This decade has been undoubtedly the superhero decade. Fans have spent billions of dollars to watch their favorite caped crusaders on the big screen. Brightburn puts a spin on this genre with a villainous character that feels all too familiar. Even though Brightburn puts a spin on the superhero genre, it is a horror movie at its core. Using hardcore gore, and suspenseful thrills, Brightburn tries to capitalize on a trend in movies while peaking people’s curiosity on an evil version of a beloved character.

Brightburn has some familiar faces but no true star power. Elizabeth Banks (Tori Breyer) is the biggest star of the film and gives an above average performance. It wasn’t groundbreaking or riveting, but it holds up to lead actress in a horror flick standards. David Denman (Kyle Breyer) plays the father role in this film and again does just enough to not taint the film. There isn’t any point in the film that you will be drawn in by the acting, however none of it will ruin your experience. This also goes for the child performance by Jackson A. Dunn (Brandon Breyer). Child actors have a lot of pressure on set to be equally as good as their adult costars so some slack should be cut. With that said, Jackson held his own.

The major fault in Brightburn is that it rushes thru the first act, presumably because we are all familiar with the premise of the story. At no point do you build an attachment to any of the characters in the film. Moments that should be emotional feel bland and the only time you are sucked into the film is thru gore and mild suspense, which are spaced between slow builds and character development. Some of the scenes are enjoyable, and the thought of your neighbors shithead 12 year old having Man of Steel-like powers is terrifying. Brightburn borders on disappointment due to the fact that they rushed to the plot so fast they almost leave the audience behind. The gore in the film is graphic so it surely is not for the younger viewers. If you feel a need to satisfy your curiosity about Brightburn then by all means go see it, but if you feel you can wait it will make a good film to enjoy during the Halloween season in your own home.

If you went to see Brightburn please leave us your opinion on our comments, forums, or voicemail line. We are interested to know how you received it.