Bright

Buddy cop movies have been around for a very long time. I could easily pick out a lot of films that have used this genre since the 70´s. But i suggest we stick to the 80´s right now, when actors Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy teamed up in 48 Hours. An action comedy from 1982, that actually worked well, thanks to the chemistry between Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy. There are some classic scenes in here, where loud mouth Eddie Murphy delivers some classic one liners. Even if the film is almost 36 years old, i still think the film is funny today. Of course there was a sequel made in 1990. It is not as good as the first film, but not all terrible either. It was mostly fun to see them team up again. Lethal Weapon is perhaps one of the most famous buddy cop movies that most people know of. And last year it was 30 years ago that Lethal Weapon was released in cinemas, back in 1987. To see Mel Gibson and Danny Glover as partners, felt a bit nostalgic. I heard in the end of 2017, that they are supposed to return in Leathal Weapon 5. Bad idea ? Yes, i think they might be old for this shit. Speaking of the 80´s, there was a film released in 1988 that actually made something different in the buddy cop genre, and mixed it with science fiction horror as well. How many of you remember the film Alien Nation, directed by Graham Baker ? This film have become a cult film for many sci fi fans, and actually no official sequel was ever made. A Tv series was made of Alien Nation, that only lasted one season, and some TV movies based on the TV series of Alien Nation. I personally have always enjoyed the feature film of Alien Nation. It is a very different approach on how humans and aliens, can work together in society. In this case, 2 police officers that become partners, one is a human, and the other one is one of the "Newcomers ". Lead actors James Caan and Roger Aaron Brown did a great job, portraying police officers from 2 very different cultures, fighting against the deadly drug Jabroka. Last year i read about a Netflix film called Bright was coming out in December on Netflix. The trailer looked like a different version of Alien Nation, but with a complete different story, set in Los Angeles. Since i have always enjoyed the concept of Alien Nation, i was curious to see if Bright would be a fun trip for VHS old school nerds like myself. Do we finally have a Netflix film that will please all you Fifty Shades fans worldwide, or is this a film made to make us suffer for all eternity ?

Present Day, Los Angeles. Humans, orcs, centaurs, dwarfs and elves all live in the same society. Veteran LAPD Officer Daryl Ward ( Will Smith ) is chosen to work with his new orc partner Nick Jakoby ( Joel Edgerton ). A criminal orc almost kills Daryl while on patrol, but manage to survive thanks to Nick. Daryl and Nick continue to work together on the streets of Los Angeles. While on patrol, they respond to a disturbance to a house, that turns out to be a Shield of Light safehouse. They found a number of dead bodies, and a still-living torso of an elf woman embedded in a wall. They apprehend a unhurt survivor, a young elf naked Tikka ( Lucy Fry ). She is carrying a magic wand, that according to Nick is like a nuclear weapon, that can only be commanded by a " Bright ", a rare person. If an ordinary human try and use the magic wand, they will die. Tikka warn Daryl and Nick that something evil is coming for them. At first, Daryl and Nick don´t know what she means, until they encounter Leilah ( Noomi Rapace ), an Infirni elf, who is seeking the magic wand. She is planning to cause chaos, and Daryl and Nick are not willing to let that happen, even if they risk their lives.

I know that a lot of critics have slammed Bright for many reasons. But you know what, i actually am one of those who enjoyed Bright. I would not say that this is an original film, or break many new grounds. But the film does manage to bring back the Alien Nation vibe, with some different adjustments. To see humans among orcs and elves in society, may sound pretty lame. But once you get into Bright with an open mind, i think you will have a good time, especially if you grew up watching VHS violence in the 80´s and 90´s, like i did. There is plenty of action scenes, and shoot outs, so you won´t get bored. In some ways i would call this film a throwback to action films of the 80´s, when acting was not the biggest issue, as long as you delivered a fun action film. There are science fiction elements in Bright as well, since society is very divided with different species. Will Smith does a performance that may not be one of his strongest, from an acting perspective. But i think he does make his character fun, and i have seen him do much worse performances than in Bright. Joel Edgerton as the partner of Will Smith, is in my opinion a good choice as the Orkish police officer Nick. The combination of these characters, reminded me of why i enjoyed Alien Nation from the 80´s. That 2 very different personalities, can work together, no matter where they are originally from. The CGI effects are ok for the most part ( except for a few details ). I also enjoy the brutality that this film go for, and that is a very good idea when you go for a mix up like this film does. Director David Ayes is perhaps known mostly for his films Harsh Times, Street Kings and End Of Watch, until he was offered to direct Suicide Squad. By the way, i actually enjoyed Suicide Squad ( even if i did have some issues with the film ). With his new film Bright, he have really tried to bring back the 90´s again, and i think he does a good job. The acting is not very good, but you want to see a film like this because of the brutal action scenes. And Bright is a popcorn moment, especially for you who enjoy action films from the 80´s and 90´s. I know a sequel is on the way, and i hope we could see a cameo of Dolph Lundgren in the sequel. He would be awsome to see in Bright 2, because Dolph is always awsome. I suggest you log in on Netflix and give Bright a chance. You might actually have a fun moment with this film, as i did watching the film.

Rating: DDD