Review: 21 Bridges is a forgettable, run of the mill cop thriller

Chadwick Boseman chases after a pair of cop killers in the action-thriller 21 Bridges, but the film never covers any new ground or delivers on its true potential.

In a political climate filled to the brim with distrust of authority and criticism of governing bodies, one would think that 21 Bridges, a film about a New York city lawman chasing down two cop killers amidst a whirlwind of betrayal and suspicion, might have something to say about the state of our current police system or make an effort to take a stance and deliver an impactful message. Sadly, however, 21 Bridges acts more of a paint-by-numbers cop drama than a modern film with any real lasting consequences, and it’s difficult to justify such a lack of substance when all the pieces necessary for the right end result are there.

The film stars Chadwick Boseman as Andre Davis, a prodigal NYPD detective whose father was killed in the line of duty. Davis has a reputation for killing suspects and finds himself roped into a city-wide conspiracy when he begins conducting a manhunt for a pair of cop-killers who stumble into a massive stash of cocaine. As the night continues, Davis begins to realize that not everything is as cut and dry as the officers from the neighboring 85th precinct make them out to be, and soon Davis is questioning both his loyalty to others and his own morals.

The premise itself is nothing special, but as previously mentioned, we had a distinct sense while watching that most elements in the film aren’t as good as they could be.

The most obvious example is the film’s use of its lead actor- while he turns in a solid performance, the script is woefully average, and as such Boseman’s character is difficult to differentiate from other protagonists that populate the genre. It also doesn’t help that the most memorable performance comes from Stephan James, who plays one of the two criminals on the run. James, whose career includes standouts like Race, Selma, and If Beale Street Could Talk, makes the very most of the material that he’s given, and takes his character to a surprisingly poignant and emotional conclusion.

James’ performance is tantalizing because his character indicates what type of movie 21 Bridges could have been- a film about police brutality, race relations, and corruption- instead of just an action-ridden thriller that feels 20 minutes too long even though it clocks in at only an hour and 43 minutes.

The film marks the Russo Brothers’ (and Boseman’s) first project since the wildly successful conclusion to the Avengers Infinity saga, but there’s a distinct lack of authorial intent in how the story is told. At times there are attempts at humor and intrigue, but anyone viewer paying even the smallest amount of attention will be able to spot the film’s twist about half an hour in, and the jokes tend to feel out of place given how few of them there are in comparison to the dull, generic dialogue that fills the rest of the script.

J.K. Simmons and Sienna Miller are also present, but even a performer of Simmons’ caliber can’t milk anything truly riveting out of a story that is so reluctant to make an actual statement. Most of the film’s money shots and best lines are spoiled in the trailer, although there is a significant amount of action that is surprisingly high-caliber and well shot.

In the end, 21 Bridges is a forgettable cop thriller full of missed opportunities and bland characters, which is a disappointing turnout considering just how much talent there is both onscreen and behind the camera.

Have you seen 21 Bridges? What’s your favorite police thriller? Sound off in the comments below.