Welcome to stream surfing, where the dice decide what I review. Today, I landed on Netflix, action genre, and the movie Project Power. Released in 2020, Project Power was directed by Henry Juicest and Ariel Schulman. Set slightly in the future, it revolves around an illegal drug that gives users a random superpower for five minutes, but with unpredictable and potentially fatal results.
The storyline follows a teenager selling the drug to pay for her mother's medication, featuring multiple clichés like the good cop, bad cop dynamic, and a corrupt police chief. Notably, the movie stars Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, with appearances by Casey Neistat and Machine Gun Kelly under his real name, Carlson Baker.
Although visually striking, especially in scenes where characters showcase their superpowers, the movie struggles with uninspired character development and action sequences plagued by shaky camera work. Critics noted the film's potential, hindered by an over-reliance on genre tropes and inconsistent pacing, dragging during musical interludes like freestyle raps.
Despite these criticisms, the effects were commendable, particularly in scenes involving superpowers like fire, ice, and invulnerability. However, the movie's narrative failed to maximize the intriguing concept of temporary superpowers, leaving viewers questioning the overall purpose and impact of the drug. In the end, Project Power is seen as a promising idea marred by lackluster execution.
The review concludes with a thumbs down, suggesting a complete rewrite would have better served the original idea.