21 Bridges is an action thriller directed by Brian Kirk. Brothers Joe and Anthony Russo act as producers. 21 Bridges is an exciting film that has quite a few surprises. I don’t think it received all the publicity it should have, I was told about it by a relative. Initially, I didn’t really know what 21 Bridges was about however, I’m glad I went to see it.
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21 Bridges opens with a young Andre Davis (Christian Isaiah) attending his father’s funeral after he was murdered on the job. Many years later, Andre (Chadwick Boseman) becomes a successful law enforcer, working for the NYPD and has taken down more than 8 criminals during his time as a police officer. One night, two small-time criminals and former war veterans Michael Trujillo (Stephan James) and Ray Jackson (Taylor Kitsch) took on a job to ransack a winery and steal several kilograms of cocaine it was illegally harvesting. The heist takes a left turn when they realize the amount of cocaine was 10 times as much as they were expecting plus several police officers unexpectedly arrive on the scene. They were forced into a shootout that landed 6 officers gunned down. Ray is chastised by Michael for killing cops, which puts them in jeopardy.
Andre Davis is assigned to the case. Struggling with the legacy of his deceased father, Davis has earned a reputation for hunting down and killing “cop killers,” although he claims they were all in self-defense and is uncomfortable with the label. Narcotics detective Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller) is assigned as Davis’ partner. The two come into conflict with FBI agents Butchco (Obi Abili) and Dugan (Andy Truschinski), who attempt to take the case over. Captain Matt McKenna (J. K. Simmons) of the 85th precinct is assigned to oversee the case.
With this being a good place to stop, 21 Bridges is loaded with excitement plus it drives home a profound message. I can’t imagine the scope of crime and blatant disrespect for the law as shown in this film. A death that occurs during the surrendering of a criminal made 21 Bridges more relatable. Although the director tried to invent a very real climate that represents more of today’s issues, the aura around 21 Bridges just didn’t feel real, especially shutting down 21 bridges at any given time. Despite this, I found the movie to be just exciting enough to pass as a holiday filler. I also thought Stephen James’ performance was outstanding. You just might enjoy 21 Bridges, it’s a real thrill ride at best. The film received mixed reviews from critics and has grossed $34 million worldwide on a $33 million budget. Check It Out!
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