Brightburn

Name: Brightburn
Genre: Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror
Released: May 24, 2019
Duration: 90 min
Rating: 44
Cast: Abraham Clinkscales, Becky Wahlstrom, Christian Finlayson, David Denman, Elizabeth Banks

2019

METASCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 31 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 389 Ratings

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7.3

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7.3	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 389 Ratings

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Brightburn

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Movie Details & Credits

Screen Gems | Release Date: May 24, 2019 | R

Starring: Abraham Clinkscales, Becky Wahlstrom, Christian Finlayson, David Denman, Elizabeth Banks, Elizabeth Becka, Emmie Hunter, Gregory Alan Williams, Jackson A. Dunn, Jennifer Holland, Matt Jones, Meredith Hagner, Stephen Blackehart, Steve Agee

Summary: What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister?

Director: David Yarovesky

Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 90 min

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Critic Reviews

The Playlist Alex Arabian

May 22, 2019

The film is a gem, especially for anyone yearning for a superhero film that gleefully torches the familiar “good versus evil” formula and introduces far more sinister sensibilities. Read full review

Matt Donato

May 24, 2019

Brightburn doesn't ask if you want blood, but you've damn-well got it in this nastily gruesome superhero hack-n-slash that's a nightmare for parents everywhere. Read full review

Richard Whittaker

May 24, 2019

It may be an elevator pitch stretched to 90 minutes, and never aspires to more than that, but it's a fine and distinct funhouse ride designed to elicit cackles, then be forgotten about by the next ride. Read full review

Frank Scheck

May 22, 2019

While not exactly original, the premise is certainly effective enough. But Brightburn lacks the visual stylization or wit to elevate it from the realm of the crudely effective B-movie. Read full review

Empire James White

Jun 17, 2019

Crossbreeding superhero tropes with horror staples was an idea laden with promise. Brightburn is enlivened by trademark James Gunn black comedy, but hamstrung by sketchy writing and a botched sense of dread. Read full review

Lindsey Bahr

May 23, 2019

Brightburn was a good idea. Unfortunately the creativity stopped there. Read full review

Ed Gonzalez

May 22, 2019

The way the film shuttles through its 90 minutes, it’s as if it’s been stripped of its most crucial narrative parts. Read full review

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User Reviews

Dangermouse007

May 24, 2019

As a comic book fan and a horror movie buff, this movie nailed it for me !
I will definitely be watching Brightburn multiple times in the future.

52 of 61 users found this helpful529

vadimkoros

Aug 28, 2019

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I liked the idea that horror is the genre where you can hide the secret meaning…

Apparently, the film is about adoption issues. I think the idea about children or adult children from dysfunctional families and children with birth defects encrypted in the movie. There is a big problem with adopted children from dysfunctional families or children with birth defects. I think it’s hard to discuss it openly.

Children of dysfunctional families and children with birth defects are a broad concept. Not all, but some of them may have brain damage, intellectual disability, behavioral and cognitive disorders, including difficulties with learning and memory, hyperactivity, lowered stress tolerance, autism and Asperger syndrome. Some of them have less severe forms of the condition – they just aren’t born in love.

Suchlike children during puberty begin to show antisocial or deviant behavior. But antisocial behavior is manifested in different ways. Symptoms may be caused by stealing, torturing animals etc. Children like that can insert a chopstick into the eye and at the same time feel nothing. They don’t understand that they are hurting, that the other person or animal is suffering. Such individuals have schizotypal personality, characterized by difficulties with social interaction and communication, and by restricted behavior. The symptoms of the adopted child in this film were manifested by the killing people.

Among other things the film offered options for addressing such issues, which is an even more difficult topic for public discussion of such issues in society. When the adoptive father realized that his adopted son was killing people – took him to the forest and shot him in the head.

There is another aspect of this topic – adoptive parents and particularly the adoptive mother. The adoptive mother subconsciously knew that something about her child is wrong. But the adoptive mother continued to protect him to the end. And it’s a natural reaction for any mother. Adoptive parents get into a very difficult situation. They raised him from the cradle. They invested so much love into him. They have been through so much. After all they have to get thrown him to the mob or take him to the court.

Adoptive parents may have a high social status and a well-paid job. May be they are high-ranking officials. And now they can lose their life work, they can lose everything if everyone finds out that their child is a murder. They have a reason to cover up a criminal. A similar situation is well described in the Russian TV series “The Method” (2015). Psychological thriller consists of 16 episodes and is considered as adaptation of the American TV series “Dexter” (2006-2013).… Expand

5 of 6 users found this helpful51

humunguschungus

May 30, 2019

Brightburn manages to deliver on its amazing premise and adds a few twists and turns that make the film even more disturbing. With great gore and psychological scares Brightburn is one of the best horror films of the year thus far.

4 of 8 users found this helpful44

sumitg

May 26, 2019

Something different from decade old good vs evil superhero movies. Dark superman is the best superman.

3 of 13 users found this helpful310

AdamNasser

Jan 19, 2020

Brandon has read way too much Berserk. Kid even ripped off the mark of sacrifice and qualified as an Apostle (for those who dont know about Berserk, i would spoil the movie). A pretty bland movie overall tho

0 of 4 users found this helpful04

DMLYxCritic

Jan 24, 2020

This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Brightburn is one of the few, if not the only horror/superhero (or supervillain) film out there, but I definitely could not vouch for the film's quality. Sure, it has the qualities of both genres, but it always came up short. This is a type of film that you really wanted to like , but you end up getting disappointed over and over again as the film progresses. The story provided no backstory as to where Brandon came from, the plot was full of holes that made no sense, and not much came from the acting. The gore sequences was well-handled but the whole CGI thingy was too cartoonish to be taken seriously. The only thing that I found comfort in this film is the eerily composed music and the cinematography. The rest: mediocre.… Expand

0 of 26 users found this helpful026

Bagoli_roli

Aug 31, 2019

As a comic lover and massive horror fan this movie could not be anymore of a let down. Don't buy it, stream it, or wait till you find a dvd that was thrown to the side of the road; there are better things you can do with the 90 minutes.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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53	#53 Most Discussed Movie of 2019
67	#67 Most Shared Movie of 2019