Movie Review - Project Power (2020)

Mattson Tomlin's debut screenplay does what few films have done and that's put a young black woman as the lead in a big-budget film, particularly an action film. At least, that was his intention when he started writing this script back in 2016. His film wouldn't go into production until months after Ava DuVernay's A Wrinkle in Time (2018), which arguably started this current trend of young black women in leads of action or science-fiction flicks. Obviously, having young black women as the lead of such films shouldn't be a trend. It should be a normal factoid of the business, but, for right now, it's a trend in which this film can be included. It comes a month after another in the trend debuted from the same company, that of Gina Prince-Bythewood's The Old Guard, which featured Kiki Layne.

Here, Dominique Fishback is in that leading role. However, this film could also be categorized in the not-trend but normalized status of the super-hero film. In those terms, unfortunately, I would have to say that Fishback's character of Robin Riley isn't technically the lead, as she is the sidekick. Tomlin even names her "Robin" and references the comic book characters of Batman and Robin, which between those two characters Robin was the sidekick, not the lead. Tomlin is currently writing the reboot for the aforementioned Batman, so he should know the difference. One could argue that Tomlin is trying to subvert the idea of what a sidekick is or should be, but, as the narrative plays out, Fishback's Robin is perpetually sidelined and not given a standout moment as a leading character would or should.

Jamie Foxx (Ray and Collateral) stars as Art aka "The Major," a former soldier who is in New Orleans, trying to track down the source of a mysterious drug that can give people super-powers for five minutes. It's not clear at first why he's doing this. There is a question of whether or not Art is a good guy or bad guy. He could be possibly looking for the source because he wants to take over the subsequent, illegal drug trade that has come from this power drug or because he wants to stop it because he knows that the drug can give people super-powers but it can also kill them. Taking the drug is like playing Russian Roulette with your life.

This idea has been explored in television. The third season of NBC's Heroes in 2008 and the second season of ABC's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. in 2014 also dealt with this idea of people being able to take some drug that gives them super-powers. I think those shows did a better job of delving into that idea. Tomlin's script though does add an interesting wrinkle, that of a time-limit. The power drug here only gives people powers for five minutes. If you want to continue having powers, you have to continue taking the drug. As such, Tomlin's film could be a metaphor for drug addiction. Unfortunately, Tomlin doesn't really delve into the addictive side all that much.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Looper and Inception) co-stars as Frank Shaver, a detective for the New Orleans Police Department. He's a cop working to uncover the source of this power drug too, hopefully to stop the illegal drug trade. Robin is his informant on the streets who is helping him. He skirts the line because he occasionally takes the power pill because he knows it will give him the ability to be bulletproof, a handy ability for a person who occasionally is involved with shootouts. He's cheeky and a cool bad-ass type.

The film then mainly becomes a police procedural where we're following Frank as he tracks down the bad guys or the so-called bad guys. Aside from one scene that throws Frank's compromised position in his face, this idea of law enforcement using power pills as a potential tool isn't really explored. The ethics and grander debate about these power pills are more background. Like another recent, Netflix film, Code 8 (2019), this feature doesn't really impress me with its world-building and convincing me that these power pills are a fleshed out and considered thing. The world-building of HBO's Watchmen for example is vastly better.

There are some interesting threads here. Robin's motivation is similar to the protagonist's motivation in Code 8. It's a low-key argument for better healthcare in this country. Code 8 is set in Canada, but, combined, both this film and Code 8 could be used as subliminal messages, advocating for universal healthcare, not even on a compassionate level but simply on a level that it would lower the crime rate because paying medical bills are the causes for the criminal impulses of the main characters in both films. Code 8 though makes more bones about it than this film.

There's also a thread here about the advancement of science, especially medical science, by use of human experiments. The famous case of Henrietta Lacks is referenced. However, the analogy, though more topical and recent, isn't as relevant as the Tuskegee study, which isn't referenced in this film. The idea that African-Americans were used in both experiments isn't even a point that this film underlines. Yet, given that two of the main characters here are African-American helps a bit in that regard.

The action scenes aren't that great in that the way that directors Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman chose to film the action scenes are in ways that mostly obscure the action. They mainly hide the action with a few exceptions. As I watched this film, the thing I couldn't get out of my mind is how the super-powers presented reminded me of characters from other comic book films, mainly ones from Marvel Studios or adapted from Marvel Comics.

As a matter of fact, if you're a fan of Fantastic Four (2005), then all of the super powers in that film are re-created here. First, we see a version of the Human Torch, or a person who can turn into fire. We see a version of the Invisible Woman, or a person who can cause themselves not to be seen. We see a version of Mr. Fantastic, or a person who can stretch their limbs and body. We see a version of the Thing, or a person who is invincible and has super-strength after turning into a huge, hideous mass. Other versions of Marvel characters like Iceman, Luke Cage, Captain America and Wolverine also pop up.

Finally, there's an aspect about this film where Robin aspires to be a rapper. She even shows off her skills as a MC. It's a contrast because normally Robin's personality is so quiet and shy, but she has such confidence and strength when she's rapping. People assume she's not smart but her ability to rap any word and form great verbal lines demonstrate how intelligent she really is. It's a great example to show that rap or hip hop music isn't as low an art form as some might think.

Rated R for violence, bloody images, drug use and some language.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 53 mins.

Available on Netflix.