Bright (2017)

Bright (2017)

6/10

Starring

Will Smith

Joel Edgerton

Directed by David Ayer

Bright is a movie filled with all the cliché one-liners you’d expect from an action film. Think of any classic action movie quote—this movie has it. It also tries to add a few of its own, but this Netflix production does justice to the action genre. My verdict after seeing this movie? Go watch it. If you haven’t heard of it, now you have. This is a movie I’d definitely watch a sequel to if Netflix decides to make one. That said, it’s not exactly fantastic.

The movie tries hard to blend action and fantasy, but it feels like it's going through the motions. I feel the pacing is off, especially in the first 30 minutes, where the world-building drags on and on, arrhhh!!! The plot, though packed with potential (which is why I was able to get over the 30 minutes of la-la land), often feels predictable, relying too heavily on familiar tropes without adding much depth.

Still, I liked the movie, I just had to overlook the above, after the movie picked up pace and things started happening. While most of the action is average, the Elves’ rampage is a highlight.

Two thousand years ago, instead of the “death of Christ,” we have the “death of the Dark Lord.” Bright is set in a world where humans coexist with mythical creatures like Fairies, Orcs, Elves, and even mentions of Dwarves.

The movie is an all-out buddy cop action film set in the city of angels, Los Angeles. Will Smith plays Daryl Ward, a police officer teamed up with rookie Orc cop Nick Jakoby (Joel Edgerton), the first Orc officer in this reality.

The plot revolves around an event that happened two thousand years ago: the demise of the Dark Lord. He must have been a bad motherfu@#er because, even two millennia later, his followers are still discriminated against. One group that supported the Dark Lord back then were the Orcs, but as the movie unfolds, you’ll see that not all Orcs were on his side.

With this discrimination lingering, Officer Ward’s return to the force after being shot (while his partner, Nick, was buying snacks) isn’t going smoothly. Ward’s colleagues aren’t thrilled about him still being partnered with Nick, and Ward himself isn’t happy about it either. During their routine patrols, you’ll see how much Ward resents Nick and how much Nick needs to make this partnership work—not just for himself, but for the rest of the Orcs, even though many Orcs hate him for being a cop.

Meanwhile, a group of Elves is trying to bring back the Dark Lord. Their path crosses with Ward and Nick when the two cops stumble upon an Elf and a Wand at the scene of a mini-mass murder.

Things quickly go south for Ward and Nick when word gets out about the Wand. Some of Ward’s fellow officers want to kill both him and Nick to get their hands on it. Gangsters are also after the Wand, and even Nick’s Orc community wants it. Just when you think that’s enough, the group trying to resurrect the Dark Lord starts chasing them too, as the Wand belongs to one of their own.

The Foreigner (2017)

The Foreigner (2017)

7/10

Starring

Jackie Chan

Pierce Brosnan

Directed by Martin Campbell

Different is good, and Jackie Chan is suited for the change. This is a movie with no comic relief—just direct combat, a deep political tone, terrorism, and our hero on a revenge mission. We’re used to the softer Jackie Chan, the one who performs good deeds in his movies. In this film, we don’t see him cleaning up dirt, saving a baby, or being the all-around good guy. Instead, he’s the anti-hero, hell-bent on bringing down a terrorist group and everyone involved in the death of his only living relative: his daughter. I will say the lack of comedy in the movie took me a while to get used to. I watched the movie and keep expecting him, to break off on a comic fight scene or a comic scene, but the movie is a serious one.

This movie is an adaptation of Stephen Leather’s 1992 novel The Chinaman. It’s a British-Chinese co-production starring Jackie Chan and Pierce Brosnan in roles that break their usual typecasting. The story begins with Ngoc Minh Quan (Jackie Chan), a retired Vietnam War special forces operator who now runs a Chinese restaurant in London. His daughter, Fan, is killed in a department store bombing just moments after he drops her off to buy a dress. The bombing is claimed by an Irish group calling themselves the "Authentic UDI."

