- Release year: 2024
- Director: Kevin Tancharoen and Viet Nguyen.
- Producers: Kim M. Cybulski and John H. Radulovic.
- Screenplay by: Justin Calen-Chenn, Brad Falchuk, Soojeong Son, Amy Wang, Byron Wu, Andrew Law, Jacon Ning, and Ally Seibert.
- Cinematography by: C. Kim Miles and Andrew Mitchell.
- Music by: Nathan Matthew David and Nick Lee.
Synopsis: after their father is put into a coma, the firstborn of a triad boss goes to the US and find his mother and younger brother to keep them safe. The culture shock being almost as dangerous as the threat against their family.
Shotgun Commentary: hilarious and engaging. Perfect for action lovers who appreciate a good story.
Review
Well, Netflix finally did it. I didn’t want to become THAT kind of critic. Sadly, the news of The Sandman’s cancellation (which is the one cancellation that makes sense despite how annoying it is considering the quality of the show), was the final drop in a huge glass of great shows cancelled by the platform, including the one I was watching when The Sandman’s news came out: The Brothers Sun. As such, I am now officially adding a new category to this blog: Unfinished Gems.
This will feature all the amazing shows that have been torn down before they had their chance to shine. Some, didn’t receive enough money for marketing. For others, the publicity didn’t work. And, in some cases, they just needed a bit of time to find their audiences. Countless shows have been cruelly taken away from their audiences after just a small taste, but they will be remembered. At least, in Cut to the Take.
But enough about incompetence, let’s talk about the very first case study of this melancholic new category: The Brothers Sun.
The tea
This Netflix show was released in 2024 only to be cancelled two months after the release of its final episodes due to a lack of long-term popularity. The series follows the Sun family, who happen to be the head of a very important triad. When a mystery gang tries to take out, Big Sun (Johnny Kou), the father, the responsibility to keep that family safe falls on his eldest son, Charles Sun (Justin Chien).
In order to do that, Charles must travel to the US, where his mother Eileen (Michelle Yeoh) and his brother Bruce (Sam Song Li) have been living for years. On top of trying to figure out who is threatening their family, the three members of the family will have to deal with their own feelings about the new situation. Charles learns about life in America, Bruce about the criminal background of his family, and Eileen gets a peek into the world of possibilities that is opening up for the Sun family.
The show juggles a lot of players and, while several of its plot twists are incredibly predictable, it manages to keep you guessing until the very end. The added humour provided by the culture clash that both brothers suffer throughout the story makes the most dramatic turns lighter and provides the series with its own particular personality. Tradition and innovation, East and West, criminal and innocent… The core of the show is built on contradictions, on opposing ideas that somehow fuse together to create both characters and narrative.
Top marks
Speaking of which, it would’ve been hard to find a more perfect cast for the characters featured in this show. All the actors bring their own personal touch to characters that are, on their own, as fascinating as they are complex. Every single one of them contains several layers and the contradictions one usually only finds in real people.
They all evolve, change and adapt, making it an incredibly realistic product despite the humongous amount of times they get into surreal situations. Their fantastic psyches also come with incredible fighting choreographies, gorgeous cinematography and the type of makeup and hairstyling that speaks volumes even when the characters won’t.
All in all, The Brothers Sun is a very rounded story that hints at a way bigger universe that was sadly never explored by Netflix. If the platform was to bring any shows back, the quality displayed in all aspects of this show would certainly put it at the top of the list for consideration.
Advice to take from this movie:
- Family is all we have in the end. Whatever that might look like for each of us.
- Never underestimate a mother.
- One can find a source of information anywhere if they just stop to listen.
What’s your take? Have you watched The Brothers Sun? Don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts in the comments section below, or leave a message in my contact page! For more reviews and cinema-related articles, check out the rest of my blog! 😀