Sandra Bullock plays a harsh, survival-driven mom in this big budget mishmash of several preceding genre films. Amidst a chilly natural backdrop and some violent, high-pressure scenarios, we revisit the awkward suicide device of The Happening, the heavy-handed sensory horror gimmick of A Quiet Place and the grim, dystopian parenting themes of The Road. A few scenes stand out, rare moments where Bird Box dares to set itself apart and try something different, but they don't last long and for most of the running time the thematic similarities are tough to escape.
Bullock's performance is similarly on-and-off. In the harsh opening scene, wherein she barks out a series of chilly, no-nonsense instructions to her two very young children, she's excellent. Stuck in an impossible situation, she hasn't the luxury for compassion nor softness, though her eyes bely an external poker face. Her role peaks in that first scene, however, and as the film staggers to its conclusion, she proves unable to cover for some very questionable screenwriting decisions.
Much of the film's most pressing questions go unanswered, left to vaporize in viewers' minds, and while that could be chalked up to atmosphere in the hands of a proficient writer or director, Bird Box is blessed with neither. Instead, it just feels lazy, especially when paired with an abundance of plot holes and silly coincidences. I appreciate what it was trying to be, but I don't really care for what it became.
The novel "Bird Box" is said to be a chilling and well-written story, providing a strong foundation for Netflix's adaptation directed by Susanne Bier and starring Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Danielle Macdonald, and Jacki Weaver. The movie follows Malorie (Bullock) and two children as they navigate a forest and river blindfolded to reach a mysterious destination in the aftermath of an unknown apocalyptic event, where an unseen entity causes those who see it to take their own lives. Though the movie employs flashbacks to reveal more about the origins of the affliction, it fails to fully utilize the key weapon of the blindfolds and lack of sight to ramp up tension and horror. Though it has its moments, the film ultimately falls short of its potential and feels like a missed opportunity.
Se dice que la novela "Bird Box" es una historia escalofriante y bien escrita, que proporciona una base sólida para la adaptación de Netflix dirigida por Susanne Bier y protagonizada por Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich, Danielle Macdonald y Jacki Weaver. La película sigue a Malorie (Bullock) y dos niños mientras navegan por un bosque y un río con los ojos vendados para llegar a un destino misterioso después de un evento apocalíptico desconocido, donde una entidad invisible hace que quienes la ven se quiten la vida. Aunque la película emplea flashbacks para revelar más sobre los orígenes de la aflicción, no logra utilizar por completo el arma clave de las vendas en los ojos y la falta de visión para aumentar la tensión y el horror. Aunque tiene sus momentos, la película finalmente no alcanza su potencial y se siente como una oportunidad perdida.
Enjoyed this movie a lot.
Reading the plot and seeing the movie arts, I feared to watch a rip-off of A Quiet Place. It wasn’t the case for me. Yes, it’s about a creature we don’t know much about that kill people. Okay, there‘s a boy and a girl. Yep, you can also check the pregnancy and delivery box. Oh and at the end, the disabled are the key because the creature can’t kill if you don’t have one of your 5 senses. But both movies are delivered differently. They touch the same subject in more or less the same way. But for me saying they are the same is like saying all Marvel and DC Comics movies are the same. It’s the result of an oversimplification of what those movies are.
If you look at it closely, this movie is not far from The Happening also. Again, not the same.
What I liked about this one is the acting and the unwrapping of the story. I loved John Malkovich in this one. A perfect asshole! All character are a bit a stereotype but it wasn’t too much a problem. They all deliver a more than good performance.
The budget and CGI, even if there’s not a lot of it, was pretty good.
I didn’t care to (not) see the creatures. It added to the mystery.
What I didn’t like was the too easy parts like the car scenes where they avoid everything just by using the proximity sensors and the gps, the running in the woods without hitting a tree really hard, the fall in the water then 5 mins later everybody is safe and sound,...
Also not a big fan of the end. They let them enter just by looking at their eyes. The last guy to enter the house and the last group they encounter hadn’t special eyes. It’s like they had the special eyes only when looking at the thing. Kind of foolish to let them in that easily.
Then, she finds the doctor. Really? Adding happiness on top of the happy ending.
The movie was a bit long but I was still entertained during the whole thing even with the similarities with the two mentioned movies that a love. Hence the good rating despite the small flaws.
Okay.
So, I've been postponing my watch of "Bird Box" since it first came out. I've read the book twice and the biggest reason for not watching the adaptation until now is that I was afraid it wouldn't do any justice to Josh Malerman's novel. Somehow, it really didn't.
I get that some feelings, some specific moments, impressions and strugles are very hard to "adapt". I get that there's BIG points on the books that would NEVER work in a visual media, but they could've tried a little more. Don't get me wrong, I truly enjoyed this adaptation, but as an adaptation, I still think it hits too far from the original material.
