Project Power

Project Poweris a 2020 Americanscience fictionaction filmdirected byHenry JoostandAriel Schulman,produced byEric Newmanand Bryan Unkeless, and written byMattson Tomlin.It starsJamie Foxx,Joseph Gordon-Levitt,andDominique Fishback,alongsideColson Baker,Rodrigo Santoro,Amy LandeckerandAllen Maldonado,and follows adrug dealer,apolice officer,and a formersoldierwho team up to stop the distribution of a pill that gives the usersuperpowersfor five minutes.

Project Power
Promotional release poster
Directed by	Henry Joost Ariel Schulman
Written by	Mattson Tomlin
Produced by	Eric Newman Bryan Unkeless
Starring	Jamie Foxx Joseph Gordon-Levitt Dominique Fishback Rodrigo Santoro Colson Baker Allen Maldonado Amy Landecker Courtney B. Vance
Cinematography	Michael Simmonds
Edited by	Jeff McEvoy
Music by	Joseph Trapanese
Production companies	Screen Arcade Supermarche
Distributed by	Netflix
Release date	August 14, 2020(2020-08-14)
Running time	114 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$85.1 million

The film was released on August 14, 2020, byNetflix.It received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, who praised the performances of the cast, action sequences and visuals but criticized the screenplay.

Plot

In near-futureNew Orleans,a mysterious distributor offers a free supply of "Power" —a pill that grants varioussuperpowersfor five minutes—to a group of drug dealers, including one named Newt.

Six weeks later, Newt's teenage cousin Robin, a dealer herself, is nearly robbed by customers seeking Power. She is rescued byNOPDOfficer Frank Shaver, one of her regular buyers. Art, a man hunting for the distributor "Biggie", tracks down Newt, who dies after a struggle when heoverdoseson Power. Frank foils a bank robbery by a Power-enhanced thief, but is suspended for using Power himself. His captain reveals that government personnel are pressuring him to terminate any investigation into Power, and gives Frank a picture of the man they suspect to be the source of the drug: Art.

Using Newt's phone to find and abduct Robin, Art forces her to take him to the drug cartel'ssafehouse.He is shot while eliminating several of the cartel's men, and discovers that Power users throughout New Orleans are being monitored as test subjects for the drug. Art bonds with Robin as they treat his wounds, and reveals that after leaving the military, he was recruited by Teleios, aprivate defensecontractor who experimented on him to create superpowers. His daughter Tracy, born after the experiments, exhibited powers without ever taking the drug, and was abducted by Wallace, a Teleios operative.

Art and Robin find Biggie hosting a private demonstration of Project Power for a potential buyer near theSuperdome,where large groups ofSaintsfans are arriving for a home game. Biggie claims that Power represents "the next evolution of the human species", with the pill's powers derived from the abilities of animals, such as thechameleonor thewolverine frog.Art interrogates Biggie at gunpoint and learns of a ship, theGenesis,but Frank intervenes, having tracked other users to the demonstration. Biggie takes a dose of Power, forcing Art, Robin, and Frank to flee as Art kills Biggie in an explosion.

Frank arrests Art and informs his captain, but Art explains that the Power epidemic in New Orleans is mass testing to stabilize the drug, and that Tracy is the source of the drug's powers. Having convinced Frank that his captain is actually taking orders from Teleios, Art purposely has himself captured by Teleios and taken aboard theGenesis.Frank and Robin infiltrate the ship, and Art persuades a guard to free him. Frank and Art kill Wallace, while Robin finds Tracy and reunites her with her father.

As the four attempt to flee, Robin is captured by Dr. Gardner, the head of Project Power, who demands Tracy in exchange for Robin's life. Art confronts Gardner, using Power, which gives him the ability of apistol shrimpto finally kill Gardner and her men. Despite this costing Art his life, Tracy ultimately resurrects him with her powers. They all escape the ship.

Frank intends to expose Project Power to the press, while Art decides to move on. He gives Robin his truck and a bag full of money to cover her mother's medical needs, telling her to use the greatness inside of her. Art and Tracy depart, finally free. Meanwhile, Robin begins a new career as a rapper.

