Will Smith

Bright (2017)

Bright (2017)

Netflix Original

Director:

David Ayer

Starring:

Will Smith

Joel Edgerton

Noomi Rapace

Plot:

Set in a world where mystical creatures live side by side with humans. A human cop is forced to work with an Orc to find a weapon everyone is prepared to kill for.

Review:

I have been waiting to watch this for half the year. As anyone who’s read my book reviews know I am a fan of Urban Fantasy so I was very excited to see a movie coming out in that genre, especially one with a fair amount of money behind it. I was a bit concerned by the choice of writer and director, but since I’ve already got a subscription to Netflix it wasn’t a hassle to sit down and watch.

Daryl Ward, Will Smith, is a veteran cop that no one wants to work with, I assume it’s because of his personality though it’s never really expounded on and honestly he didn’t seem worse than the other cops. He’s paired up with rookie and first time orc cop Nick Jakoby, Joel Edgerton, who puts up with a ton of shit but since he’s still got the new cop shine he’s optimistic. It was actually super cute to see this cop that everyone hates either because he’s a cop, or because he’s an orc, or because he’s a unblooded orc somehow keep up his high spirits. He was young and hopeful and it was so sweet.

The world, at least LA, is not a nice place. The elves are rich, everyone else is poor, various gangs seem to rule. It reminded me of 80s LA or NY. Magic is there in the background, and there are magical beings like fairies and dragons, but it doesn’t really seem to be in the day to day.

I liked that a magic wand was equated as being like a nuclear bomb. I liked that there was a whole federal agency dedicated to magical stuff. I wanted more, though. There wasn’t enough world building or explanations. It was more of a cop drama with sprinklings of magic thrown in.

I liked the concept, liked most of the story, I just wish there was more magic. I’m glad they’re making another movie and I hope that it’s able to build on the world.

4/5

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Hitch (2005)

Hitch (2005)

Director:

Andy Tennant

Starring:

Will Smith

Eva Mendes

Kevin James

Plot:

While helping his latest client woo the fine lady of his dreams, a professional “date doctor” finds that his game doesn’t quite work on the gossip columnist with whom he’s smitten.

Review:

I like this type of romantic comedy. It doesn’t require any kind of thought, it’s funny and silly, and never gets too deep. It’s nice to chill out too while you’re doing something else.

Will Smith’s character, ‘Hitch,’ is a sort of pickup artist, only he’s not a douchebag out for one thing, he’s trying to help other guys get noticed by their crushes. It’s something that could very easily go down a dark path, but I don’t feel like it ever does. He doesn’t force these women into dating the guys, he just gets the women to notice them, and then coaches the men on how to not let themselves get in the way. He tells them to listen and basically teaches them not to be that guy that can’t move past the fact that they’re finally out on a date with the person they’ve been mooning over. He gives good advice and it’s up to them to follow it and since the guys have paid a decent amount of money and actually love the girl they follow it.

The movie is about what happens when this smooth man that can hook other guys up can’t get anything to work right with the woman he likes but it works anyway. It’s silly and predictable but fun and I like it.

3.5/5

 

Bad Boys II (2003)

Bad Boys II (2003)

Director:

Michael Bay

Starring:

Will Smith

Martin Lawrence

Plot:

Two loose-cannon narcotics cops investigate the flow of Ecstasy into Florida from a Cuban drug cartel.

Review:

I didn’t plan to watch this movie, but flipping through streaming services it appeared and I couldn’t not watch it. This is really Will Smith at his peak, him and Lawrence were great together. I didn’t plan on watching the full thing, but each time I started to turn it off something funny would keep me watching. I love the marriage of comedy and action. My husband says that this is the best Michael Bay movie and I think I agree with him.

4/5

Suicide Squad (2016)

suicide-squad

Suicide Squad (2016)

Director:

David Ayer

Starring:

Will Smith

Jared Leto

Margot Robbie

Plot:

A secret government agency recruits some of the most dangerous incarcerated super-villains to form a defensive task force. Their first mission: save the world from the apocalypse.

Review:

Well that movie sucked. It started off with a barrage of information on characters, but didn’t really do much character development. I didn’t care about anyone, especially the main military dude, he was so uninspiring which wasn’t good considering how the movie ended. I seriously just didn’t care about any of them. A couple just showed up out of nowhere with almost no intro too.

The music was good, but unlike Guardians of the Galaxy it didn’t really serve a point except to be good music in the background. It didn’t add to the movie in the same way. It wasn’t even like Deadpool music wise. I feel like they took the wrong thing from those movies and just tried too hard with the music.

I also didn’t get everyone’s complaints about the Joker. I didn’t like Leto’s interpretation, personally, but I thought he was in the movie as much as everyone else, except for Will Smith and that wasn’t a good thing. Smith’s character was the only one kind of developed and it was so cliché that again I didn’t care.

I should just stop watching DC movies because they are a giant disappointment each time I do.

2/5

After Earth (2013)

after earth

Director:

M. Night Shyamalan

Starring:

Jaden Smith

Will Smith

Plot:

A crash landing leaves Kitai Raige and his father Cypher stranded on Earth, a millennium after events forced humanity’s escape. With Cypher injured, Kitai must embark on a perilous journey to signal for help.

Review:

Holy shit why the hell did they let this kid narrate? Horrible voice. I feel kind of bad saying that since he is a kid but if he’s going to be an actor he needs to get use to it. Thank goodness it was only for a little bit

Overall I wouldn’t say I hated the movie but it was pretty close. What happened to Will Smith? I use to love his movies and then Hancock came out and it was all downhill from there.

Admittedly he wasn’t the worst part of the movie but he didn’t help it.

1.75/5