Some of the BEST and STRONGEST emotional moments were completely ignored. Malorie could've had a more conving tie with her children if they simply showed a little bit more of their training, if there was at least a hint of that moment of conflict where she asks herself if she's capable of blinding them, if they had a bigger role in the river run.
The movie is solid, but lacks so much for anyone who've read the novel. Sandra Bullock does an amazing Malorie, but she could achieve so much more with a slighliest better script on hands.
Anyway, 7/10 for not trying to show the creatures on screen. It's a win.
I started watching Bird Box but honestly, it was boring af and I hear it only gets worse. I'll finish it someday I guess.
First of all, the disease is spreading across Europe? That’s fine, Europe not a real place, wtf even is a Romania? lol. But seriously, Sandra Bullock’s character was like, "meh, I couldn’t care less that people are dying because it’s not happening in the US". And that was the most realistic thing, because Americans can’t look further their noses.
Second, the movie is very predictable. I could guess where everything was going since the first frame. The characters is just your typical cast of absurdly diverse characters. The minute you see them, you know the hot black dude will be killed off last because he will be Bullock’s love interest (this is Netflix after all). Asian gay guy gets killed first but only after revealing his sexuality literally seconds before his death lol, black guy is the second death (but there’s two of them, so yay progress?), of course it’s the hot one that survives because ugly people don’t need representation. The suspense is taken away when I’m able to guess who’s going to die. And all the romantic relationships seemed to happen out of the blue.
Oh, and there’s a scene where John Malkovich drunkenly yells out “All of us, collectively, are making the end of the world...great again!” I mean, seriously?!?
All of the performances are god awful, and Sandra Bullock is too old to be a mother of this young children.
Why did Bird Box become such a social media sensation? Everything, absolutely everything about it is unimaginative, cliche, dull, lazy, or miserable to endure. The only memorable thing about this movie is the memes that it provoked. This is the type of formulaic nonsense that Netflix will keep foisting onto us.
A masterclass in handling tension without ever showing anything. I mean, there is an ever present mysterious... thing ? that kills people and the whole budget for that must have been a fan to make three leaves float in one sequence. And still, the actors make it real enough si that it's not an issue. Impressive.
The non linear narrative is also a good thing. Otherwise the movie would have started with what is basically a remake of The happening.
I'm still a little confused on what the thing actually is. It seems to be omnipresent, everywhere at the same time, when it's convenient, it's instantly there, wherever they are. But it's selective, like when Malorie is not affected but Jessica is, when they are in the same car. Also some time it might not be there (if someone has to look at the rapids, there's a chance that they won't just kill themselves instantly). So maybe it's just roaming around, but there are enough or it is big enough to almost be everywhere. It also can't get inside, so houses, cars, but what is the limit to inside ? Why couldn't it enter the house when the door is open ?
Obviously it's not the point of the movie, but it looks that for this reason, it hasn't be entirely thought through. That's a little annoying because an interesting part of this kind of movie is to try to understand what's happening and find a way to counter it.
Bonus points for the use of crazy people that are not affected but want to share and blind people as savers in the ending.
The characters are diverse enough to offer interest while they are here, and all in all actors are quite good.
So not top level, but really enjoyable. Not sure it's worth a second viewing though.
Review by Paladin5150BlockedParent2019-01-04T12:30:50Z— updated 2019-01-26T21:25:14Z
A good concept with mixed results on the execution. A superb cast that made the most of the rather thin material they had to work with, and, extra kudos to Sandra Bullock for taking on another damaged character, yet, somehow managing to make us root not just for her survival, but her redemption, and ultimately, her salvation, as she struggles to find connection with the ones with whom connection should be automatic. Trevante Rhodes, shines as Tom, who breaks through Malorie's chilly facade, without becoming trite or contrived. John Malkovich of course has made a career out of just being John Malkovich, just as Marion Morrison made a career out of being John Wayne. (same character, different wrapping paper) Lil Rel Howery, now repping the neighborhood supermarket, pulls off some "T.S .M/Fing A." style heroics, and Machine Gun Kelley delivered his 4 word exclamation, multiple times, on cue, with the appropriate facial expressions. He should have a long career as "the party guest who smelled a fart", or the nekkid butt shot on the washing machine, knocking boots with the girl who said she wouldn't if he was the last man in the world. (or possibly a zombie in Shaun of the Dead 3)
Neflix kept it under budget in the FX department by simply "suggesting" the monster rather than beating us over the head with it, and, to some extent it is effective. No green screen or ILM wizardry needed. But overall an enjoyable popcorn movie, and it actually intrigued me enough that I'd like to see this world explored a bit further, perhaps with the mythology Charlie was exploring for his the end of the world opus.