Respond to these rapid questions in our Brightburn quiz and we will tell you which Brightburn character you are. Play it now.
This is a body-count horror film with only one killer Superma—I mean, pre-teen alien who looks strikingly similar to a certain super-duper-hero who hasn’t been able to catch a break in recent films—playing the lead role. As well as featuring some of the most implausibly, if not downright stupid, salt-of-the-earth type characters seen in a recent American horror film, “Brightburn” is also an entertaining watch. However, even if you go into “Brightburn” with the understanding that it doesn’t have much going for it other than a few disturbing kill scenes, you will be disappointed nonetheless.
Nobody calls 911 until three people are killed and one person is horribly injured before anyone notices Brandon Breyer (Jackson A. Dunn), a gawky 12-year-old with superpowers and a bad temper. Given that Brandon’s first (and most public) act of violence is witnessed by the entire community, a local sheriff (Gregory Alan Williams) does arrive on the scene. However, in general, Williams’ ludicrously ineffective Sheriff Deever takes his sweet time while investigating Brandon’s whereabouts and activities. Neither Brandon’s aunt, Merilee (Meredith Hagner), nor Brandon’s school guidance counselor are particularly helpful: Merilee texts her husband to say “Good night” seconds after her motion-detecting security alarm repeatedly goes off and Brandon shows up at her front door in the middle of the night, only to say that it wouldn’t be a good idea if Merilee said anything negative about him to Sheriff Deever.
No, there’s something wrong with the people of Brightburn, though it’s never quite clear what it is or how it happened. Brandon’s parents, Kyle and Tori (David Denman and Elizabeth Banks), are particularly concerned about what is happening to their son, despite the fact that they are aware that he is an alien—who, like Superman, mysteriously crashed-landed on Earth when he was a baby—and therefore unfamiliar with the human world.
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However, for some reason, it takes a little while before Kyle and Tori become aware of Brandon’s erratic behavior and react. That, I believe, is the most important concept in “Brightburn”: Those living in the Heartland want to believe so strongly in the virtues of innocentity, goodness, and relatability that they are unlikely to notice an Evil Killer until it is too late, especially when Evil appears in the shape of a white male pre-teen. But Brandon’s parents and neighbors are so trusting and loving that they seem to be barely human at all. That is a wonderful theme, but… Although it’s possible that life is different in Brightburn, it’s difficult to imagine how given that so much of his story follows him, an obviously disturbed child, as he systematically murders everyone in his immediate vicinity. After all, we don’t know much about the Brightburnians besides the fact that they enjoy hunting and drinking while painting, and, in the case of Kyle and Tori, they have an adopted alien child. According to the film, Tori desired a child far more than Kyle did, but this isn’t revealed until the film is almost over. There’s nothing profound about that delayed response; it’s simply a plot contrivance that tests the audience’s patience but is necessary for the story’s progression.
Brightburn Quiz
It is not only that these characters make poor decisions because they are in denial, but it is also that they consistently fail to act in a sympathetic and recognizably human manner that is the only constant about the people of Brightburn. I’m not sure why, other than the fact that this film was clearly made by horror fans in an attempt to outdo or pay homage to their favorite splatter flicks. Aside from that, Brian and Mark Gunn’s screenplay (which was produced by their brother James) is a toothless, vague indictment of its ideal audience: hormonal fanboys who are just as likely to torrent a superhero bonanza, such as the James-Gunn-helmed “Guardians of the Galaxy,” as they are to torrent a gore-fest, such as the Brian and Mark Gunn-scripted “The Belko Experiment.”
Also, you will find out which character are you in this Brightburn quiz.
The Gunns’ disdain for their characters can be seen throughout the novel, but it is particularly evident when Brandon stalks his victims. Despite the fact that these scenes are formulaic, they are at least well-paced and blocked. To be honest, how many times do you want to watch various Brightburn residents attempt to flee (always on their own and without the assistance of anyone else) only to be slaughtered by Brandon? The fact that horror films and true-crime podcasts exist in our timeline means that we all know this kid is evil, but are these flannel-and-jeans blue-collar types too stupid to recognize Brandon for who he truly is?
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Because it’s clear that the only way to get away with the violence in “Brightburn” is to adopt a smugger-than-them attitude, the film’s end-credits stinger is less than flattering: a conspiracy-theory-touting pundit (played by a character actor who frequently appears in Gunn’s films) warns viewers about the dangers of superheroes on his InfoWars-style talk show. Instead of a lighthearted joke, it’s a snobbish, nihilistic jab at anyone who believes in the sort of tin-foil-hat paranoia and cynicism that both Alex Jones and apparently the Gunn brothers peddle for cheap laughs and personal gain on the internet. It’s important to note that if you’re going to try to provoke viewers by turning Superman—a character known for being upbeat and uncynical—into a symbol of modern-day depravity, you must at the very least make me care about the people he’s slaughtering in inventive ways. Aside from that, I’m stuck with a couple of particularly icky moments and a lot of nothing.Also, you must try to play this Brightburn quiz.
For more personality quizzes check this: Charlies Angels Quiz.
