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Netflix Original Film ‘Bright’ as a blockbuster film turns fantasy into a violent reality.
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The R-16 film stars Will Smith and Joel Edgerton portrays Daryl Ward and Nick Jakoby respectively.
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Humans, orcs, elves, fairies and other mythical creatures coexist in this alternate present-day world.
The Netflix Original Film ‘Bright’ turns fantasy into very-much violent reality. Will Smith stars as Los Angeles Police Department officer, Daryl Ward. While Joel Edgerton stars as his orc rookie partner, Nick Jakoby. At the start of the film, an unknown orc shoots Daryl. Then, when Nick tried to pursue the shooter, the suspect got away.
This incident created a tension between the two and rumors that Nick allegedly let the shooter go because of their similar race. On Daryl’s first day back, they embarked on a magical but dark journey after they responded on a call assignment. Will played Daryl as an intelligent and unpredictable police officer. However, Joel played Nick as a happy-go-lucky and naive police officer.
Daryl and Nick stumble upon an elf named Tikka (Lucy Fry) with a rare artifact, a magic wand. Lucy played Tikka as a weirdly crazy and unworldly elf ready to protect what needed shielding. They end up on the run from: orc and human gangs, fellow police officers, mysterious Magic Task Force and the wand’s true owner, the murderous Leilah (Noomi Rapace). Noomi played Leilah as a bad-ass and independent woman.
The film takes place in a modern-day Los Angeles with a twist. Fairies turned out to be an insect-like nuisance, orcs treated as outcasts and elves dominate the filthy rich neighborhood in Beverly Hills. Bright talks about timeless issues like racism, social caste system, police brutality and little bit of sexism.
Elves take over the roles of the elite and prestigious. Orcs, however, fill in for the racially profile minorities and lower classes. A war long time ago created a rift between humans and orcs causing the rarity of the two mingling.
The setting which takes place in alternate present-day world made it more understandable. If you look at it Bright lets humans portray as the superior race and orcs play as the minorities in present-day world. Since humans and orcs don’t really mix well together, his fellow cops resent Nick’s presence in the LAPD. The said resentment can actually be seen in real life when police brutality against racial minorities take place.
The topic of racism will make you uncomfortable because of its perfect portrayal. It’s like seeing the actual news events in a film. The hunt for the magic wand created problems to start rising. Bright makes its own mythology a bit confusing and challenging to understand. Although, the ending of the film makes it seem there will be a sequel. The title describes people who can handle magic wands without burning or exploding into dust.
Maybe the sequel will consist of the creation of how and why a Bright could be made. Also, the follow-up movie could talk about their history and the war that created tension between humans and orcs.
