The momentous arrival of new crime drama series The Brothers Sun brings promise with a first episode that delivers multitonal drama and comedy with several servings of violence and fisticuffs. Eight episodes are streaming on Netflix following its premiere on Thursday so after this, you’re welcome to dive in for yourselves if you’re keen as this review will just cover the pilot episode.
The show starts off as best as action fans could ask for and probably expect, here with a scene set in a highrise in Taiwan where the residency of Sun family heir, Charles (Justin Chien) is ambushed by three masked men with weapons while he’s in the middle of baking. The ordeal leads to another twist early in the story that winds up with his father, Big Sun (Johnny Kou) comatose and fighting for his life, forcing Charles to take the next step as ordered and travel to Los Angeles in what bodes as more than a bittersweet reunion with his mother, Mama Sun (Michelle Yeoh), and his school-bound brother, Bruce (Sam Song Li).
The incident is also more than either Bruce or Charles can handle at the moment. With hitmen and mercenaries under the suspected employ of a rival family gunning for him, Charles is unable to rely on Bruce seeing as the two were seperated during childhood. An aspiring improv actor, Bruce’s chance for a degree remains positive considering his grades are aces, although not so much that his lack of finances may force him to drop out if he can’t make his tuition of $5,000. Adding to the impasse is that only just finding out that he’s related to a trained assassin and heir to a major crime organization will only rope him in further – a revelation made imminent by an explosive showdown in a nightclub when a last ditch effort to make quick cash lands Bruce in the throes of a scissor-wielding drug queenpin, May (Alice Hewkin).
The show is shepherded by creators Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu, and with filmmaker Kevin Tancharoen on board for the series, and fittingly so after proving himself apt at directing riveting action narratives on credits like the “Mortal Kombat Legacy” webseries, in addition to “Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D.” as well as a number of other Marvel and DC shows, and even an episode of hit series “Warrior” which is soon making its way to Netflix with all three seasons in the coming months.
The Brothers Sun has a strong lead in Chien who brings significant strength and resilience to the role of Charles as a force to be reckoned with, with Li as the younger, more inexperienced brother when it comes to the criminal underworld, setting up a dichotomy brimming with a few fish-out-of-water laughs to help set the mood just right. Actress Yeoh is a welcome screen presence in the role of Mama, following her grand Oscar win alongside co-stars Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis in Everything Everywhere All At Once. The introductory line-up in the first episode will surely pave the way for more characters to emerge in the coming episodes.
The action hits beat for beat if you’re geared toward the kind of brutal levels of TV martial arts kickass featuring prominent Asian casting line-ups. Justin Yu and seasoned stalwart J.J. Perry (Day Shift) main the team behind the action which also includes Travis Wong, Eric C. Brown, and fellow Larnell Stovall cohort Michael Lehr (The Continental) who also performs stunt double work on the series to name a few.
I’ll probably extend my thoughts on the series further via Instagram, but I’d say The Brothers Sun is off to a good start for a show on a platform that’s already done wonders for me following Yu Yu Hakusho. So, follow me on the ‘gram and let’s see where The Brothers Sun shines…
