Project Power is the latest superhero movie on Netflix written by Mattson Tomlin of Batman fame. The movie takes place in New Orleans and features an interesting premise where a new drug called Power has hit the streets. Unlike most other super movies in the genre where people are permanently blessed or cursed with their powers, in Project Power people who take the pill are gifted supernatural abilities for just five minutes per hit. However, there is a catch. No one knows what latent power they have lying inside them until they take the pill for the first time and there is a chance the pill, or the power they unlock, could kill them. It is certainly an interesting twist on the usual superhero premise.
The movie also features a solid main cast of characters; starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Frank Shaver, a police officer who sees it as justified to take the dug himself for the purpose of stopping its spread; Dominique Fishback as a teenager dealer/student Robin, who works with Frank to stop the spread of the drug on the streets; and Jamie Foxx as Art, a former U.S. Ranger who is in search of his missing daughter.
Directed by Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, who are best known for co-directing a number of Paranormal Activity movies and Nerve, Project Power offers up an interested premise and a great cast. It even makes the most of its $85 million budget with some very impressive visuals. However, the movie plays it far to safe. The movie never takes any chances or offers up anything special. The pacing is decent but never ramps up, the story while interesting, never takes any risks or offers up any interesting twists, and even the ending, while visually impressive, is very “by the book”.
That is not to say the movie is bad in any way – the visuals are impressive, the pacing is decent, and the acting is solid. But when taken as a whole, just feels average. It is an interesting watch, and it has its moments, but it does nothing to stay memorable or draw you in for a second viewing. There is nothing in it that will stop you from enjoying the film, and is definitely worth at least one watch, it just feels rather disappointing given how good the actual setting of the movie was.
Directors – Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Cast – Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dominique Fishback, Jamie Foxx, Rodrigo Santoro, Colson Baker, Allen Maldonado, Amy Landecker, Courtney B. Vance
Project Power is available to watch on Netflix.