In the superhero horror movie, Brightburn, a refreshing new vision was brought forth – one that defies the conventions of traditional storytelling. Breaking away from the repetitive narratives we’ve grown accustomed to, “Brightburn” dares to explore the darker side of humanity. With its intriguing premise of an abandoned spacecraft survivor turned malevolent force, this film challenges our preconceived notions of heroism.
Is the Brightburn Movie Based on Superman?
Brendan Byer can be seen as a formidable adversary to Superman, showcasing intriguing parallels between their actions. It is worth noting that Byer’s ability to thwart a passenger plane mirrors Superman’s heroic act of saving one in the film Superman Returns (2014). This narrative unfolds within the captivating realm of superhero comics, where both characters emerge as compelling entities. An intriguing aspect to consider is the possibility that both Superman and Brendan Byer may share an extraterrestrial origin, adding an extra layer of depth to their dynamic rivalry.
What Are Brightburn Powers?
Brendan possesses an extraordinary array of powers that far surpass what is depicted in “Superman”. As he continues to mature, he is likely to manifest even more remarkable abilities, such as the power to freeze objects instantaneously. While microscopic X-ray vision may not have been observed in him yet, it is within the realm of possibility for Brendan.
Among the powers that Brendan already exhibits, flight, laser vision capable of incinerating objects, invulnerability, and a remarkable ability to detect heat sources are just the tip of the iceberg. His perceptiveness of living organisms is unparalleled, and his superhuman speed defies comprehension.
Rest assured, Brendan is an incredible force to be reckoned with, and his potential seems boundless.
Superhero Horror Movies Images
It’s one of those times when the expectation is crushed by disappointment. Not a huge dollop of hatred towards a badly made film. However, it is a slight letdown from not getting what you came for. Brendan is the villain, but was this a film that gave me the superhero horror I was looking for?
While Brightburn is a solidly filmed, beautifully executed movie, to be fair I was not that thrilled. The whole story is laid out in the trailer. Don’t expect any surprises.
But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel in the form of theories about what Brandon Bryer might be made of. Just about every character in the DC universe is related to either man or beast, so why not this guy? Right before the credits roll, there is a little news clip with Micheal Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy) in which he describes other sightings of characters in the universe Bryer lives in.
Is Brightburn A Good Movie?
The performances were fantastic here. The standout for me was Elizabeth Banks who plays Brandon’s mom. I adored her in the previous role of Effie Trinket in the Hunger Games movie series. In Brightburn, her portrayal made it easy to pin your hopes on her longing for the son she always wanted rather than barrack for Brandon to come good.
Firstly though, things Brightburn has going for it are the spectacular gore inclusions. They’re surprisingly heavy-hitting and well done considering the moderate budget. Strangely enough, $7 million is not a lot of cash to pull off a film like this. The movie was produced by The H Collective whose last film was The Belko Experiment in 2016 and they teamed up with Troll Court Entertainment.
Unfortunately, if you saw this in the UK, you missed out. Get your hands on the DVD because you guys got the censored version to obtain a ’15’ age rating. Bummer.
What is Brightburn Streaming On?
- From director David Yarovesky
- Writers Brian and Mark Gunn.
- Produced by The H Collective and Troll Court Entertainment
- Distributed by Screen Gems and Sony Pictures Entertainment
- DVD or Blu-ray released September 2019. What is Brightburn on? You can watch the movie for free on TubiTV in the USA.
Brightburn Movie Trailer
Matt Jones Brightburn Cast
In addition, I equally liked Noah played by Matt Jones simply because he brought a real comical element to cut through the terrorism from Brandon.
Finally, Jackson A. Dunn in the role of Brandon was a winner for me. I think his unemotive repertoire was purposeful or even if it was unintentional he was chosen for the role because of it. Funnily enough, his first outing on screens was a 2014 documentary TV Series called Killer Kids, isn’t that eerie?
For me though, Brandon Bryer was not given enough narrative to get a full picture of what he’s all about. It’s easy to put it down to the story being all about showing that even when someone grows up in a loving home with everything they need, they can still turn out for the worst. But for me, that just doesn’t cut it. After all, he isn’t human. That idea comes out in the wash. I’m more inclined to think that Brandon is swaying between what he knows and what’s inherently inside him.
He’s the Bad Guy
At the end of the day, this one is not something that needs a theatre experience. Unless, of course, you want the full impact of the heart-starting jump scares that were really fun in the first half. That was worth the discounted price of a ticket alone.
I give Brightburn
3.5 Where is the second half of my film? out of 5
Brightburn Review; Spoiler Section
At the beginning of the movie, Brandon gives a fantastic breakdown of bees vs. wasps. He doesn’t have normal human urges which are shown when Dad gives him a sex talk and he thinks he’s talking about something else. Perhaps his body is going through changes. Maybe those changes aren’t the normal ones humans have and that’s why his obsession with the inner workings of humans began.
Like David Dunn in Unbreakable, he knows he’s different. But until the discovery of the spacecraft, he didn’t know his race thinks of itself as superior to humans. Because of his upbringing this far, he hid his drawings not because he’s ashamed of them but because he knows they’ll ruin his plan. The ship has been speaking to him and once he deciphered its language and was seen to have made out three words, we weren’t shown what else it was saying to him.
He was prompted by the voices (perhaps telepathic communication like insects have) on touching the blades of the mower and, freaking out then killing the chickens. These things almost serve as a lesson on what he can do with his abilities. We weren’t shown how he came to realize he had bio-electric energy blasts which in turn were used to kill his father.
Who Programmed the Ship?
When he’s in front of the chickens, you can hear that whispering. But he’s not a good kid turned bad. I think he’s just “come into” his power. He’s always been singled out at school, but examples were never given. When in the office though, it’s easy to see Brandon isn’t the ‘sweet boy’ his mother mandates that he is. There is information missing as to what he’s done to make him stand out because it can’t just be that he’s smart. The people in town were reportedly all talking about his adoption which I think is because of his behavior.
In “Brightburn” Brandon says to his mother, “he wants to do good.” Again, I think this is only due to what his parents have tried to teach him. His sociopathic behavior is driven by his species. If it’s a wasp, it’s all about protecting himself. Everything else is just a mimic of things he’s already seen. The flowers, for example, brought to the girl he just crushed the hand of, didn’t show empathy. He came to tell her, he was killing her mother, and indirectly it’s her fault for nearly blowing his cover.
Superhero Quotes
“Take the World”
Quote from Brightburn
If you look at Brandon’s kills, just like wasps and hornets, his actions were a direct retaliation to a threat. He doesn’t attack anyone who hasn’t ‘disturbed’ or attacked him. Is he a hornet or Vespa perhaps? Maybe Brandon is somehow related to Scotty McDowell. Scotty McDowell is also known as The Hornet from the Marvel cartoons. As other superheroes are mentioned in the end sequences, it’s entirely possible.
There is also the female wasp character The Wasp aka Janet van Dyne. Maybe that’s his mom? Just a thought…
Other Mentioned Superheroes Listed
- Wonder Woman— is mentioned as a villain who chokes people with ropes to get them to tell the truth.
- Aquaman— is mentioned as a villain who terrorizes the seas.
- The Flash— is among those pictured.
- There is also a question mark, most probably Batman as he is usually shown as the silhouette this character forms.
