Bird Box (2018, Susanne Bier, USA) follows Malorie (Sandra Bullock) as she experiences a supernatural catastrophe that whips out a majority of the world’s population and she has to protect two children as they grow up and blindly navigate to a safe place. There was a lot of social media hype around this movie. I also heard Netflix created funny videos of normal families acting as if in this world where they cannot see. Due to this, going into the movie, I definitely had high expectations, and was greatly let down. The idea itself obviously wasn’t original, with A Quiet Place (2018) and the idea of not being about to make sound and The Happening (2008) created the concept of mass suicides by an unknown presence. I did liked the addition that psychotic people can see and they cause a new fear. My big issue with it was way too many cuts that disrupted the flow of some conversations. If someone is speaking passionately, it’s better to have a long take of them delivering what they have to say rather than three of four different shots constantly switching. It didn’t feel natural and it got in the way for me to connect with the character’s drive.
It was rare for Malorie to be given a break. With high tension and being pregnant in the beginning, and trying to escape psycho’s, and a 42+ hour boat ride that breaks up the time from the pregnancy to the children being five years old. You’re constantly on the edge of your seat and it’s draining. Even the ending — she’s safe but there no real resolution. People still can’t go outside and open their eyes. The world is different and now they have to start from scratch. There’s hope because they are alive, but also sadness and unknown of where to go from here.
” Under no circumstances are you allowed to take off your blindfold.” — Malorie
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