Effective enough, although derivative

Rating: 6/10 (23 December 2018)

BIRD BOX is a new sci-fi/horror movie from Netflix, heavily derivative of the likes of A QUIET PLACE and THE HAPPENING. The film stars an ageing Sandra Bullock as a rather unlikely pregnant woman who gets caught up in a weird apocalypse that causes people who witness invisible monsters to become instantly suicidal. She takes refuge in a large home with the usual assorted characters before going on a quest to find safety.
The major issue I had with this film is the narrative chronology, which is all over the place. The repetitive flash-forwards to adventures on the river really take you out of the flow of the main story. The earlier half is the better, with some sub-NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD shenanigans in the house and good performances from the likes of John Malkovich. I found the CGI eye effects to be a bit superfluous and the performances to be rather shrill at times, but overall this is an effective enough thriller.