Almost missed a great movie because of the hateful reviews

Rating: 9/10 (28 December 2018)

I don't know if online movie ratings were ever really trustworthy, but to me at least it seems that some years ago you could actually gauge whether a movie was worth watching based on them. It's very frustrating that I can't do that anymore. The trailer for Bird Box was intriguing, but poor reviews almost made me skip it. I'm glad I watched it out of curiosity nevertheless, as it was an exhilarating and moving experience.
I liked the story, acting, pacing, music, cinematography... everything, really. The movie is very gripping and suspenseful, and the mother's distress for the children as well as her own emotional issues feel very realistic and moving. I liked that I couldn't see what was coming, it felt as anything could happen (well, almost, since the cuts between present and past made some outcomes obvious, until the finale when it's all just present). Speaking of the finale, that scene with the children in the boat before the rapids was absolutely heartbreaking...
I had no problem with the decision to leave the creatures' origin a mystery, in fact I was glad no explanation was given (well, unless you count Charlie's explanation in the beginning). I'm equally glad the creatures were left unseen, except for the madman's drawings which you can choose to trust or not. I'm a bit on the fence with the concept of mental illness giving a kind of an immunity. It portrays people with mental illness in a folk tradition kind of way, as raving lunatics with an almost otherworldly aura, instead of just sick people. Also, how "mad" to you have to be for the "immunity" to take effect? Downright psychotic? Is severe depression enough, how about mild? Also, the showing of a possessed or similar state by the altered appearance of the character's eyes is a really tired cliche.