Brightburn is a 2019 sci-fi/horror film starring Jackson Dunn as the main character, Brandon Breyer. Let me just start off by saying that this movie is really good.

One fateful night, a meteor crashes into the woods in the property of a Kansas home. Woken up by the noise, Tori and Kyle Breyer investigate the scene. They find a baby boy inside of the meteor and secretly adopt him. Life is normal until the boy, named Brandon, reaches the age of 13. Soon after his birthday, Brandon has visions and dreams that strengthen his power and draw him to his family barn. Inside that barn, unknownst to Brandon, is the spacecraft he landed on Earth in. His mother wakes him up before he can open the door and he walks back into the home like nothing happened.

So far, this storyline may seem pretty familiar. After all, all fans have heard is how this is basically Kal-El’s origin story, but evil. This is only partially true, and it does a huge disservice to the movie, as it is so much more than what is being reported. To be honest, any origin story for aliens has been done to death. It isn’t fair to call one out for having a similar origin because the other one is more famous.  

Brightburn is not a superhero movie. It was and has always been a horror slasher first. Just because Brandon can fly and use heat vision doesn’t mean he is a superhero, or supervillain for that matter. He is a broken psychopath who happens to have unnatural abilities. So, why should you watch this movie? Well, if you’re a fan of gore, you won’t be disappointed. Without spoiling too much, I can confidently say that 3 of the casualties in the film had me almost vomit because of how realistic they were. This was easily the most brutal film I have ever seen, and that was surprising when you realize all of the kills were by a tweenager. Brightburn is, in my opinion, what many other films need to be. Change up the constant stream of the same story over and over, and add a new element we never knew we wanted to see.  

The second reason that you should watch this movie is because of the acting. None of the acting in this movie is bad. Each actor and actress shines like a beacon in the horror genre- which has become known for horrible acting. Jackson Dunn does the best job as the main character, and the cast that plays his family is amazing as well. I felt like this story could happen because of how each character felt like an actual person.

The third and final reason to watch Brightburn is if you just want to have fun! I saw this movie with my family in a cinema and unfortunately, the number of people in the theater was small. I thought it was going to be a quiet experience. Nope. This is the best way to experience a movie. When you and the rest of the audience react in the same way at the same time, it creates a feeling of unity that few movies can truly replicate. Brightburn did this with no trouble and we all laughed, cried, cringed, and had heart attacks in tandem. The movie is fun with others and is a thrilling experience when alone.

In case you couldn’t tell, I love this movie. Everything from the amazing score, visuals, and acting was done really well. The critics are looking at the film too seriously as it is just meant to be a fun time with your pals. Overall, I would give it an eight out of ten. Go watch it and tell me what you thought.