21 Bridges Synopsis: After uncovering a massive conspiracy, an embattled NYPD detective joins a citywide manhunt for two young cop killers. As the night unfolds, he soon becomes unsure of who to pursue — and who’s in pursuit of him. When the search intensifies, authorities decide to take extreme measures by closing all of Manhattan’s 21 Bridges to prevent the suspects from escaping.

The Good

The plot of 21 Bridges is really fun to watch unfold and there is a bit of mystery to the story. Chadwick Boseman plays Andre Davis who is tasked with tracking down 2 cop killing fugitives. The premise is a little simplistic but that works because the story looks and feels intimate. The plot involves some would be robbers accidentally planning to steal drugs. The idea is that they’ll still a certain amount only to find the people they’re robbing have a lot more than anticipated.

21 Bridges features some great pacing. The movie doesn’t frustrate you by lingering or speeding through scenes needlessly. I enjoy the cinematography, and filming concepts used. There are a lot of good fun fights, car chases, and more all throughout the movie. The plot is coherent enough to string all of these moments together to make a fun movie.

The Bad

J.K. Simmons, Chadwick Boseman and Sienna Miller star in 21 BRIDGES
Image Courtesy of STXfilms

The performances feel a little inconsistent from the supporting cast. Chadwick Boseman’s acting is good but maybe a little too good. Chadwick stands out like a sore thumb especially when you don’t have JK Simmons, Keith David or Sienna Miller on screen. It’s not fun to watch someone in this situation as it feels awkward to see. Another negative is that Andre Davis is always one step behind the audience in figuring things out. There’s a reason for this justified in the plot but that doesn’t make it entertaining.

Overall

I enjoy 21 Bridges and I think it has a lot of re-watchability. Overall the movie is a fun NYC police story that satisfies mystery and action fans alike.