Netflix’s biggest movie yet tackles racism
TOKYO, Japan – Netflix’s newest original film Bright is set up to be a big Hollywood blockbuster, never mind that it will be viewed widely on small screens. It has the big stars, flashy action sequences, and a fantasy/sci-fi twist. It’s a film that’s been fuelled by a hefty budget, more than Netflix has ever spent for a film that won’t have a theatrical release.
But on top of all that, Bright has what producer Eric Newman calls “a social conscience,” as it spreads a message of tolerance and respect for all races to a global audience.
The film stars Will Smith, who takes on the role of Daryl Ward, a cop who, with his partner Nick Jakoby, finds himself needing to protect a powerful artifact: a magic wand.
Yes, there is magic involved in this Netflix film, which puts a twist on the classic buddy cop set-up by throwing in orcs, elves, and the aforementioned wand that is something of a ticking time bomb – when in the wrong hands, it can cause serious damage.
The message of tolerance is hard to miss – aside from scenes of blatant racially-fuelled bullying, and lines like “fairy lives don’t matter today” that refer to real-life anti-racism campaigns, Bright also has a racially diverse cast that includes more people of color than audiences tend to see in a big action film.
“I’ve always done it in all my movies, before it was fashionable,” director David Ayer said of the casting at a roundtable interview in Tokyo on December 20. “But that’s the world we live in, that’s the world I see, that’s the world I grew up in. I think people tell stories that reflect their experiences.”
Ayer said that the theme of tolerance and unity was written into the story from the start.