Bright was one of the first major movies to come out of Netflix's rebranding as a powerful production and distribution player in the world of original movies and, while it didn't garner much critical acclaim, the combination of Will Smtih's star power and the movie's blockbuster sensibility proved too much for most subscribers to resist.
The movie quite easily developed a fanbase as a result and its peculiar combination of L.A. cop drama and swords and sorcery fantasy can leave those fans wondering if there's much else out there that can compare to the movie. So, if you like Bright, make sure to check out these similar action/cop/fantasy movies also.
Training Day
The movie that really launched the career of Bright director David Ayer as a major force in Hollywood, despite it only being written by him, Training Day provided Denzel Washington with an unforgettable corrupt cop character which would earn him a long-overdue Oscar for Best Actor.
On the titular training day, Washington's seasoned narcotics officer takes Ethan Hawke's rookie on a journey throughout Los Angeles' underworld that irrevocably alters both men's lives.
End of Watch
A more recent take on the L.A. cop genre that has defined the majority of Ayer's filmography so far, End of Watch nixes the corruption aspect that is so often prevalent in his dramas for a more emotional look at Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña's street cops as they deal with everyday ordeals, life, love and gang violence.
The predominantly fly-on-the-wall feel to the movie's cinematography brings you closer to the pair of friends than you may care to get and it makes its plucking at your heartstrings all the more effective.
Sabotage
One of Ayer's grimmest visions of the brutal collision between cops and crime–and that really is saying something–Sabotage is a gorily violent tale about a DEA Special Ops team that starts to get picked off in grisly ways after stealing a stash of cartel money.
Like Bright, the movie often strays beyond the parameters of even the darkest thrillers and into the tone of a straight-up horror movie, which gives it a notably unique personality in an often-rigid genre.
Alien Nation
By far the most similar movie to Bright in of plot, Alien Nation depicts a Los Angeles struggling with the arrival of a group of refugee aliens who quickly become a subclass within the city.
Like Bright, a rookie alien cop is paired with a somewhat skeptical–but not irredeemable–partner as a vague gesture of unity and the two uncover a plot that could alter the fates of both species.
District 9
A more modern take on Alien Nation, District 9 views segregation through the sci-fi lens also but with a greater degree of poignancy given its South African setting.
Neill Blomkamp's alien apartheid movie is satisfyingly fearless with its metaphors and graphic action, which are sure to resonate with fans of Bright's darker moments.
Suicide Squad
David Ayers' take on the superhero genre is one of the most contentious entries into it ever made but still bursting with detail and, most importantly, stylistic flair.
As the project that Ayers worked on just beforehand, Suicide Squad is the most similar movie you can find to Bright and its combination of big-budget fantasy and gritty underworld fun.
Dark Blue
Ron Shelton's murky tale of corrupt L.A. cops dancing on the edge of a volcano just before the eruption of the Rodney King riots paints a detailed picture of a city grappling with moral bankruptcy.
Given its connection to reality, Dark Blue is, of course, a much more serious movie than Bright but no less entertaining thanks to its incredible ensemble and unflinching drama.
Men in Black
One of the most emphatic of Will Smith's numerous blockbuster hits, Men in Black pairs Smith with Tommy Lee Jones' super-secret government agent in a world of wild alien threats.
Smith's character is inducted into the titular organization and forced to adapt to his new perspective on life and the universe while extracting a lot of comedic gold from his odd-couple pairing with Jones.
R.I.P.D.
A less successful but still very colorful and upbeat attempt at recreating the fantastical buddy cop shenanigans of Men in Black, R.I.P.D. follows Ryan Reynolds' cop as they're gunned down in the line of duty and brought back to the realm of the living as a supernatural enforcer with Jeff Bridge's cowboy veteran as a partner.
Reynolds and Bridges are never quite as effective a match as you'd hope but they're talented enough to always be entertaining and Bright fans will enjoy the often grotesque weirdness of their afterlife world.
I, Robot
Will Smith plays a cop in a futuristic New York, where sophisticated robots are part of everyday life, who's forced to confront his prejudices against the machines when he's sucked into a murder mystery involving one of the robotics world's most innovative minds and their greatest creation.
I, Robot isn't exactly as cerebral as its source material but it makes up for any lapses in thought provocation with plenty of entertaining action and adventure.