Frustrated by how the case is being handled, Quan tries bribing the man in charge to get the names of those responsible for his daughter’s death. When the bribery doesn’t work, he sees on TV that the British government is working with Liam Hennessy (Pierce Brosnan), a former IRA member turned Irish government official. Quan confronts Liam, demanding the names of the people involved.

When Liam refuses to cooperate and Quan becomes convinced that Liam is connected to the bombing, he decides to extract the names by any means necessary. This involves Quan blowing up properties tied to Liam, threatening his men and family, blackmailing him, and stalking him. With every action, Quan remains laser-focused, repeatedly demanding the names of the criminals.

The movie is exciting and engaging, even if you can sense some clichés and already know Jackie Chan’s capabilities. It delivers the thrills you’d expect, and every moment is worth watching.

I enjoyed this movie, but I feel the movie struggles with pacing, especially in the slower, more dramatic moments. While the premise is engaging, the plot takes a predictable revenge route, and there aren't many surprises along the way. The action scenes are intense, but they start to feel repetitive after a while. Plus, the lack of the lighter moments we’re used to in Jackie Chan films makes the overall tone feel pretty heavy.

I do not know if this movie is available for stream on the digital platforms, but I have seen it twice since its release, and crave owning it, so I can rewatch it anytime I want.

Coco (2017)

Coco (2017)

8/10

Starring the voices of:

Anthony Gonzalez

Gael García Bernal

Benjamin Bratt

Alanna Ubach

Directed by Lee Unkrich

Coco is it. The movie is beyond lit, and the plot twists come in layers. Just as you’re digesting one magnificent twist, they hit you with another that’ll leave you gasping.

To be honest, Disney Animation has been on point lately, leaving their Pixar arm to bite the dust. Think back to 2012 with Wreck-It Ralph, followed by Frozen (2013), Big Hero 6 (2014), and my second-favorite Disney animation of the last two decades, Zootopia (2016). Meanwhile, Pixar has struggled to make a mark since Toy Story 3 (2010). Coco is only the second Pixar movie since 2010—the first being Inside Out (2015)—that’s worth owning a copy of.

Coco is a 3D computer-animated musical comedy fantasy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and is their nineteenth production released by Disney.

The movie’s plot is original, based on the Mexican holiday, Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), where loved ones remember their deceased relatives. In this story, a 12-year-old boy named Miguel Rivera wants to break free from his family’s shoe-making and polishing business to become a musician. Miguel’s idol is the late Ernesto de la Cruz, the most famous musician in Mexican history. However, Miguel’s family has banned him from pursuing music. On the Day of the Dead, Miguel decides to chase his dream and perform without his family’s blessings.

This leads him to steal his idol’s guitar. Before taking it, he notices the guitar resembles the one in a photo of his great-great-grandmother standing beside her husband, who’s holding the same guitar. Convinced that his idol is his great-great-grandfather, Miguel steals the guitar, which accidentally transports him to the Land of the Dead.

There, he meets his deceased family but decides to avoid them and chase after his idol instead. The catch? He needs his great-great-grandfather’s blessing to return to the land of the living before sunrise, or he’ll be trapped in the Land of the Dead forever.

Setting records in Mexico and already winning awards, this animation is fun-filled and well put together—a must-see for the whole family. The voice acting and singing, are so well done that you will be singing, "you make me un poco loco, un poquititito loco..." when the credits are rolling in.

The plot has heart, and I love it, but it does follow a pretty predictable path, leaning heavily on familiar family and redemption themes. Miguel’s character arc also feels a bit too simplistic—his motivations are clear, but there's not enough depth to make his journey as compelling as it could have been. Even with these weaknesses, the movie still shines in its more emotional moments.

Looking ahead, Disney and Pixar have packed 2018 and 2019 with 3D-animation sequels that are sure to make us run to the cinemas. In 2018, we have Incredibles 2 (Pixar) in June and Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 (Disney) in November. In 2019, we’ll get Toy Story 4 (Pixar) in June and Frozen 2 (Disney) in November.