Solid post-apocalyptic tale brought to life by Susanne Bier

Rating: 7/10 (2 January 2019)

In a very polarizing genre, where most films seem to be hit or miss, Susanne Bier has delivered a solid post-apocalyptic offering in "Bird Box." While the source material may be somewhat stale, Bier is able to weave a convincing web of dread, danger, and suspense to keep us on our toes. A strong ensemble cast fills in the rest.
I haven't read Josh Malerman's novel (released in 2014), but this particular tale of the end times -- in which people start dying inexplicably by suicide -- has been seen before, perhaps most notably in M. Night Shymalan's "The Happening" (2008). To bring a fresh film adaptation of "Bird Box" to the table is therefore an ambitious project, but director Susanne Bier has really hit all the marks with this one. Maybe we can all forget that "The Happening," er, happened? Because this is just a far superior film all-around.
"Bird Box" is presented in the familiar flashback format. In present day, we have Malorie (Sandra Bullock) desperately escorting two children down a dangerous river; in flashbacks, we learn of the events of the past five years. Like a lot of post-apocalyptic films, there are lots of questions, and not too many answers. But the audience is thrown enough of a bone to satisfy our natural curiosities -- we see the breakdown of society in some very harrowing sequences, which leads way to a cast of characters being isolated together in one household in a southern California neighborhood. Bier takes enough time to foster just enough character development to make things interesting without venturing into "filler" territory -- and this is supported by strong acting from Bullock, Malkovich, Howery, and others. While the unknown apocalyptic force is referred to as a "creature" or "creatures," none of this is seen, and there is little if any evidence to prove the exact nature of the threat. Some people seem to be immune, or even attracted to this dark force. To my disappointment, this particular concept is never really fleshed out in the film, and seems to almost be a forgotten subplot. Nevertheless, it adds mystery and tension, and ultimately ends up working in the film's favor.
Once the flashbacks end and the film enters its climax, it starts to lose a little bit of steam. There are a few sequences towards the end that reminded me of a bad episode of "Lost," and the ending itself is underwhelming if a little bit contrived. Like I said, the source material doesn't seem to be groundbreaking -- but director Susanne Bier has done some really admirable work with what she was given, and was able to successfully bring this story to life on screen.
All-in-all, it's a great effort, and I'm excited to see what she does next. We'll all probably end up remembering "Bird Box" for the memes it has inspired over it's actual substance, but it's a solid film, and absolutely worth watching on Netflix.