Brightburn (2019) - Family ties can blur and erase the truth - 7/10 (10/06/19)

Someone I used to know was once invited to a family supper. He had attended, enjoyed and been looking forward to such occasions numerous times in the past but that particular supper was a whole different thing. A distant family member, who had been described as a shady person with dangerous tendencies who had been considered the family's black sheep and hadn't been in touch with the family for many years, was unexpectedly there as well. Everybody acted like nothing had ever happened but the person I knew just couldn't do that and was accused of spoiling everybody's fun that night. That family supper was a huge blow to his already struggling relationship with that family. I believe this person shouldn't look back in regret and can be proud of his integrity even though that event had regrettable negative short-term consequences and is an anecdote of a challenging time. Why do I mention that anecdote? This is to prove that family ties can blur and erase the truth. This is exactly what Brightburn is about.

The movie tells the story of a young couple who desperately wants to have children but it just doesn't work out. One night, an unidentified flying object lands in the forest behind the couple's farm. Inside the capsule, they find a baby boy and raise him as their own child. Twelve years later, a mysterious force from the unidentified flying object hidden under the barn awakes the dark side of the son who starts acting erratically. The parents refuse to accept the truth and believe their son is sleepwalking when he is about to find the capsule that once brought him to Earth or blame the brutal death of their chickens on a wolf when they were actually killed by their son. The son's actions get worse every single day when he breaks into the house of a potential love interest and even breaks her hand when she calls him a pervert in front of other students. The parents slowly start accepting that something is wrong with their adopted son but the mounting pressure pushes the teenager to use supernatural force to commit more and more outrageous crimes to protect his mysterious identity. When the parents finally decide to take action, it's already too late to stop an irreversible series of tragedies.

Brightburn convinces with a constantly growing intensity leading to a rather unusual ending. The story offers food for thought and makes us question our blind dedication to our families. The film features some quite grisly scenes that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

On the other side, the plot is obviously very ridiculous. Even if we accept that this is a science-fiction horror movie, the lead characters make so many questionable and at times obviously illogical choices that it's hard to empathize with them at all. The film is also rarely scary and can rather be described as a science-fiction thriller than a genuine horror movie. Another flaw is that the film never offers any explanation regarding the lead antagonist's origins. There is perhaps room for a sequel or even a prequel to offer more insights into the story.

In the end, Brightburn is a movie that will please to those who are looking for a superhero movie with a sinister twist. The film is entertaining from start to finish and gets more intense as it progresses. The story is however forgettable. On a closing note, family values are obviously as important to me as to the next guy. However, family ties should never blur or erase the truth. If a woman writes on a dating portal that family is her life, I already know she isn't my kind because I want to date a woman and not an entire family and I know this sentiment is shared by several friends of mine.