“21 Bridges” is an action-packed drama that will keep you guessing until the end. The movie stars Chadwick Boseman (Andre Davis), known for roles in “Black Panther,” “42,” “Marshall,” and a host of other films.
Other familiar faces include Stephan James (Michael) from “If Beale Street Could Talk” and Keith David (Dep. Chief Spencer) from “The Princess and The Frog” and “Greenleaf.”
The movie opens at the funeral of Andre’s father, a police officer killed in the line of duty. Fast-forward 19 years later, we see Andre following in his father’s footsteps as a police officer.
As Andre’s story unfolds, we learn that he has been investigated by Internal Affairs several times. He is known as a fearless officer with a vengeance for cop killers because of what happened to his father. But we also see that Andre has kept the values that his father instilled in him, which were to follow his conscience in an often cruel world and to take care of his mother in her declining years.
The action kicks off with Michael, along with Ray, (Taylor Kitsch) robbing a restaurant, not for cash but for 30 pounds of cocaine. Instead, they end up killing several police officers and obtain 50 pounds of cocaine. This changes the ball game.
Andre is the officer who is called in to catch them. He is given until morning to catch the killers or else the FBI will step in.
One of the first things Andre does is figure out where the killers go to sell the drugs and concludes that Manhattan would be the spot. So he orders all of the 21 bridges leading in and out of Manhattan to be closed until morning. And the chase is on.
Meanwhile, Michael and Ray realize that they have been used as pawns in a robbery that was not supposed to end the way that it did.
As the night unfolds, Andre catches and kills Ray, but not Michael. When Michael is finally caught and killed, before he dies, he tells Andre that he has flash drives that will implicate who the cocaine really belonged to and gives them to Andre. Naturally, the plot thickens.
“21 Bridges” is a thrill-ride that blurs the lines between black and white. The movie skillfully points out that you can’t always trust who you think and that justice comes in many forms.
“21 Bridges” opened Nov. 22. Check local listings for show times. For more movie info, visit www.21bridges.movie.
Rating: R (for violence and language throughout)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Mystery & Supsense
Studio: STXFilms
Runtime: 99 minutes
