What Is the Story About?
The series follows Bruce Sun, a Californian boy who has his life snapped out of the blue when his gangster triad aid older brother, Charles Sun visits Los Angeles, California from Taipei, Taiwan to protect his mother and brother post his father falls in a shootout. Bruce eventually learns about his family’s profession as Taipei’s most renowned triad, and that his brother is a hardened criminal raised by his now critically ill crime boss father. Charles efforts to find out who was responsible for the assassination attempt on his father opens a can of worms and new enemies who the family has to fend now. All this while Bruce struggles to adapt to the gangster ways of life.
Performances?
Undeniably the star of the show is the veteran icon Michelle Yeoh as Mama Sun. She is sweet and tender when she is the mother to Bruce, while bossy and savage when she is the key to Taiwan’s crime syndicate. She effortlessly slips into the shoes of the all knowner mother and hooks you right from the start when she reveals herself as the brain behind the traids functioning in Taipei. Her scenes with actors Justin Chein and Sam Song Li makes for some of the best moments in the show.
Analysis
The Brothers Sun, created by Byron Wu & Brad Falchuk for Netflix is an amalgamation of genres like action, comedy and drama..and lots of action again. It’s not your regular triad gang-war show, but it’s all a family affair.
The show starts with a man busy baking a cake and simultaneously engaging in a shootout in his lavish mansion. He kills all of the attackers but his crime boss father appears from hiding and gets shot instead. Desperate to find out the real identity and root of the ‘red ribbon’ attackers, Charles Sun leaves Taipei to Los Angeles respecting his father’s words to protect his family. ‘Protect the family’ by the way is a phrase that gets annoyingly repeated throughout the show and you would know why.
Charles Sun reaches Los Angeles and meets his bossy mama and loser brother Bruce who apparently has no idea about the real identity of his family business – i.e gangster business. The boy is suddenly fed with so many hidden truths to take and is forced to get together with Charles to identify their father’s Assassins. The duo gets on a mission with their mother and what follows is a hiralious turn of events where Charles kicks and shoots and garners new enemies dragging Bruce along.
However, while Charles shows his physical mettle, Mama Sun aka Eileen Sun shows the brains she got, the foundation of the empire built by Suns. The Sun family meets new people and old aids whilst getting into the root of ‘red ribbon’ attackers, opening up a can of old worms. What starts off as a regular gang war action comedy, takes dramatic turns where everything gets rooted in family. The jealousy, the viciousness, the revenge and the love.
The Brothers Sun seamlessly blends genres. The transition from action to comedy to drama doesn’t come along with any fall in the consistently engaging screenplay. The viewer is hooked to what the Sun family does. There’s even some romance sprinkled into the mix that changes the cold blooded killer Charles Sun forever.
The best thing about The Brothers Sun is its charming cast. Even the supporting actors are charming enough to have you root for them, despite them being cold blooded wicked gangsters. And Michelle Yeoh is Michelle Yeoh for a reason. Eileen Sun’s character arc is very heroic and she gets the superstar treatment throughout the show.
Nevertheless the series takes a disappointing dip towards the finale. What starts off as an engaging family business action drama ends as a mere cliffhanger service to a potential season 2. One would wonder why would Charles Sun’s character arc be compromised to lead to a second season. The payoff is not rewarding enough for a series that starts off on such a highly entertaining note.
To be concise, The Brothers Sun is an entertaining show with a supremely talented star-cast and an arresting Michelle Yeoh. Undeniably the first good show of 2024 is here! If you are a sucker for good action and ofcourse east asian content, The Brothers Sun would be a fun ride!
Other Artists?
The Brothers Sun wouldn’t be as engaging as it is without its charming star-cast. Justin Chein is hot and fire as Charles Sun, the dreaded criminal who was groomed by his crime boss gangster father. He is stone faces, ruthless and violence is his second name. It’s beautiful to watch him go as a stone cold man with no emotions to a mama’s boy and vulnerable boy in love towards the season finale. Sam Song Li as Bruce Sun plays the perfect spoilt manchild who is sweet and also annoyingly cute. A perfect mix to the mad Sun family.
John Lee plays Bruce’s loser best friend with ease while actors Jon Xue Zhang and Jenny Yang make for a perfect assassin duo with the former being a dork and the latter – stone cold. One wouldn’t have enough of the two in the show. Alice Hewkin also steals the show with her kicks and puches and makes for a great aid to Charles, Eileen and Bruce.
Music and Other Departments?
One of the biggest strengths of The Brothers Sun is it’s smashing soundtrack. Nathan Matthew David and Nick Lee has created a sound-track that fuses original and peppy popular numbers elevating the mood and authenticity of the show. The dialogues take the cake by making the show more fun and happening. C. Kim Miles and Andrew Mitchell’s cinematography stands true to the East Asian rooted-ness while also being American to an extent.
Highlights?
– Michelle Yeoh
– Star Cast performances
– Engaging Screenplay
– Exceptional action choreography
– Music
Drawbacks?
– Lackluster Finale
Did I Enjoy It?
Yes. Definitely.
Will You Recommend It?
Yes. Arguably the first good show of 2024 you can start your year with.
The Brothers Sun Series Review by Binged Bureau
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