Mediocre apocalypse tale

Rating: Null/10 (29 December 2018)

Even if it didn't come out in the same year as A QUIET PLACE, the similar, if to be fair, based on a prior book, Susanne Bier's BIRD BOX would still be a disappointing effort. Replacing sound with vision as the sensory device, BIRD BOX falls firmly in line with a long line of apocalyptic survivor tales, complete with the small isolated group of fellow 'survivors' who end up battling each other as much as the outside force.
The major issues here are less about familiarity and cliches (although there are plenty), but, with the movie's lack of forward momentum. The strict flashback structure actually lessens the impact, rather than enhances it (not to mention that it treats the audience as if they have to been spoonfed each and every detail). The cast is game, lead by Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes and John Malkovich, but, it's an unsympathetic and uninteresting lot (Malkovich is the only one seemingly enjoying himself, even if he could do this one note role in his sleep). Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross' score is serviceable, if undistinguished -- as is Salvatore Totino's lensing. BOX may have fewer overt gaping plot holes than QUIET, but on virtually every other count the Blunt-Krasinski film is superior.
BIRD BOX has a few effective moments and a couple of striking individual shots, but, it never adds up to much more than a humdrum addition to the end of the world filmmography; Certainly, nothing worthy of a project pairing a Director with a Best Foreign Film Oscar under her belt (IN A BETTER WORLD) with an Oscar winning actress (not to mention Malkovich).