Netflix Action Thriller Brings Middle-Earth To The Present
Released in 2017, Bright combines the fantasy and police thriller genres. Set in a modern world where orcs and elves coexist with humans, it’s an interesting premise that didn’t quite land with critics. Despite its poor critical reception, the movie was a major streaming hit for Netflix.
Bright On Netflix
The plot of Bright combines standard tropes of both genres, centering on a buddy-cop team that finds itself protecting a young elf girl with a powerful magic wand.
The movie’s central characters are Daryl, a human LAPD officer, and America’s first orc police officer Nick. The two find themselves protecting the elf girl Tikka from the evil elf, Leilah who hunts them through a fantasy version of LA.
Will Smith And Joel Edgerton
Bright brought together an impressive cast, with a major celebrity to serve as the movie’s face.
The central cast consists of Will Smith, Joel Edgerton, Lucy Fry, and Noomi Rapace giving the Netflix original some genuine star power.
The supporting cast includes notable performers like Ike Barinholtz, Dawn Olivieri, Margaret Cho, and Joe Rogan.
A Turning Point For Streaming
Conceived as a blockbuster action movie, Bright made a splash in the world of original streaming movies with its enormous budget. With an initial budget of $90 million, it was labeled the most expensive Netflix original movie up to that point, largely due to the movie’s costly special effects.
It was a major turning point, proving that streaming services could afford to make big, expensive, original movies with no theatrical showing.
The release of Bright was tarnished by association with its writer, Max Landis. A few days after the movie came out, the writer was accused of sexual assault by multiple women who had worked with or been personally involved with him. Both the severity of the accusations and the timing cast a negative light on the movie itself.
Critics Hated It
Bright also had to overcome negative reviews from critics, who generally dismissed the movie as terrible at worst and mediocre at best. With a score of 26% among critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but an 83% audience score, it was decidedly divisive.
The audience response was also evident in the movie’s success, being streamed by an estimated 11 million Americans in its first few days on Netflix, even boosting the company’s subscriber base that quarter.
Another indicator of the movie’s success is the existence of its animated follow-up Bright: Samurai Soul. Released in 2021, the movie was an international production that saw American and Japanese talent working together on a historical samurai story set in the same universe as the original.
Sequel Was Scrapped
A direct sequel was also planned but scrapped in 2022 after Will Smith’s infamous slapping of Chris Rock at the Oscars.
While Bright’s reputation has been diminished by the behavior of its star and writer, there’s no denying it was a hit back in 2017. As an action movie with a unique fantasy spin, fans looking for a fun but shallow take on the genre may find it worthwhile.
Action fans intrigued by the prospect of seeing Will Smith partnered with a Lord of the Rings-style orc can stream Bright on Netflix.
