Early Reviews For Netflix's Bright Are Looking Pretty Dim

Suicide Squad made a lot of money for Warner Bros, but it was absolutely panned by critics, and is considered by others to be the weakest film of the DCEU. With David Ayer moving on to direct Bright for Netflix, a lot of people thought this was a chance to redeem himself. However, it looks like he has another flop on his hands.

With the review embargo lifted for Bright, here's what some people had to say about the film:

The Hollywood Reporter: That's far from the only clunker in the screenplay, but Bright spends less time imagining its world than it does having people bicker in all-too-familiar ways. It's possible that this screenplay holds a record for the number of times people tell each other to "shut up," but if not, those words are spat out often enough that it's hard not to guffaw when they pop up at a moment that should be dramatic. If only the guffaws came more frequently, or gave more pleasure, Bright might be worth watching.

IGN: Bright could have been something truly special if it had slowed down the pace of its narrative to allow for a fuller exploration of its engaging world. Will Smith and Joel Edgerton are a compelling duo I'd love to see again in a sequel, or even a new series produced by Netflix, so hopefully, this isn't the last we'll see of the world of Bright.

Io9: At one moment in Bright, there's an establishing shot of a dragon flying over Los Angeles. It's gorgeous, exciting, and emblematic of all of the potential in the film. But it never comes back, and by the time Bright is done throwing idea after idea at you, it's hard to remember it was ever there. And that's the movie in a nutshell.

The Wrap: Worst of all, "Bright" is ugly to watch — dingy, poorly staged, taking place mostly at night and in torrential rain for no seeming reason than to cover up how badly its action is shot and edited. Every moment is either too long or not long enough, and even basic spatial and logistical geography makes no sense. The characters fight "Warriors"-style across the city, somehow getting in and out of one locked room, packed club or secret alcove after another without energy or suspense.

When so much of the plot relies upon impossible coincidence, arbitrary change or pure contrivance, perhaps the title is intended to be ironic.

Variety: These confrontations are not for the faint-hearted, as Ayer mixes heavy weaponry with the occasional magic trick, showing a ruthless disregard for basic rights, be they human, Orc or otherwise. "Fairy lives don't matter today," Smith cracks in an early creature-exterminating scene, but the sentiment could just as easily apply to all races. "Bright" may seem cavalier about all that killing, but it sends a message without hammering it home at every turn. And at a relatively tight (by Netflix standards) 117-minute running time, it doesn't overstay its welcome, but leaves you wanting more.

If we could learn anything from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, however, it's that critics and audiences don't always agree. Maybe the critics don't like what Bright has to offer, but that doesn't mean that audiences won't love it.

If Bright truly does turn out to be a flop, I'm wondering how Netflix plans to move forward since they've already announced that a sequel is in the works. Way it looks, this could end up as another Death Note, with sequels planned despite the movie's failure.

Personally, I'm still going to see how the movie turns out. The world itself looks intriguing enough, and I've had my fair share of being ‘fooled' by critics. I loved Guy Ritchie's Man from UNCLE, but I skipped watching it in theaters since the critics didn't like it. Maybe Bright will find it's following when it comes out.

Bright is set to air on Netflix Dec. 22.

See Also: Netflix Orders Sequel To Bright Before Release