21 Bridges (2019): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Ending
21 Bridges is a 2019 action thriller directed by Brian Kirk, starring Chadwick Boseman as Andre Davis, Stephan James and Taylor Kitsch. It runs 1 hour 39 minutes and earned $49.9 million worldwide on a $33 million budget. Critics gave it 55% on Rotten Tomatoes and 51 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 39m (99 min)
- Director
- Brian Kirk
- Original language
-
English
- Studio
- Concorde Filmverleih
- Budget
- $33M
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is 21 Bridges About?
The premise of 21 Bridges without spoilers. The whole story and the ending explained are in the plot summary further down.
An NYPD detective, haunted by his past, leads a citywide manhunt for two suspects wanted for the murder of eight officers. As the chase intensifies, the detective and his partner close all 21 bridges connecting Manhattan to the mainland, effectively trapping everyone on the island. He soon uncovers a deeper conspiracy that puts him at odds with his colleagues and forces him to question everything he thought he knew.
21 Bridges Themes & Keywords
· 50 tags- detective
- police
- nightclub
- shootout
- chase
- police chase
- fugitive
- subway
- murder
- showdown
- drugs
- conspiracy
+38 more Show fewer
- corruption
- police officer
- new york city
- neo noir
- police detective
- police officer ambushed
- police shootout
- police massacre
- revelation
- reverse footage
- suspense
- cat and mouse
- manhunt
- no opening credits
- no title at beginning
- title at the end
- flash forward
- gunfight
- on the run
- street shootout
- gun battle
- foot chase
- one day timespan
- one night timespan
- night
- lockdown
- die hard scenario
- race against time
- time limit
- near death experience
- urban setting
- manhattan new york city
- brooklyn new york city
- grand central station manhattan new york city
- new york city skyline
- brooklyn bridge
- bridge
- subway station
21 Bridges Cast & Characters
Chadwick Boseman leads the cast as Andre Davis, with Stephan James as Michael and Taylor Kitsch as Ray. Directed by Brian Kirk; 18 actors are credited in all.
- Director Brian Kirk
-
Chadwick Boseman as Andre Davis -
Stephan James as Michael -
Taylor Kitsch as Ray -
Sienna Miller as Frankie Burns
Also Starring in 21 Bridges
· 14 more- Keith David Deputy Chief Spencer
- J.K. Simmons Captain McKenna
- Louis Cancelmi Bush
- Toby Hemingway
- Alexander Siddig Adi
- Jamie Neumann Leigh
- Gary Carr Hawk
- Christian Isaiah Young Andre
- Victoria Cartagena Yolanda
- Dale Pavinski Mosto's Manager - Tom Cheaver
- Jared Ward
- John Crann
- Joseph D Fisher
- Michael Antonio
More from Brian Kirk
More films directed by Brian Kirk, best-rated first: Dead of Winter, My Boy Jack and Middletown.
21 Bridges Reviews & Ratings
Critics gave 21 Bridges 55% on Rotten Tomatoes and 51 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 6.6/10. Our Echo Score gives it 67/100, strongest in art & craft (75) and weakest in rewatch factor (50).
21 Bridges Echo Score Breakdown
In 21 Bridges, the film balances energetic pacing and solid technical execution with familiar narrative beats that limit its overall impact. The direction and editing are consistently assured, offering clear visual storytelling and measured suspense. Chadwick Boseman’s presence anchors the drama, though supporting roles and plot developments feel underexplored and predictable. While the sensory elements and action sequences maintain interest, the lack of nuanced character arcs and originality tempers the lasting impression. Overall, 21 Bridges delivers an engaging, if conventional, thriller experience.
Our own 0–100 rating, built from five aspects: art, character, story, the sensory experience and how well a film rewatches.
- Art & Craft 75
In terms of art and craft, 21 Bridges exhibits steady direction and precise editing that support the action-driven narrative. The cinematography favors clear framing over stylistic flourish, delivering consistent visual readability. Production design remains functional and unobtrusive, focusing on realistic urban settings. While the film lacks bold visual experimentation, its disciplined technical approach sustains momentum and clarity throughout.
- Character & Emotion 70
When it comes to character and emotion, the film rests heavily on Chadwick Boseman’s committed performance, which brings necessary gravitas. Supporting roles receive limited development, resulting in thin emotional resonance beyond the protagonist. Chemistry between key figures is serviceable but rarely transcends basic archetypes. Despite strong anchoring by the lead, the overall character depth remains modest and somewhat underexplored.
- Story & Flow 60
In terms of story and flow, 21 Bridges follows a clear, action-focused structure with deliberate pacing that maintains forward movement. However, plot originality is constrained by predictable twists and familiar genre conventions. Engagement is sustained through urgent scenarios, yet occasional expository dialogue slows momentum. While the narrative delivers consistent thrills, its lack of unexpected developments and deeper complexity tempers overall impact.
