Underwhelming

Rating: 6/10 (31 December 2018)

I'm only comparing it because just about everyone online is doing the same, but remember when A Quiet Place displayed relentless tension with a PG-13 rating and made great use of its cast in a contained setting? Well Bird Box has big great ideas with an even better cast, but chooses to rarely explore those ideas and talents to its full potential. A post-apocalyptic film based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Josh Malerman, focuses on a mother and her two children who navigate the terrifying landscapes of a world where a certain 'presence' is able to manipulate your brain into killing yourself if you look in its direction outdoors. Just reading what I just typed out could either make the film sound incredibly stupid or incredibly scary. It's neither. Director Susanne Bier establishes a creepy mood and tone throughout, but never follows through with any true horror or scares. The best way I can describe it as a sporting event that has all the hype and potential but due to several different circumstances is a slightly boring and extremely underwhelming piece of entertainment.
6.0/10