Brightburn

| 2019

Directed by: David Yarovesky

Movie poster for Brightburn (2019)

Main Plot

Brightburn is a horror-thriller that reimagines the superhero origin story with a dark twist. The film follows a couple living in a small rural town who discover a mysterious alien baby that crash-lands near their home. They adopt the child, naming him Brandon, and raise him as their own. As Brandon reaches adolescence, he begins to develop superhuman abilities, including immense strength and the power of flight. However, unlike traditional superhero tales, Brandon's powers manifest in increasingly malevolent ways. As he grapples with his identity and the origins of his abilities, his behavior turns sinister, posing a deadly threat to those around him. The film explores themes of nature versus nurture and the potential for evil within extraordinary power, as Brandon's parents struggle to understand and contain their son's growing darkness.

Characters

  • Elizabeth Banks plays Tori Breyer, a loving mother who struggles with her son Brandon's dark transformation, driving the story's tension and emotional conflict.
  • David Denman plays Kyle Breyer, a loving father who struggles with his adopted son's dark powers, ultimately confronting him to protect his family.
  • Jackson A. Dunn plays Brandon Breyer, a young boy with superpowers who turns malevolent, driving the story's tension and horror as he embraces his dark nature.

Ending Explained

In the movie Brightburn, the ending culminates in a chilling and destructive display of power by Brandon Breyer, the young boy who discovers his superhuman abilities. As the film progresses, Brandon's actions become increasingly violent, revealing his true nature as he embraces his darker instincts. The main conflict revolves around his struggle with his identity and the threat he poses to those around him. In the final scenes, Brandon's mother, Tori, attempts to stop him by using a piece of the spaceship that brought him to Earth, believing it to be his only weakness. However, her plan fails as Brandon discovers her intentions. In a devastating turn of events, Brandon kills his mother, fully severing his ties to humanity and any remaining moral restraint. The film concludes with Brandon causing a plane crash to cover up the murders of his parents and others, leaving no witnesses to his actions. The ending resolves the main conflict by showing Brandon's complete transformation into a malevolent force, setting the stage for a world unaware of the impending danger he represents. This resolution ties into the overall narrative by highlighting the horror of unchecked power and the consequences of a being with no empathy or accountability.

David Yarovesky Drama Horror Mystery Elizabeth Banks David Denman Jackson A. Dunn