Bird Box Review
7 / 10. Some interesting aspects, tense and enjoyable, but left wanting a bit more scariness after a great opening *MILD SPOILERS*
Netflix’s Bird Box is a post-apocalyptic horror film directed by Susanne Bier and written by Eric Heisserer, based on the novel by Josh Malerman.
The film starts with Malorie (Sandra Bullock) rowing her two children down a river, firmly telling them not to remove their blindfolds, or they will die… So far, so ominous.
Bird Box splits the story between the present, on the river, and five years previously, at the onset of a horrifying event where unseen entities turn people insane and the creepy insanity ramps up in a great opening 15/20 minutes of the film. Events eventually conjoin as we follow Malorie’s attempt to find safety and sanctuary.
The subtlety of the eyes changing in those who see the threat was a nice touch and a well-done special effect.
There are similar aspects here to The Happening and A Quiet Place, but this isn’t a bad thing as it isn’t just a rip off. Bird Box turns an intriguing idea into a tense and enjoyable film, but it isn’t very scary. It’s a similar experience to The Happening in that the trailer and the start of the film was scary, and the rest film wasn’t, but that was about killer plants so…
It’s an effective horror tool to show little of the monsters, but as they are different for everyone - much like a Harry Potter Boggart - your imagination can make up the rest.
The group dynamics worked well, showcasing good and bad aspects of human nature and their instincts to survive.
The trip in the blacked-out car using only the GPS was a good idea and comical. Would that really work?! Let’s not try it. You have to suspend disbelief for some of the plot, such as: rowing for 2 / 3 days straight, blindfolded!
Trevante Rhodes is effortlessly cool, and believable as Tom. Sandra Bullock is typically good here, as are Boy and Girl (Julian Edwards and Vivien Lyra Blair).
John Malkovich was excellent as always, as Douglas, and the small but pivotal role of Gary was played brilliantly by Tom Hollander.
The ending was a little predictable, but fit well to the story.