The Sci-Fi Thriller On Netflix That Feels Like A Marvel Movie
With the constant steady flow of Marvel movies that we’ve seen since the MCU kicked off in 2008, one of the unfortunate side-effects is that we sometimes overlook the hidden gems that don’t get as much screen real estate upon their theatrical release. Sleight is one such movie, and is a prime example of a superhero movie that subverts genre expectations by being more grounded in reality than its contemporaries.
The sci-fi thriller Sleight is streaming on Netflix.
Though this J.D. Dillard directed film doesn’t occupy a vast and expansive multiverse, it simply doesn’t need to because its rich storytelling will keep you engaged in the real, physical world from start to finish.
Sleight is a movie that centers on Jacob Latimore’s Bo Wolfe, a young man tasked with caring for his little sister, Tina, after both their parents passed away. Bo is an engineering genius who developed an electromagnet for a high school project, which landed him a university scholarship that he had to turn down because of his unfortunate circumstances.
Knowing that necessity is the mother of invention, Bo makes a living performing sleight-of-hand street magic during the day, and gives David Blaine a run for his money through his use of an electromagnet that he implanted in his own arm that allows him to seemingly manipulate metal with his mind.
Sleight isn’t necessarily a superhero movie with a lot of heart, but instead a coming-of-age story that takes superhero tropes and adds a layer of humanity that isn’t always seen in your typical Marvel or DC movie.
But street magic isn’t enough for Bo to keep a roof over his head, and he has to sell drugs by night for a supplier named Angelo. What sets Sleight apart from other superhero movie arcs is that Bo isn’t a bad guy turned good, or an anti-hero by any stretch of the imagination, but rather a young man who is down on his luck, and needs to support his family with his limited resources.
By resorting to this illegal side-hustle, Bo gets way in over his head, but his intentions always remain pure.
When a new supplier comes to town, Angelo wants Bo to pay him a visit, and Bo uses his pick pocketing skills to track down the new kingpin by stealing a dealer’s cell phone and reviewing the call history.
Things escalate quickly in Sleight when Angelo, who seemed like a reasonable guy in the first act of this movie, goes on the war path with his efforts to reclaim control over his territory. Knowing that he can no longer live a double life, Bo steals $15,000 from Angelo with the intention of fleeing town.
At this point, the stakes in Sleight couldn’t be any higher, and the movie continues to escalate. Angelo kidnaps Tina, and demands that Bo pay a ransom to win back her freedom.
Produced with a modest budget of $250,000, Sleight garnered an 80 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, and has received an immense amount of praise for its storytelling, tenderness, and imagination.
Knowing that he needs to bust out the big guns, Bo seeks out his old high school science teacher who helps him modify his arm with a feedback oscillator, which will enhance his ability to manipulate much larger objects, but has potential to cause his arm to overheat.
The final showdown is worthy of praise because we’re not witnessing some larger than life superhero with infinite strength and powers, but rather a young man in his early 20s who is simply trying his best to be a good person while also securing a better life for himself and his younger sister.
But what’s most impressive about Sleight is the fact that it proves to audiences that a superhero movie doesn’t need to have a massive budget to get its point across. Produced with a modest budget of $250,000, Sleight garnered an 80 percent critical score on Rotten Tomatoes, and has received an immense amount of praise for its storytelling, tenderness, and imagination.
The prevailing sentiment among critics is that Sleight pulls off the near-impossible task of staying grounded in its storytelling even though it finds its characters in heightened situations that require you to suspend some disbelief.
Sleight isn’t necessarily a superhero movie with a lot of heart, but instead a coming-of-age story that takes superhero tropes and adds a layer of humanity that isn’t always seen in your typical Marvel or DC movie. If Bo was an ordinary street magician without an electromagnetic arm implant, the same story could be told because Sleight places most of its emphasis on character development rather than the character’s powers.
Bo’s “powers” are simply a byproduct of his intellect, and his willingness to adapt to an impossible situation.
But perhaps the best part about Sleight is its runtime compared to other superhero movies. Clocking in at just under 90 minutes, Sleight delivers the goods without ever meandering off into the weeds, or coming off as heavy-handed. If you’re ready to hit the ground running and watch an expertly paced superhero drama, then Sleight, which can be streamed on Netflix, comes with strong recommendation.
