This past holiday season, the talk of the Christmas table was Netflix’s recent film, “Bird Box.” “Bird Box” quickly blew up shortly after its release and resulted in many memes and even the “Bird Box” Challenge. This challenge entailed people blindfolding themselves and doing reckless activities on video, such as running into oncoming traffic.
“Bird Box” is a sci-fi thriller about the end of humanity. When people around the world begin to kill themselves after seeing a mysterious entity, Malorie (played by Sandra Bullock) must figure out a way to save herself and her unborn child. The movie switches between two timelines to tell the suspenseful story of Malorie reaching a safe community while blindfolded, so as to not see the deadly entities.
While “Bird Box” has somewhat of a lackluster climax and a few plot holes, it’s fantastic cast makes up for any disappointments in the story. The cast is led by Sandra Bullock and Trevante Rhodes, with Sarah Paulson making a small appearance as Bullock’s sister. Although Paulson was in only a few minutes of the film, she gave an amazing and emotional performance. Danielle MacDonald also appears in the movie and has been cast frequently by Netflix recently, most notably in their new movie, “Dumpling.”
Overall, “Bird Box” is an entertaining and exhilarating film that is enjoyable to watch, but it lacks a satisfying resolution; and it leaves some loose ends to be tied up. However, with its underlying metaphors for motherhood and what makes a family, its story goes deeper than a sci-fi depiction of the end of the world, and it gives audience members an opportunity to answer these important questions themselves.
