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Parents' Guide to

Brightburn

By Jeffrey Anderson, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 16+

"Superpowered monster child" plot gives way to blood, gore.

Movie R 2019 91 minutes
Brightburn Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 16+

Based on 17 parent reviews

B-127
B-127 Adult
December 23, 2019
age 18+

Extreme levels of shocking gore, should be rated NC-17

I knew this wouldn't be for kids when I watched it, but even watching it as an adult, this film really angered me with its casual use of extremely disturbing, gory violence. It's in the Top 3 most gory, disgusting, disturbingly violent movies I've ever seen. It was marketed as an interesting take on the superman tale: childless farmers find a baby in the woods, and raise him, only to discover he has superpowers. In this version, the child gets bullied and instead of learning to stand up for the little guy, it's possible he's going to use his powers for evil, maybe even become a super-villain, or at least, be lost and confused for a while before figuring things out. That's not how it goes. He immediately gives in to the temptation to use his superpowers to get revenge and get what he wants by hurting other people, and does it again, and again, and again. SPOILERS ahead.... One image that sticks with you after the film is of the main character murdering a family member. There's a jarring, disturbing special effect where they show, up close and slow-mo (freeze frame style) that the victim's jaw and or neck has been broken. Moments later he tries to beg for mercy and his jaw falls off. Is that enough to keep you from watching this piece of trash? If not, read on... He also murders his own father, up close and graphically, mercilessly. Ever wondered what it would be like if superman's heat vision was used at point-blank range on a human face? This movie shows that. He also has a girl in class he likes (the Lana Lang type character) but uses his powers just to sneak into her room, murder her mother at work, etc. He is a monster. Later he terrorizes, bloodies up, then murders his own mother. There are numerous additional, extremely gory and terrifying murders along the way. This movie was made with the intent of harming its audience. Stay far, far away. Would not recommend to anyone. Wish this movie and this kind of movie did not exist.

This title has:

Too much violence
Too much sex
2 people found this helpful.
Bamjama
Bamjama Adult
December 3, 2019
age 17+

Over rated

The movie made no sense. There's no real plot to the movie. No explanation of why he was doing what he was doing. Just an over rated movie. Would not recommend spending money or time on this movie
1 person found this helpful.
See all 17 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In BRIGHTBURN, Kansas couple Tori (Elizabeth Banks) and Kyle Breyer (David Denman) wish and hope for a child, but their dream is denied until one eventful night. Years later, their sweet, smart son, Brandon (Jackson A. Dunn), turns 12 and suddenly everything changes. He starts acting strangely, so Kyle decides to have "the talk" with him. Afterward, Brandon starts to exhibit powers, such as super strength and speed and heat vision. And he starts using them to get what he wants and to protect himself -- up to the point of killing. He even devises a signature to leave at the scene of his crimes, as if proud of his handiwork. Meanwhile, a secret hidden in the family's barn reveals three words that will determine his dark path.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (17 ):
Kids say (24 ):

This attempt at a fresh take on superhero movies falters just after its setup, never really exploring its potentially interesting theme. Instead, it just becomes a gory Omen knockoff with superpowers. Produced by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy and GOTG Vol. 2) and written by his cousin Mark Gunn and brother Brian Gunn, Brightburn does start with a terrific concept. What if, say, Superman's adoptive parents in Smallville failed to instill in him a sense of right and wrong, of generosity and kindness, of empathy? The answer is that he could easily have become a little monster, simply destroying everything. And that's about it.

The curious thing is that the parents, played by Banks and Denman, don't seem to be terrible people, and they more or less earn our sympathy -- for a time, anyway. As for Brandon, after he takes his first life, he becomes impossible to root for. Indeed, it's unclear exactly what we're supposed to root for. Brightburn quickly becomes a basic slasher movie, but without the simplicity of one; it's a tragedy demoted to a gorefest. At least The Omen -- and, even better, Joe Dante's "It's a Good Life" episode of Twilight Zone: The Movie -- dug a little deeper into the "evil child" theme. Brightburn instead stays on the surface, content to prioritize blood and guts over characters and ideas.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about Brightburn's violence. Is it shocking or thrilling? Does it all feel necessary to the story?

  • How does Brightburn compare to other superhero movies? Do all superheroes make a choice of what to do with their powers? What helps make this decision?

  • Is the movie scary? What's the appeal of horror movies?

  • What makes the "evil child" subgenre of horror (The Bad Seed, Village of the Damned, The Omen, etc.) so interesting?

  • What's the relationship between the parents and the child like? Do they communicate? Do they show support?

Movie Details

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