 3/5. It was different in terms of super heroes, but generic as sin, in the horror department. The last act saved me from giving this movie a much much lower score.

 

[TheDreamMaster]

Just saw it, thought it was fine. Wish they had the budget to go more gruesome and bigger. Kinda hope it does well since

Spoiler

Unless I read it wrong, but seemed like Michael Rooker was teasing us with the Brightburn Legion of Doom.

 

[KaijuDude1992]

This was a pretty big letdown IMO. They could have done so much more with this premise, but instead we just get another generic slasher flick except with a kid with superpowers. I couldn't get invested in any of the characters and my god were Elizabeth Banks and the husband morons. I honestly can't remember the last time I've seen such dumb parents make so many illogical decisions. Also, for them to be pumping up the Superman connection so much they barely did anything with it since

Spoiler

we never actually see the kid do anything heroic or struggle with becoming evil.

He's just a sadistic **** from beginning to end who likes killing people for pretty much no reason which doesn't make the character sympathetic at all. If it wasn't for some of the great gore in the third act I probably would have ended up hating this, but great gore can't save a movie and that's no different here.

5/10

 

[MissMarvelous]

I regret having wasted my credit card points for this movie.

The plot twist was very good, it was a very good alternative but the execution was not the best. They had a lot to work with but they wasted it all. And I really didn't feel comfortable with the guy being a little pervert.

 

[terry78]

The thought process was what if a kid had these powers? That is what he'd probably do.

 

[SomeOldGuy]

Just got back. My immediate thought is that it isn’t a bad film, but it is absolutely the blandest, safest execution of the concept they could have done. There are at least two potentially interesting things that are set up in the first part of the film that are just...dropped and never brought up again, in favor of just getting to the action. And that action isn’t as exciting as it could have been since almost everything was spoiled in the trailers. All that said, yeah, I’d be interested in a sequel. 6/10.

 

[writer0327]

This was a fairly decent horror movie that had a lot of potential to be much, much better. I feel like the film is somewhat mislabeled as a "superhero/horror" film. I get why they say that but that doesn't really fit this film. The characters were the weak and underwritten with the exception of Elizabeth Banks as the mom, and this is especially true for the kid. I felt this movie moves up 2 points or more if the kid's character is better fleshed out. However, with all that being said, the horror was well done and the film didn't overstay its welcome. With the way they handled the material, it needed to be slick, quick and over with in a hurry and it was. And that's not to say I didn't like it, but after the first 30 minutes, it was pretty obvious straight-forward horror flick. They hit all the beats they needed to hit, and they wrapped it up neatly.

6.5/10

 

[luis_13]

Liked the twist ending.. not saying I would want a sequel but I wouldn’t mind it .. I just imagine it would have a different tone ..

 

[Starcat]

I really enjoyed it. Many parts were predictable, but the performances and effects were great. I'd love to see more movies of this type.

 

[The Endless]

It wouldve been interesting if the film makers were braver. They wanted to do the whole nature vs nurture thing... well how about show what happens if Kal El was adopted by parents with less morals than the Kent's. Basically amplify what happens to a child who grows up in an abusive home.

 

[_Superman_]

What does James Gunn have to do with Zack Snyder? And I didn't think she liked Snyder's movies. I like Snyder's DC movies (except for "Justice League"), by the way. Just sayin'.

Justice League was not a Zack Snyder movie.

 

[P Supreme]

enjoyed the movie could've used more scenes of him understanding what's happening to him and him slowly giving in to the temptation but nope we go full speed ahead once he figures out the stuff he can do i'm a huge E. Banks fan so seeing her in a more dramatic role instead of comedy was great and the ending was shocking to me didn't think he would go that far but would love a sequel but the box office says were not getting that but cool flick 4/5

 

[Teelie]

Justice League was not a Zack Snyder movie.

It was mostly a Zack Synder movie. Whedon could only do so much with the material after he took over.

 

[Micromind]

Someone should do analysis about the percentage of Whedon's shot footage in JL out of 2 hours total runtime.

