Brightburn poster

Brightburn (2019)

Directed by David Yarovesky

What if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, he proved to be something far more sinister?

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4 films that influenced Brightburn

What critics say influenced Brightburn

Just as it’s difficult to parse Snyder’s self-awareness about his own excesses and limitations, it’s hard to figure out whether his Dawn Of The Dead remake collaborator James Gunn has produced a pointed satire of Snyder’s point of view in Brightburn , or if he simply believes that Snyder should stop beating around the bush and embrace his Superman’s nasty side.
“Brightburn” is a welcome harkening back to Gunn’s savagely violent (“Dawn of the Dead,” screenwriter), over-the-top, gory horror-comedy (“Slither,” writer, director), Vantablack comedy superhero indie (“Super,” writer, director), and horror-satire (“The Belko Experiment,” screenwriter) roots, drawing inspiration from and paying homage to the director’s filmography.
Alex Arabian • The Playlist • May 22, 2019
theplaylist.net ↗
After penning the Troma produced Tromeo & Juliet , a splatter-heavy horror take on Shakespeare’s classic romance, he assisted Zack Snyder on his 2004 Dawn of the Dead remake, before honing his own love of 1950’s monster B-movies on his directorial debut Slither (2006).
Peter Gray • This Is Film! • May 24, 2019
thisisfilm.com ↗
Chronicle poster
Brightburn will probably draw comparisons to other darker superhero flicks like Chronicle or Split.
Film Ireland
filmireland.net ↗
While not entirely original (the superior 2012 film Chronicle dealt with similar material), Brightburn delivers on its promise as a tense filled sci-fi horror, with much in the way of gruesome (yet thankfully not exploitative) pay-offs that will shock many.
Matt's Movie Reviews
mattsmoviereviews.net ↗
The 2012 drama Chronicle wielded a similar scenario when a high school kid acquired superpowers and allowed his own petty human foibles to sour the gift — perhaps because Brandon is an e.t., the Gunns opted to make him just a surly individual with no remorse for anything.
Matt Brunson • The Film Frenzy • May 24, 2019
thefilmfrenzy.com ↗
You can compare Brandon’s character outline to Dane DeHaan’s Andrew from Chronicle.
Rendy Reviews • Jan 21, 2026
rendyreviews.com ↗
No tenemos, ni siquiera, el intento de Chronicle pensando en Akira.
Cristóbal Pellicer, Código Espagueti, Freddy Campos • Código Espagueti • May 24, 2019
codigoespagueti.com ↗
But the result is a one-dimensional splatter fest instead of something a little more complete like Josh Trank’s 2012 film “Chronicle.”
Daily Film Fix • May 24, 2019
dailyfilmfix.com ↗
Midnight Special poster
Que tal vez se creen más intentos, aunque fallen, como Midnight Special y esta película.
Freddy Campos, Cristóbal Pellicer • Código Espagueti • May 24, 2019
codigoespagueti.com ↗
It’s missing the metaphorical layers and more assured pacing of 2016’s similarly themed Midnight Special .
Slither poster
That’s why it’s not surprising to see it come from producer James Gunn, the man behind Super and Slither , genre films that didn’t pull their punches when it came to going all in on their premise.
Aaron Neuwirth, www.facebook.com • WeLive Entertainment • May 24, 2019
weliveentertainment.com ↗
Producer James Gunn helmed the horror flick Slither and the superhero indie Super before graduating to the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
Nerdist • May 22, 2019
nerdist.com ↗
The script for Brightburn from the writing team of Brian and Mark Gunn (one of the brothers and cousins of Guardians of the Galaxy and Slither filmmaker and this this movie’s producer James Gunn, respectively) is useable at best, and the direction of music video veteran and frequent Gunn collaborator David Yarovesky is competent, if unexceptional.
Andrew Parker • The Gate • May 23, 2019
thegate.ca ↗
It might be unfair to state that Brian Gunn and Mark Gunn are the Frank Stallone to James Gunn’s Sylvester, but the truth is that James made a nifty horror film back in 2006 called Slither (also starring Banks).
Matt Brunson • The Film Frenzy • May 24, 2019
thefilmfrenzy.com ↗
For genre aficionados, Brightburn has a lot less in common with Gunn’s Marvel work; it hails from the same gore-horror camp as Slither, Super and, in moments where it really lets loose, some of his Troma work.
Evan Dossey • Midwest Film Journal • May 26, 2019
midwestfilmjournal.com ↗
That said, this is the James Gunn who produced The Belko Experiment and directed Slither, not the version that helmed Guardians of the Galaxy and wrote the live-action Scooby Doo movies.
Scott Mendelson • Forbes • May 22, 2019
forbes.com ↗

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