When something becomes a phenomenon, whether it's on Netflix or in theaters, it's usually not all that difficult to discern why it's connecting with so many viewers. So it's quite telling that the runaway success of Susanne Bier's Bird Box, a record-breaking hit for Ted Sarandos' film content division, is completely and utterly baffling to me. Yes, the comparisons to John Krasinski's A Quiet Place have probably helped it achieve a certain level of online buzz; this is another horror thriller attempting to return the genre to some primal fear, whether it's a loud noise or a monster so frightening it drives you to suicide. In some ways, it feels like the core idea of sight deprivation is more befitting of a virtual reality installation- after all, it's a little difficult to totally take away the audience's sight in a medium dependent on viewership.
But despite the gift of such a high concept and the fascinating burden of those cinematic limitations, Bird Box is a clumsy and tame thriller on just about every level, stuck somewhere between apocalyptic chamber piece and survival saga. The story begins in a not-so-distant future, where Malorie (Sandra Bullock) and two young children (their names are "Boy" and "Girl") are preparing for an intense journey to a safe haven. Malorie warns the kids of the struggle of the impending trip- the river trip will be rough, and they'll have to listen to her and keep their blindfolds on at every moment.
Why is the world in shambles? Why does everyone need to wear blindfolds constantly? Well, the film doesn't wait too long to fill us in. Shortly after that introduction, the film slides back in time to five years earlier, during a time when Malorie was pregnant with her child. After a routine visit to the doctor with her sister Jess (Sarah Paulson), the strange plague moving across the globe finally reaches California. Chaos spreads like wildfire, and mass suicides claim the lives of several people, including Jess. Malorie flees to a house, where she'll be trapped for several days with Tom (Trevante Rhodes), Douglas (John Malkovich), and a few other frightened survivors.
Bier and screenwriter Eric Heisserer continually hop between these two stories, which would be something of a serious structural mishap if either story was particularly successful. One of the preeminent movie stars on the planet, Sandra Bullock is capable of wringing emotion out of even the most banal of narratives- and she has a strong scene partner in rising star Trevante Rhodes. Yet there comes a point where the accumulation of thin characters and a feeling of preposterous tedium begin to destroy the film, suffocating a mildly heartfelt tale under so much self-serious silliness that there's barely any room to breathe.
Don't even get me started on the wasted ensemble. While Malorie's nightmarish journey is limited to her and a pair of young actors, the initial apocalypse features an excess of Hollywood talent, including the aforementioned stars, Jacki Weaver, Lil Rel Howery, and more. After the harrowing (and also ridiculous) indulgence of the opening setpiece, Bier restricts her cast to a posh house, where petty concerns and disagreements become fodder for new challenges and fights. It seems promising, but when every plot development is baffling and every character struggles to pass as a complex human being, you can feel the wheels starting to come off.
If there was any real levity or any understanding that watching people run around in blindfolds is patently absurd, then maybe Bird Box would click. But the film is sluggish, relentlessly po-faced, and totally devoid of suspense, always struggling to communicate the terror felt by the characters in a way that gets your heart pounding. It's you typical Netflix apocalypse pic (anyone remember How It Ends?), and even the star power of Sandra Bullock can't make it engaging.
THE FINAL GRADE: D+ (3.7/10)
Images: Netflix
But despite the gift of such a high concept and the fascinating burden of those cinematic limitations, Bird Box is a clumsy and tame thriller on just about every level, stuck somewhere between apocalyptic chamber piece and survival saga. The story begins in a not-so-distant future, where Malorie (Sandra Bullock) and two young children (their names are "Boy" and "Girl") are preparing for an intense journey to a safe haven. Malorie warns the kids of the struggle of the impending trip- the river trip will be rough, and they'll have to listen to her and keep their blindfolds on at every moment.
Why is the world in shambles? Why does everyone need to wear blindfolds constantly? Well, the film doesn't wait too long to fill us in. Shortly after that introduction, the film slides back in time to five years earlier, during a time when Malorie was pregnant with her child. After a routine visit to the doctor with her sister Jess (Sarah Paulson), the strange plague moving across the globe finally reaches California. Chaos spreads like wildfire, and mass suicides claim the lives of several people, including Jess. Malorie flees to a house, where she'll be trapped for several days with Tom (Trevante Rhodes), Douglas (John Malkovich), and a few other frightened survivors.
Bier and screenwriter Eric Heisserer continually hop between these two stories, which would be something of a serious structural mishap if either story was particularly successful. One of the preeminent movie stars on the planet, Sandra Bullock is capable of wringing emotion out of even the most banal of narratives- and she has a strong scene partner in rising star Trevante Rhodes. Yet there comes a point where the accumulation of thin characters and a feeling of preposterous tedium begin to destroy the film, suffocating a mildly heartfelt tale under so much self-serious silliness that there's barely any room to breathe.
Don't even get me started on the wasted ensemble. While Malorie's nightmarish journey is limited to her and a pair of young actors, the initial apocalypse features an excess of Hollywood talent, including the aforementioned stars, Jacki Weaver, Lil Rel Howery, and more. After the harrowing (and also ridiculous) indulgence of the opening setpiece, Bier restricts her cast to a posh house, where petty concerns and disagreements become fodder for new challenges and fights. It seems promising, but when every plot development is baffling and every character struggles to pass as a complex human being, you can feel the wheels starting to come off.
If there was any real levity or any understanding that watching people run around in blindfolds is patently absurd, then maybe Bird Box would click. But the film is sluggish, relentlessly po-faced, and totally devoid of suspense, always struggling to communicate the terror felt by the characters in a way that gets your heart pounding. It's you typical Netflix apocalypse pic (anyone remember How It Ends?), and even the star power of Sandra Bullock can't make it engaging.
THE FINAL GRADE: D+ (3.7/10)
Images: Netflix
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