As Much About The Characters As The "Gimmick"

Rating: 9/10 (31 December 2018)

It would be easy to dismiss Netflix's "Bird Box" as a "gimmick" film, capitalizing on the concept set forth by April 2018's "A Quiet Place". The major difference between the two films, however, is that "Bird Box"--much to its credit--focuses more on the characters than the outside factors, making it an overall better, more visceral experience.
For a basic plot summary, "Bird Box" tells the story of Malorie (Sandra Bullock), who is pregnant with her first child and unsure of how to transition into motherhood. Nearly at full term, Malorie's world is turned upside down by a mysterious plague, of sorts, that causes mass violent suicides and seems to be spread simply by sight (looking at a mysterious entity). Flashing back and forth between the present and the future, the film tells the story of how Malorie (and others) must overcome both the physical situation, as well as their own personal demons in order to survive in a world where sight is no longer an option for survival.
Much like "A Quiet Place" (which made sound the culprit), this movie has a great "hook" (sight is the enemy here) to base the story around. Every great film needs an impetus for the action to revolve around, and "Bird Box" has that with the inventive concept. Many scenes are legitimately tension-filled and throw many surprises at the audience.
What sets "Bird Box" apart from many of its contemporaries, however, is its ability (and willingness, quite frankly) to really build up the characters (especially Malorie) and have the story suit those needs rather than the other way around. It would have been so easy to just skate by on concept (which, for example, "A Quiet Place" does despite still being decent in its own right) and only focus on that, but thankfully director Susanne Bier makes it very clear that she knows how to intertwine the relationships/emotions with the intriguing plot. This isn't a movie about an apocalyptic plague/monster, but rather a character study that just happened to be set in much an environment.
For a streaming service--Netflix--that is often known for "quantity over quality" in terms of its original content, "Bird Box" is a refreshing experience in that it easily could have been released in theaters and likely made back its budget (and probably then some). This is one of the best films I've seen this year (2018) for the way it combines intrigue, suspense, character development, and emotion so seamlessly and entertainingly.