The fascination around American shows has been a long-standing factor in the growth of genres across the globe.
And rightly so, the region has consistently produced some great content. A new action series, The Brothers Sun, began streaming on Netflix a while ago.
It is an American show in the Chinese mix. There are eight episodes that run for around seven hours.
While crime and action headline The Brothers Sun, its bittersweet and exciting nature further engulfs the viewers.
My review will shed light on the ups and downs of the show.
The Brothers Sun Synopsis
When the head of the Sun family goes into a coma, following a deadly attack, his sons must reunite to carry on the legacy of their family triad.
However, neither do they have an emotional connection nor is their inherent character the same. It becomes a somewhat estranged trio with their mother taking centerstage.
Created by Byron Wu and Brad Falchuk, the show stars Michelle Yeoh (Eileen), Justin Chien (Charles), Sam Song Li (Bruce), Joon Lee (TK), and Highdee Kuan (Alexis), among others
What Works for The Brothers Sun?
Unlike most of the shows, The Brothers Sun is linguistically natural. For a while, I thought if something was wrong with Netflix, but the show actually uses Mandarin in an almost equal proportion to English.
And just to be clear, the latter is the original language of the series. Interestingly, it is the first switch that impressed me when a character literally said, “let’s switch to English.”
Coming to the story, The Brothers Sun is about a network of triads and the fight to become the boss of the bosses.
Charles travels to Los Angeles from Taipei after an attack on his dad. His goal is to protect his mom and his younger brother, Bruce, from the wrath of their rival gangs.
While Charles is ruthless, Bruce is too soft to put up a fight. Their uncanny union is moderated by their mother, Eileen aka Hsiao Han aka Mama Sun.
The plot is steeped in action, violence, and gore, yet a subtle undercurrent of family cohesion, friendship, and romance serves to balance the intense themes.
Moreover, the idea is not as offbeat as the execution makes it sound. It is lustrously presented on the screen.
You’d wonder at times whether the storyline is indicating towards a superficial universe but, after a point, the feeling will go away.
Probably, the dark narration has to do something with it.
Nevertheless, a remarkable aspect of The Brothers Sun is its hold on humor. The sarcasm adds a lively and exhilarating element to the series.
The clever use of jokes, which usually hit their mark, enhances the overall viewing experience, and any misses are met with a self-deprecating ‘poor joke’ acknowledgment.
The combat scenes in the American show are masterfully showcased. Stimulation lies at their core catapulted by amazing performers of the genre.
Every time a fight scene comes in The Brothers Sun, you are taken aback by the cinematographic adeptness of the series.
The battles are a visual spectacle, featuring expertly crafted camera angles, subtle movements, and impactful slow-motion effects that elevate their aesthetic appeal.
Lastly, I loved the aesthetic title montage, without any fancy intro clips.
How are the Performances?
Michelle Yeoh plays Eileen in the series. She is enigmatic and mysterious, which has been a highlight of her recent outings.
The streaky dialogue delivery beautifully complements her inspiring screen presence.
Yeoh effortlessly presents a character who has been through a lot while still commanding an authoritative place in the narrative.
She is not a run-of-the-mill actress, and hence, the audience looks forward to her picturization. As always, Michelle doesn’t disappoint.
Justin Chien is Charles in The Brothers Sun. He operates with mental clarity and uses a deadpan outlook to further the character sketch.
But he reserves the best part for the mind-blowing action scenes. His ability to be scratchy and pleasing at the same time gives Chien an edge in the series.
The intensity, the anger, and the reluctant romantic side become his major weapons as an actor.
Sam Song Li displays an exceptionally sincere American adult, Bruce. He is quiet, non-violent, and has a very sweet countenance to go with.
His childish expressions plus the fun in his dialogue delivery win you over.
The kind of transformation Song Li’s character goes through in the whole eight episodes is brought to life inventively by the actor.
Highdee Kuan portrays Alexis in The Brothers Sun. She has many casual, improvised shots that look perfect for the storyline.
It’s her determined presence that makes Alexis noticeable in a plot filled with many quirky names and characters.
What Doesn’t Work for The Brothers Sun?
In the first half of the show (Ep 1-4), The Brothers Sun tries to look like an offbeat idea.
Be it the characters or the triad mystery, everything is pitched in a way to add a quirky, never-seen-before touch.
However, the hold soon wanes. As I said earlier, the execution is exciting. But the story in totality is not as savory.
It runs out of ideas midway, struggling to find a way to launch a comeback. The captivation only lasts till the time you are told about a fierce enemy.
The minute the focus shifts to a different angle with revelations coming to the fore, the narration begins to fall back.
One particular episode stands out for its dullness, inducing multiple moments of unintentional napping.
Also, the show could have done better with a lesser runtime.
Beyond the one-hour mark, episodes tend to lose their appeal. Additionally, certain aspects of the plot appear overly naive and predictable, and this criticism excludes the humor element.
Stream or Skip?
The Brothers Sun is a decent show that becomes unimpressive as it progresses.
You can go for it, considering the downsides mentioned above. The first four episodes will give you a good time.
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