- Sensory Experience 70
When evaluating the sensory experience, the film offers a robust sound design and an engaging score that heighten tension during action sequences. Visual style prioritizes realism over stylization, resulting in straightforward, coherent imagery. Audio mixing emphasizes environmental and weapon sounds, reinforcing the gritty atmosphere. Although the sensory elements do not break new ground, they competently enhance the film’s immersive quality.
- Rewatch Factor 50
As a rewatch factor, 21 Bridges presents solid action moments and a reliable central performance that may appeal on repeat viewings. Nevertheless, the familiarity of its plot twists and limited character exploration reduce long-term intrigue. Subsequent viewings deliver comparable thrills but little new discovery. Overall, the film offers moderate replay value, satisfying genre expectations without inspiring sustained revisits.
-
IMDb 6.6 /10
See on IMDb -
Rotten Tomatoes 55% Tomatometer
Popcornmeter 91%
See on Rotten Tomatoes -
Metacritic 51 Metascore
User score 6.1
See on Metacritic -
TMDB 68% User score
See on TMDB -
Letterboxd 3.0 /5
70 ratings
See on Letterboxd -
Movie Insider 3.6 /5
See on Movie Insider
21 Bridges Plot Summary & Ending Explained
What happens in 21 Bridges from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events and the ending explained. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
A young man named Andre Davis (played by Chadwick Boseman) finds himself grappling with the painful legacy left behind by his father, a police officer who was tragically murdered while on duty. Years later, Andre rises through the ranks of the NYPD, becoming a formidable law enforcement officer known for his unwavering pursuit of “cop killers.” Despite his success, he remains troubled by the violent reputation he has earned, insisting that each of his actions was justified as self-defense.
Full summary
The whole story of 21 Bridges, scene by scene, with the ending explained
21 Bridges Box Office & Budget
21 Bridges grossed $49.9 million worldwide on a $33 million budget, 1.5 times what it cost. $28.5 million came from the US and Canada and $21.4 million (43%) from the rest of the world.
Worldwide gross
$49.9M
1.5× its budget
- US & Canada
- $28.5M
- International
- $21.4M
- Budget
- $33M
21 Bridges Trailers & Videos
5 videos: 2 trailers and 3 teasers.
- Trailer 21 Bridges | Final Trailer | Now In Theaters
- Teaser 21 Bridges | "Going Bad Cutdown" TV Commercial | Own it NOW on Digital HD, Blu-Ray & DVD
- Teaser 21 Bridges | "Catch Cutdown" TV Commercial | Own it NOW on Digital HD, Blu-Ray & DVD
- Teaser 21 Bridges | "Side Trigger" TV Commercial | Own it NOW on Digital HD, Blu-Ray & DVD
How Well Do You Know 21 Bridges?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Who is the main character in '21 Bridges'?
Cars in 21 Bridges
45 cars on screen, including the 2015 Dodge Charger and the 2007 BMW 3 E92.
-
2015 Dodge Charger Main role -
2007 BMW 3 E92 Important role -
2007 Lincoln Navigator Important role -
2006 Chevrolet Impala Minor role
21 Bridges Also Known As
37 alternative titles, including “17 Bridges” and “21 브릿지-테러 셧다운”.
- Also known as
-
- 17 Bridges
- 21 브릿지-테러 셧다운
- Nueva York sin salida
- MANHATTAN LOCKDOWN
- Manhattan sin salida
- 21 Bridges (2019)
- 21 Bridges - Jagd durch Manhattan
- 21 Köprü
- 21 моста
- 21 브릿지: 테러 셧다운
- 21 міст
- 21 мост
+25 more Show fewer
- Crime Sem Saída
- 21 híd
- Poursuite sous pression
- 21 Γέφυρες
- 暴走曼哈頓
- 21 tilts
- 21 tiltas
- 21 silda
- 21 Cây Cầu
- City of Crime
- 21 גשרים
- 21 Mostów
- 21 Pontes
- 21 mostov
- 21ブリッジ
- 21 Mostů
- 21座桥
- เผด็จศึกยึดนิวยอร์ก
- 21 de poduri
- 21 ხიდი
- 曼克頓封暴
- ۲۱ پل
- ٢١ جسر
- 21 most
- 21 ponts
Seen 21 Bridges?
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21 Bridges FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, ratings and post-credit scenes of 21 Bridges, each answered in a sentence.
How long is 21 Bridges?
21 Bridges runs 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes).
When was 21 Bridges released?
21 Bridges was released on November 22, 2019.
Who directed 21 Bridges?
21 Bridges was directed by Brian Kirk.
More films by Brian Kirk Who is in the cast of 21 Bridges?
21 Bridges stars Chadwick Boseman as Andre Davis, Stephan James as Michael and Taylor Kitsch as Ray, among 18 credited actors.
How much did 21 Bridges make at the box office?
21 Bridges grossed $49.9 million worldwide ($28.5 million domestic, $21.4 million international) on a budget of $33 million.
How is 21 Bridges rated?
21 Bridges has 6.6/10 on IMDb, 55% on Rotten Tomatoes, 51 on Metacritic and 68% on TMDB.
Does 21 Bridges have a post-credit scene?
No. 21 Bridges has no extra scene during or after the credits.
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