"Bird Box": Nathan's Movie Review

After much hype and a little bit of confusion, I finally watched the mysterious Bird Box. I didn't know what to expect, or even what it was about, and I can honestly say that this film will stay with me for a long time. Did it have similarities to other horror stories out there? Sure, but what Bird Box did differently was that it played with your senses and your mind all the while keeping you on the edge of your seat.

The film follows Malorie, a single pregnant woman who is caught in the middle of a worldwide crisis. Some sort of entity has descended to earth and poisons the minds of anyone that sees it, causing its victims to kill themselves. The only way she and a small group of people that take her in can survive is to keep their eyes closed.

This was a year of rejuvenation for horror/thrillers. In A Quiet Place, the characters had to be silent 98% of the time. They had to plan out everything, from laying out sand to walk on and using sign language to speak. In Bird Box, the characters had to keep their eyes closed whenever they went outside. That means walking blind, navigating rapids blind, running through woods blind, and shooting blind. They also had to keep any windows covered and couldn't use any sort of cameras because the entity could still get to them through it all. It was a truly scary idea that you could no longer use your eyes and you couldn't even trust your hearing because the entity would use the voice of someone you loved to make you think you were safe.

Sandra Bullock and John Malkovich were the standout performers in the film. Sandra isn't known for horror at all, with the exception of Premonition, so this was new territory for her. The same can be said of Malkovich, who is more widely known for comedy, drama, and mystery films. The two were electric on-screen and played off each other very well.

Susanne Bier directed the film perfectly, really diving into the characters and the fears that each of them felt. She took the material and made you at least consider the possibility that these events could become a reality, striking your heart with fear, shock, and emotion.

In conclusion, Bird Box was engaging and truly terrifying, and I applaud how much work everyone poured into the film. I give it a 4 out of 4.