I think nearly 40 % of scenes (and dialogue) was by Whedon, so that's substantial.

 

[Teelie]

Except it is closer to 80-85% Synder. At most 20% was Whedon's.

“The goal is to make sure when you’re watching the movie, it all feels cohesive. That imprint that Joss had, some aspect of it is going to come out in the direction, but the actors are already pretty much down the road on their arcs. Let’s just say 80, 85 percent of the movie is what was originally shot. There’s only so much you can do with other 15, 20 percent of the movie.”

We Got This Covered

 

[The Endless]

Justice League was garbage. But there was one thing I liked about it. Happy Superman who was confident and comfortable in his own skin. That was Whedon all over.

 

[Heretic]

Considering that

Spoiler

puberty

is a plot element and then just tossed aside...I think it would have been far scarier and more disturbing if they had explored his uh...

Spoiler

emotional reactions to discovering females...more. I get that he showed up in that girls room and later went back still hoping to get things going with her...but to me it maybe should have been a bigger point for the film...like this alien can't process human emotions and loses it. I actually briefly thought that he was going to sexually assault his aunt/school counselor...and I'm not sure that there has ever been a child victimizing an adult like that on screen before. Would have been unsettling...and I think something might be wrong with me that I actually thought they would do that...but I think that making the story about adolescence and how primal urges left unchecked can be dangerous would be a better story than "good kid starts hearing alien voices and decides to kill people."

Or the "hey, they tried...but these parents just didnt get it right like the Kents did" angle, if they just wanted to make a movie about evil Superboy that didn't go beyond that concept.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Anyone know the U.K release date for this?

 

[scarlet-witch]

This was fine but they could've done so much more with it. The 3rd act was lame.

 

[DarkShadow10]

Anyone know the U.K release date for this?

21st June

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

21st June

Awesome, you before my birthday!

Thanks

 

[newfoundlander]

IMO theres a place for just plain "popcorn flick" horror movies. Thats what this was. The cast was good.. specially Banks, but so was the kid even after he starts going bad..and the gore is fabulous as are most of the kills. I feel like ppl are missing the point as to why he suddenly is just "bam kill em all" in a lot of reviews. Amd it looses marks for it. Yeah, they could have Brandon emotimal struggle over good vs evil... but thats not the point. It never was. It makes sense..and yes the classroom scene lays out a lot of the "why".
*Spoiler slightly.. kinda**

He's never the good kid.. I explaim to friends its not so much "What if Supes had the same upbringing but went evil." like the marketing smartly suggests. Its more " What if Supes landed on Earth.. but he wss a sleeper agent rather than a refugee"his ship starts sending out the beacon/message and it kinda just flips off the fiscade of "Brandon" and is now the invading force he was always ment to be.

Was it perfect? Nope... had plot holes, and dumb horror movie stuff. However thats fine. Im glad were in a time where we get things like (and this is subjective) The VVitch. Babadook, Us, Get Out, Hereditary etc thay are super high bar horror movies.
but I fear were coming to a time where were becoming spoiled and "Average" movies or the movies not dubbed "The Next Exorcist" or some other buzz word falls by the wayside.

Check out Brightburn.. it knows what it is.. it delivers it pretty consistently, and its something a little different in mainstream horror.. which can always use a little extra love.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

Just got back, as a huge Superman fan, I had a lot of fun with this, they kept the concept simple, but it was more than just Superman grows up evil, as the poster above says, the classroom scene at the start and “take the world” have more meaning to the story than it seems people realise.

However, when we did get to the Superboy goes evil, I thought they were great, not scary as such but quite shocking at times and as someone who has read plenty of Superman gone bad storylines it was satisfying to see this stuff on the big screen. Like some others have said I hope we get more movies like this, imagine the likes of Thor or Hulk growing up or becoming bad once they get their powers? At the same time, I hope we get a sequel to Brightburn, yes it hasn’t done amazing at the BO but you wouldn’t guess how little it cost by watching it either. 7/10.