Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Brightburn Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman August 12, 2019

Brightburn tells the story of a 12-year-old super villain named Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn), an alien boy whose space ship crash landed in Kansas and who was adopted by loving parents but who listens to a calling to use his powers for evil rather than good. One of the film's most interesting shots shows one of Brandon's first victims, a classmate whose hand he crushed with his superhuman strength, writing an essay entitled "The Decline of Truth and Justice in the Modern Era.” It's the story's anti-Superman sentiment put as succinctly as possible. Director David Yarovesky (The Hive) and Writers Brian and Mark Gunn have taken a rock-solid anti-genre, anti-hero concept and done little of interest with it. The movie is a madhouse of blood, sound, and special effects but feels rather empty, too introductory and lacking a hook beyond establishing the character in unimaginative, trope-laden ways.

An infertile couple finds a crash-landed alien baby outside their Kansas farm home. Kyle and Tori Breyer (David Denman and Elizabeth Banks, respectively) raise the boy as their own. About a dozen years have passed since the event. They have named him Brandon. He is highly intelligent and something of a social outcast. He is also imbued with superpowers. One day he flings an old lawnmower hundreds of yards, frustrated when it fails to start. He quickly discovers he’s both all-powerful and immune to physical harm. A dark inner voice, its source his own ship hidden in the family’s barn, calls upon him to use his powers for evil. As he begins to change, to realize who he is and what he can do, his behavior shifts: he’s growing more unpredictable and more antagonistic towards his parents and everyone in the community. They believe he’s hitting puberty, but it’s the dark, malicious voice that is proving too strong for him to overcome. As strange events and grisly murders unfold in his hometown of Brightburn, it becomes increasingly clear that Brandon is in the center of the violent maelstrom engulfing the town.

Whatever conflict exists in the movie exists from within, at least for a while, as Brandon discovers who he is and matures into his powers. There's little feel for any internal wrestling between good and evil, no rationalization or really even a hint of using his powers for anything other than violent mischief. For Brandon the satanic voice telling him to "take the world" (which comes complete with a selection of blood-red hellish lights) is never just a temptation: it's a calling. And the boy quickly comes to realize that there's no room for love and normalcy in his life, taking up the mantle of a violently bent trickster who toys with people because he can, because he must. The story is localized, too. Brandon never leaves Brightburn, his Kansas hometown. And his victims don't range too far from home, either. The film also introduces no real foil for Brandon. The conflict is between love and hate, but never within him. There's never any question as to which side will win. Tensions are low even as bloodshed is high, and the movie just never does manage to find any real hook, sense of scope, or feel for conflict.

The gruesome special effects will delight gore hounds. Wounds range from glass in an eye to a jaw severed from the skull, from laser eyes holing through a head to a smashed hand and broken wrist. Blood is everywhere and the production design team gets the most of every drop and every bit of destructive carnage Brandon leaves in his wake. But even the superior technical details cannot hide the monotonous, one-note story or cover for the lack of character depth. The actors do little with the material, either. Jackson A. Dunn delivers a properly devious turn as the powerful villain who cues up the opportunity to burn his bridges and burn down his life and, eventually, the world around him. The deviousness is in full effect even under the makeshift costume (which just sort of appears) and supported by some seamless visual effects (flying, laser eyes), but the actors cannot overcome a script which is no more than the proverbial one-trick pony.

Brightburn Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Brightburn was shot digitally. The movie translates well to Blu-ray, offering a clean-cut image that keeps noise to a minimum, even in challenging dark exterior and low light interior scenes, of which there are many. Black levels hold up throughout, finding a pleasing depth and accuracy during the dark of night, and colors pop against the blackness, including intense reds emanating from the spacecraft as well as freshly spilled blood. Yellows around the house look nice and natural greens, which abound in daytime exteriors, sparkle with good depth and color diversity. Detailing is strong as well. The house's interior offers a variety of well-worn surfaces and trinkets to explore, most all of them presented clearly and effectively. Exteriors, like rusty metal siding around the farm, are sharp enough to all but cut the viewer while natural lines and vegetation maintain firm clarity for the duration. Skin textures are revealing and clothing is appropriately crisp. Gore effects are effectively squirmy and the Blu-ray reveals all of the details with stomach-churning efficiency. There are no source or compression issues to deal with, either. This is a solid image from the top-down.

Brightburn Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Brightburn's Blu-ray ships with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack while the companion UHD includes the upgraded Dolby Atmos soundtrack. While Sony did not have any 4K screeners available (that review will be published slightly after street date) and there is no point of comparison at the time of this review's publication, it's safe to say that the movie is in good hands with this more traditionally configured soundtrack. Various atmospherics around the farm -- singing birds, lightly blowing winds -- are effectively immersive, but it's when the track unleashes the big guns that it finds its footing. Some very strong bass engages when Brandon enters the cellar, responding to the deep, hypnotic, satanic voice calling him to evil. A deep, penetrating knock on a door from a distinct rearward position in chapter nine creates an eerie directional effect, and the movie's climax features some amazingly intense dynamics in chapter 15 as Brandon powers through the stage with remarkable intensity, leaving behind a path of destruction that the track explores in tight, powerful detail. Music is wide and aggressive as well. Clarity is first-rate in every element. Dialogue is firmly grounded in the front-center speaker. It is naturally detailed and well prioritized for the duration.

Brightburn Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Brightburn's Blu-ray release contains a commentary and three featurettes. A DVD copy of the film and a Movies Anywhere digital copy code are included with purchase. This release ships with a non-embossed slipcover.

• Audio Commentary: Director David Yarovesky is joined by Cinematographer Michael Dallatorre and Costume Designer Autumn Steed Yarovesky. They delve into the film with a nice blend of light chitchat and more intricate detail, including production design, cast and performances, characters, costumes, narrative, an alternate ending, and so many of the intricacies involved in making a film. Fans should find it a worthwhile listen.
• Nature vs Nurture (1080p, 5:05): Cast and crew talk up the movie's story and themes and how the characters work into them.
• Hero-Horror! (1080p, 4:46): A look at the movie's take on classic Superhero motifs and turning them upside down into the Horror realm. It also explores characters, casting, and performances.
• Quick Burns Social Vignettes (1080p): Cast and crew snippets promoting the film. Included are Elizabeth Banks (0:38), James Gunn (1:12), and David Yarovesky (0:56).
• Previews (1080p): Additional Sony titles.

Brightburn Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Brightburn feels like an incomplete movie. There is essentially no third act, at least not within a more traditionally structured story. The film introduces the character and sees him grow into his powers while cutting ties with everything that once loved and could love him, but it leaves it at that. There's no challenge, no conflict, no opposition on his plane. Perhaps the opposition is emotion, but there's also no pull between right and wrong, and the family ties are not strong enough to even tempt Brandon to step away from mayhem. The picture is passably entertaining, at least, and it's technically sound, but it needs more. Sony's Blu-ray does deliver top-end video and audio presentations, supported by a handful of extras. Rent it.