21 Bridges | Film Review

In his latest film, 21 Bridges, Chadwick Boseman takes a break from Wakanda politics and biographies to invigorate the cop thriller subgenre with a sordid tale about a pair of cop killers who might not be as awful as they seem. You read that right, these two wanna be dope thieves (Stephen James and Taylor Kitsch) – despicable as their actions may be – just possibly may have a clue to a much larger issue taking place in downtown Manhattan. And once Detective Andre Davis (Boseman) is brought in on the case, he shuts down the island and its 21 bridges as he pursues his suspects…and the truth.

Andre is the son of a murdered cop, and as the film opens, we learn he has grown into a police officer unafraid to pull his weapon if a suspect attacks. When eight officers are slain at a drug house masquerading as an upscale restaurant, Andre is brought into the case by Captain McKenna (J.K. Simmons) for his perceived proclivities towards frontier justice. McKenna’s direction is crystal: these men should not be brought in alive.

Boseman’s fierce demeanor serves him well as he navigates an emotionally volatile police force while hunting the two perps. It is clear to Davis from the start that there is more to this story, and much of his assumption is defined solely by Boseman’s focused gaze as he surveys the crime scene and mounting clues. Even as he is forced to partner up with narc officer Frankie Burns (Sienna Miller), Boseman’s limited dialogue and suspicious nature forces him to rely on mannerisms and facial tics to convey his character’s constantly evolving contemplation.

As two thieves who suddenly find themselves enormously in over their heads, Kitsch and James deliver remarkable turns as they savagely gun down police officers with no provocation, and yet utterly convince us to empathize with their characters. It is a testament to the strength of these two actors that they can open a film with such viciousness and somehow convey an inner humanity to what would be one-note villains in any other thriller. James in particular becomes a character the audience is almost rooting for by the final frame.

21 Bridges is entertaining through and through. From start to finish, it’s an engaging, sleekly shot thriller with solid performances and taut action that will no doubt live long and prosper on TNT for years to come. It is also exceptionally predictable. By the time Davis is assigned to the case, if you have caught even a handful of cop flicks in your life, you will have mapped out every conceivable plot point. Even the trailer essentially hands you the keys to the entire storyline. Does that dilute your enjoyment? Not at all. But if you are looking for surprises or unexpected turns, you’d be better off sticking your hand in the guy’s popcorn bucket sitting next to you than anything you’ll find here.

21 Bridges establishes Chadwick Boseman as a lead deserving of more opportunities outside of Black Panther or random celebrity biopics, and Andre Davis is an honorable cop worthy of partnering up with. Though the script lacks originality, solid performances and Brian Kirk’s slick direction keep this vehicle in gear for the long haul.