And entertaining but ultimately unsatisfactory psychological horror film

Rating: 6/10 (3 January 2019)

So I saw Bird Box on Netflix. I normally do not get too excited about Netflix originals, but I do like Sandra Bullock plus I had a few recommendations from some friends. Overall it was a bit of a mixed bag of a film.
The concept of the film is quite interesting. A unknown entity is causing mass suicides across the planet. The meat of the film is a psychological thriller showing a group of people trying to survive in the apocalyptic chaos. The film itself takes place through a series of flashbacks demonstrating how the world fell apart and just what a "bird box" is for.
The film had a very strong beginning. I genuinely enjoyed the setup of the film and wondering just what was going on. The film does a good job of initially building tension and intrigue to craft an atmosphere that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I also really liked the way the film handled the "bird box" monster entities. Some people may not be satisfied, but ultimately they served more as a MacGuffin to push the narrative along.
There were also a number of gruesome kills in the movie that came out of nowhere and felt genuinely shocking. There were a few smart underlying concepts regarding loss, alienation, grief, and depression that the films touches on. The movie did a good job with Sandra Bullock's character as well. I really felt attached to her and her emotional struggles as the film went along.
The acting was solid all-around. Sandra Bullock is a great actress and she does her best with the material even with its flaws. Same thing with the supporting ensemble cast. I really don't have a complaint about anyone's acting. I will say there is no reason for Machine Gun Kelly to be in this film though. His character or story arc added nothing to the film.
Ultimately though the concept is more interesting than the execution. The film felt very reminiscent of A Quiet Place with elements of the Mist and The Happening thrown in for good measure. Bird Box was certainly better than the Happening, but felt like an imitation of better films. This does not mean it wasn't entertaining. It certainly had its moments of intense horror and psychological drama.
It does seem like the film was trying too hard to go into many different directions. Is it a smart psychological horror film? A gory monster flick? A meditation on human nature in the face of chaos? A survivalist tale of female empowerment in the face of dread? It just felt like the film never really found its voice with so many narratives.
There were also some glaring pacing issues in the film. There was entirely too much filler in the film. It really could have been shaved down 30 minutes or so to make a tighter presentation. The film really began to lose steam halfway through. This of course being a shame considering the strength of the introduction. The middle dragged on, while the conclusion felt rushed and unsatisfactory. The movie fell short of its initial setup with a forced and anticlimactic ending. I won't go into any details regarding the plot holes, but there are a few head scratchers throughout the film that really hurt the internal believability of the film.
Overall I liked Bird Box for what it was. It was a well acted film with an interesting concept that dropped the ball on execution. It certainly isn't a classic horror film, but it's not a bad Netflix original either. I would recommend a watch for anyone that has Netflix, but don't expect to be blown away.... and yes the memes are better than the film. A 6.25 out of 10.