12/26/18 - Bird Box (2018) - 5-/10

A totally watchable, if not somewhat engrossing for some of it, horror/thriller. Sandra Bullock is quite good in this. I don’t tend to love her, but I appreciated her less-than-likable curmudgeon who doesn’t want to admit the upcoming reality (I like that she is one of the only examples that I can think of of a woman not being overjoyed with her impending motherhood). Her cold demeanor and emotionally distant undertaking of survival and motherhood was vaguely interesting. But as her journey continues, she melts, which is enjoyable if it doesn’t choke you in an expected, slightly syrupy melodrama. Though even then, her painful turmoil is resonant. The rest of the cast provide a variety of nuance and generic, be they foils or friends, but work on the whole. I distinctly liked the cherub faced little girl co-star, swallowing her on-the-surface pain and sweet tears.

I also liked the mix of despicable, generous, mild, and hysteria within the survivors. Gave it a sense of reality and mixture of personalities, obviously done for drama, but it worked, in my opinion to distinguish its own post-apocalyptic flavor.

This certainly shouldn’t blow anybody’s doors off. It has a strong start, but devolves as the drama dissipates. It should ramp up, but the film loses steam. Perhaps the novelty of the situation evaporates as we aren’t given much in the way of answers (which I liked mostly) and things seem to mostly work out.

Yes, it is A Quiet Place mixed with some The Happening and a little of The Crossed comic book. It is a middle-of-the-road Netflix fare. Adequately structured and created, but rarely excelling in any area. A solid and vaguely enjoyable afternoon/evening time passer, but forgettable.