Cast

• Jamie Foxxas Art; a U.S. ArmyMajorandDelta Forceoperator who was one of Power's originaltest subjects;he possesses the ability inherited from a pistol shrimp, thus being able to launch powerful heatwaves from his body.
• Joseph Gordon-Levittas Frank Shaver; aNOPDdetective. He receives Power that hardens his skin, effectively making himbulletproof.This ability is probably inherited from anarmadilloand does not give invulnerability, but just lowers the amount of damage received to the point Frank does not receive any serious injuries. His ability also gives him a strength boost.
• Dominique Fishbackas Robin Reilly; a street-smart Power dealer who aspires to be arap artist.
• Colson Bakeras Newt Lasalle; Robin's cousin and fellow Power dealer, who possesses the ability to generate fire from his body. The ability is probably related to theBombardier Beetlewho is able to produce secretions of over 200 degrees F. Like with the beetle, Newt's ability only offers him limited heat resistance, leaving him with serious burns on his body.
• Rodrigo Santoroas Biggie; one of Power's creators, who possesses the ability to rapidly increase in size and strength.
• Amy Landeckeras Gardner
• Allen Maldonadoas Landry
• Kyanna Simone Simpson as Tracy; Art's daughter who possess the ability to healorganic matter;her powers were inherited from her father and come naturally.
• Andrene Ward-Hammond as Irene
• Courtney B. Vanceas Captain Crane; Shaver's NOPD commanding officer.
• Casey Neistatas Moto, Candy's boyfriend.
• Jim Klock as Mr. Luker
• Luke Hawxas Bouncer
• Janet Rose Nguyen as Deli Girl
• Rose Bianco as the Matriarch
• Tait Fletcher as Wallace; an employee of Gardner's who possesses the ability ofsuperhuman strength,which he probably inherited from arhinocerosor agorilla.Downside is that he receives damage as usual since he does not have an ability to protect his body from taking damage.
• Yoshi Sudarsoas Knifebones; a henchman of Gardner's who possesses the ability of turning his bones into weapons. His power was inherited from a wolverine frog.
• Jane Chika Oranikaas Akeela; Robin's classmate.
• Jazzy De Lisseras Candy; Moto's girlfriend who was given a pill to test it out. She inherited an ability of thermal regulation, but instead of Newt's immolation, she can lower the temperature of her own body and her surroundings to extremely low temperatures.
• Cory Demeyers as Griff; a Power user and bank robber, that Frank pursues. He inherited the ability of skin camouflage from anoctopusorchameleon.
• C.J. LeBlanc as Miggs
• Azhar Khanas Guello; one of the drug dealers standing higher in the chain after Robin. Art asks Robin to go to him to find information of the one who kidnapped his daughter. He inherited an ability of spontaneousregeneration,allowing him to heal with increased speed from alizard.

Production

In October 2017, it was announced thatNetflixhad acquiredMattson Tomlin'sspec scriptPowerin a bidding war with several other studios.Ariel SchulmanandHenry Joostwould direct the film, withEric Newmanand Bryan Unkeless producing.In September 2018,Jamie Foxx,Joseph Gordon-LevittandDominique Fishbackjoined the cast of the then-untitled film.In October 2018,Rodrigo Santoro,Amy Landecker,Allen Maldonado,Kyanna Simone Simpson, Andrene Ward-Hammond,Machine Gun Kelly,andCasey Neistatjoined the cast of the film.In November 2018, Jim Klock joined the cast of the film.In December 2018,Courtney B. Vancejoined the cast of the film.In July 2020, it was announced that the film would officially be titledProject Power.

Filming

Principal photographybegan on October 8, 2018 and concluded on December 22, 2018.Filming took place inNew Orleans.On October 31, 2018, Joseph Gordon-Levitt was injured during filming while riding a bicycle.The film had a total production budget of $85.1 million, with $80.4 million spenton-locationinLouisiana.

Reception

Viewership

Project Powerwas released by Netflix on August 14, 2020.It was the top-streamed film on the platform in its first two weekends before finishing in second place in its third.In October 2020, Netflix reported 75 million households watched the film over its first four weeks of release.In November,Varietyreported the film was the 12th-most watched straight-to-streaming title of 2020 up to that point.

Critical response

On review aggregatorRotten Tomatoes,the film holds an approval rating of 61% based on 178 reviews, with an average rating of 5.7/10. The website's critics' consensus reads: "Although it wastes some of the potential of its premise,Project Poweris a slick, fun action thriller - and features a star-making turn from Dominique Fishback. "Metacriticassigned the film aweighted average scoreof 51 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Writing forThe Hollywood Reporter,David Rooney said that "what makesProject Powerentertaining is its canny combination of familiar ingredients in a textured real-world milieu that gives it fresh flavor. "Kate Erbland ofIndieWiregave the film a "C+" and said that "Project Powerwrestles with a litany of thorny moral issues (and not only those of the 'great power, great responsibility' vibe) but never fully engages with them. There's broad strokes about the impact ofHurricane Katrinaon New Orleans residents, and a paper-thin exploration of the criminal implications of a cop not only using the drug, but buying it off a teenage dealer. "

Accolades

Award	Date of ceremony	Category	Recipient(s)	Result	Ref.
Visual Effects Society Awards	April 6, 2021	Outstanding Visual Effects in a Photoreal Feature	Ivan Moran, Leslie Hough, Joao Sita, Matthew Twyford, Yves Debono	Nominated
		Outstanding Effects Simulations in a Photoreal Feature	Yin Lai Jimmy Leung, Jonathan Edward Lyddon-Towl, Pierpaolo Navarini, Michelle Lee	Won
		Outstanding Compositing in a Photoreal Feature	Russell Horth, Matthew Patience, Julien Rousseau	Won

External links

• Project PoweronNetflix
• Project PoweratIMDb
• Project PoweratRotten Tomatoes