Film Review: Project Power

It’s been oddly refreshing to have gone most of 2020 without the presence of superhero movies. With the sole exception of Birds Of Prey, Bloodshot, and to a lesser extent, The Old Guard, it’s fascinating to see how the industry has dealt with the necessity to hold off some of their biggest blockbusters, and in turn, not flooding advertisements and other marketing avenues with the latest Marvel or DC property like it has been for the past decade. While that is likely to change once things get back to normal, it’s in projects like The Old Guard and now Project Power where we not only get to scratch a certain itch, but also see how the genre is tackled with either lesser known IP or smaller budgets given to original ideas.

Project Power explores a fairly simple but compelling premise. There is a pill spreading through the streets of New Orleans, referred to as “Power.” Basically, you take the pill, and you are given a super power. The catch is, you only get the power for five minutes, and you have no control over what power you might get, it could be something cool and useful, or they could just blow up. We follow three characters. One is Frank (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, a cop who believes in taking the pill to help level the playing field in getting the drug off the streets. The second is Art (Jamie Foxx), a seemingly shady individual who is on a personal mission. And third is Robin (Dominique Fishback), a wannabe rapper who sells Power to get by.

Once we are introduced to these characters, their paths begin to intertwine, in some ways expected, in other ways, not so much. During all this, we get these moments that explore the ramifications that come with a drug like Power being used, while also indulging in some high octane action sequences – though, not as many as one might expect. As the characters go about their journey, questions are answered, especially in relation to the nefarious origins of the drug.

Written by Mattson Tomlin, who is notably co-writing Matt Reeve’s Batman film, and directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, the film does have quite a bit going for it. Folks looking for a more mature look into the superhero genre will especially find lots to enjoy here. I like how they bring a body horror element to the physical transformations. It gets rather unflinching and satisfyingly gruesome at times. It certainly takes full advantage of its R-rating, and Netflix clearly has given the filmmakers enough resources to make something slick and a step beyond what their productions normally have.

The directors, who have previously made Catfish, a couple of the Paranormal Activity sequels, as well as the techno-thriller, Nerve, bring a lot of energy to the proceedings. And the work put in by cinematographer, Michael Simmonds and editor, Jeff McEvoy, enhance that sense of momentum. Composer, Joseph Trapanese, also brings some synthy electronic beats that work well with the atmosphere. It’s a well made film, often looking more expensive than it actually is.

Unfortunately, what sinks the goodwill of its energy and originality is the fact that the filmmakers don’t seem all that interested in digging into some of the potential story and thematic aspects that the story puts in place. For a film that involves corruption, government experimentation, the dynamic between cops and communities of color, especially in relation to enforcement of anti-drug laws, there just isn’t much meat on its bones. The film’s villain name-drops Henrietta Lacks at one point, which is a historically loaded reference, but it’s a gesture that is over about as quick as it began.

Thankfully, the performances help keep things emotionally engaging even if they are tapping into very familiar archetypes. Our three leads are all strong and incredibly charismatic. Foxx has long proven to be a great leading man, Gordon-Levitt continues his comeback after the heavy 7500 earlier this year, and it’s clear he’s having a total blast here. And relative newcomer, Dominique Fishback, does a good job at holding her own among two older, more experienced heavyweights, and her rapping is well done too. It’s worth noting that the songs are written by rapper, Chika, who also has a cameo early in the film.

If nothing else, Project Power is an amusing and satisfying distraction that falls in line with the kind of films you would expect from a Netflix original. It’s a vibrant and fun watch that definitely brings that blockbuster vibe that I’m sure many might be missing, and I like that it doesn’t seem remotely interested in setting up some kind of sequel or a grand cinematic universe. I do wish it was a touch more ambitious when it came to exploring the premise on a deeper level beyond the superficial nods and references so that it could deliver its ideas in a way that is more interesting and thematically weighty than just cheap thrills carried by an engaging cast. But if that’s all you are looking for, the film will deliver just that.

Project Power is now available on Netflix.