Brightburn (2019)

written by Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn

directed by David Yarovesky

A spaceship crashes in a Kansas farm owned by a young married couple (Elizabeth Banks and David David Denman). Inside is an infant child, who the pair adopt and name Brandon. Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn) grows up, unaware of his origins, until one day he starts to exhibit superhuman abilities. But these powers are not meant for the benefit of mankind, as in the Superman origin story from which Brightburn takes its inspiration. No, Brandon has one directive and it’s not to fight crime and help his fellow citizens. It’s to take over the world.

It’s a wicked idea that could’ve made for a pretty cool horror flick. But Brightburn is too aimless to make an impression, lacking mood, scares, or even a hint of inner turmoil. Brandon suddenly becomes evil… and that’s that. Guess that puberty is a bitch. Not even a couple of delightfully gory scenes and an admittedly unexpected ending can make up for the fact that this Boy of Steel just can’t fly.

Rating: **

Carlos I. Cuevas