This Netflix original film takes a “grounded” approach to super-powered people, but despite a dependable cast and some impressive VFX, the plot doesn’t really go anywhere we’re not been before.

Premise: A new drug called ‘Power’ hits the streets of New Orleans, which will either give users a random super-power for five minutes … or kill them instantly. Despite the risks, many try the drug to experience potentially god-like powers, and soon the lives of a detective (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a young drug dealer (Dominique Fishback) and a mysterious outsider (Jamie Foxx) cross.

Review:

First up, let’s be clear that Project Power is by no means a bad film. The cast are all great, with Jamie Foxx and Joseph Gordon-Levitt bringing their usual combinations of charisma and gravitas, and newcomer Dominique Fishback doing a surprisingly good job of holding her own against the veteran actors. Okay, so maybe Rodrigo Santoro really hams it up in his role as one of the villains, but in a film like this, over-the-top theatrics are part of the fun. And maybe Courtney B. Vance feels completely wasted in his minor role as Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s police captain, but isn’t some Courtney B. Vance better than no Courtney B. Vance?

And then there’s the VFX. As this is a Netflix original film, there is a (perhaps unfair) expectation that this won’t have the same budget as a big studio movie. That may or may not be true, but the depictions of the various super-powers on screen are not only visually impressive, they’re also surprisingly creative. So for example, an “invisible man” isn’t actually ever invisible, it’s just that his skin instantly changes colour to camouflage in with his surroundings, which makes for a very impressive chase sequence. Similarly, someone with impenetrable “bulletproof” skin can’t simply ignore bullet impacts, because they still cause visible subcutaneous injuries. Project Power’s depiction of a fire-powered super-being is a lot more visceral than the Fantastic Four’s Human Torch ever was, and each of the action set-pieces involving these super-powered beings is interestingly choreographed and directed.

“…has an always-watchable cast, impressive VFX, & engaging action sequences…”

It’s just that, once you get passed the always-watchable cast, the impressive VFX, and the engaging action sequences … you’re not left with a whole lot else. Without giving too much away, the entire plot essentially boils down to rescuing a kidnapped girl from unscrupulous private military contractors. Without saying any more than that, you can probably already guess why the girl has been kidnapped, and what the PMC’s have been up to. The Chris Evans/Dakota Fanning film Push was exploring similar tones and themes as far back as 2009, while 2011’s Limitless involved pills that gave users amazing abilities (if they survived), and the other plot elements from Project Power have also all been dealt with in countless X-Men inspired TV shows and films over the years.

That said, there are a handful of new and interesting ideas raised in Project Power. For example, Detective Shaver (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) is taking ‘Power’ (the street name for the new drug) without his superior’s knowledge, in an attempt to “level the playing field” when dealing with super-powered criminals. The idea of a cop having to break the law to protect the public is an interesting concept, but it’s not really explored any further than that. Equally, Dominique Fishback’s low-level dealer is depicted in a fairly non-judgmental way, showing that she’s dealing ‘Power’ to make money to look after her disabled mum and to escape the dead-end life she’s in. While the film tries to show her that there are alternative routes that she could follow, it also tries to highlight (with varying degrees of success) the differences between her (someone who is a dealer out of desperation and necessity) and the violence-first ‘career’ dealers.

“…a popcorn flick that is perfect for home viewing…”

There are some other interesting themes that never feel fully developed, such as the idea that New Orleans has a history of being ignored by the powers-that-be, so that its citizens have to look after their own. These ideas are certainly some of the most poignant in the film, given the obvious allusions to Katrina and the fact that the movie was filmed on location in New Orleans, but as with the other ideas it feels like these notions are only touched upon briefly before the action moves on.

When all is said and done, although the pedestrian plot is very A-leads-to-B, and the conspiracy elements are so muddled that I wasn’t even sure by the end of it precisely who/what was part of the conspiracy, the central performances from the main three stars and the impressive visual effects are enough to make this an enjoyable watch. In any other year, Project Power might have been lost in the noise of the big summer releases, but as 2020 is a year sadly lacking in cinematic blockbusters, this is a popcorn flick that is perfect for home viewing.