"So, there's these things.....and if you see them you feel compelled to take your own life, so everyone covers their eyes and wanders around blind."
"Blind? Is it a bit like A Quiet Place where everyone had to not talk in case the monsters heard them?"
"Not really no."
"But people have to deprive themselves of a sense to survive right?"
"Eh....ah......ya.....but there's more to it than that. I think."
Malorie has just found out she's pregnant and she's trying not to think ahead. After a hospital check up her and her sister find themselves caught in the middle of an apocalyptic occurrence and she's forced to take shelter in a house full of strangers. Soon enough supplies start to run low and journey's outside can only be done blind.
Think of this as 'A Quiet Place' meets 'The Happening'. One of the best films of 2018 meets the worst film of 2008. Happily it's far far better than the latter but not quite as good as the former. Sandra Bullock is excellent as Malorie, the reluctant mammy who realises she's far stronger than she realised. The film opens with her roaring in the faces of two small children, a moment that immediately puts you on the back foot, ready to hate her, but soon, despite yourself you begin to understand why she's the way she is. Bullock has always been a likable screen presence so it's odd to see her in this mode but like all the best performers she finds a way to make it work and soon enough you'll be chomping the nails off yourself as she fights for survival.
The entities causing all the trouble in Bird Box are never explained. Some may find that annoying but I found it refreshing. In an era of horror where everything gets a backstory it's nice to have an enemy that's just unknown, unseen, unexplainable. Suggestion and your own imagination will always be scarier than a big CGI beasty. When it comes to successful horror, less is always more. Except for the scenes of violence that kick off the film this is actually pretty low key stuff and all the more effective for it, especially when longueurs are suddenly punctuated by brutality. The idea of being holed up in a dwelling while civilisation breaks down all around you has been done in a lot of scary movies over the years but a good supporting cast gives these scenes plenty of pep. John Malkovich as the headmelt who owns the house & Trevante Rhodes as a builder stand out especially. Horror is always better when you give a shit about the characters you're watching.
Some people will definitely have trouble with this movie considering what it's about but thankfully it's not done in an exploitative way. The most harrowing moments are shown in quick cuts and never dwelt on unlike the aforementioned 'The Happening' which went all out with it's money shots for shock value. Bird Box feels like a far more mature considered piece of work. Yes yes yes it's yet another post apocalyptic horror movie but it's a rare one where you'll empathise with the people onscreen.
Available on netflix now.
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