'21 Bridges': Chadwick Boseman set to shine in dark role that's a far cry from Black Panther
He shot to fame as King T’Challa, the Black Panther of Wakanda. But there’s more to Chadwick Boseman than his VFX-filled, superhero image. So far, we have been used to seeing the 42-year old actor in larger-than-life roles and iconic figures like Jackie Robinson, Thurgood Marshall, or James Brown. With '21 Bridges' Boseman will appear in a more realistic and far more mature role than his earlier stints.
Directed by Brian Kirk and produced by Joe and Anthony Russo, the action thriller movie follows Andre Davis (Boseman) an NYPD cop who is on a manhunt to find the killer who murdered NYPD cops. He will leave no stone unturned to find the two perpetrators who killed eight of his fellowmen in a robbery gone wrong, even if it means bringing the whole of New York City under lockdown.
One might take it to be an east-coast version of ‘Dirty Harry’, where Boseman plays a more hard-hitting character that differs from his other historical or fictional ones. An entirely new kind of character, his role of Andre Davis, will allow Boseman to get out of the skin of a routine police office and prove his mettle as a versatile actor, which otherwise has not come to light so far.
As evident from the trailer, '21 Bridges' is not only about Davis’ fight for justice but also the journey of his life and evolution as a cop. The fact that his childhood history inspires him to become “the guy who kills co-killers” is most likely the crux of his character. As the story explores Davis’ past and defines his present, it gives Boseman the opportunity to delve into different shades of his character, making it a promising venture. Andre Davis is sure to reinvent our predetermined notion about Boseman’s on-screen persona.
Even as a story, '21 Bridges' hits the theaters at the right moment when there is a lot of concern around law enforcement in America, police brutality, and unnecessary use of force on citizens. Boseman character might appear to be the dramatic version of a tough-guy hero cop, but when you connect the dots with reality, Andre Davis’s character appears to be all set to shine and bring out the best in the actor.