The Holiday Trinity
Bird Box (2018)
Directed by: Susanne Bier
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, and Sarah Paulson
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Hold on to your seats, because you don’t want to be blindfold by this one. Bird Box, a apocalyptic yet emotionally-inspiring film by Academy Award-winning Danish film director Susanne Bier, tackles several extreme survival situations among people bonded by an apocalyptic phenomenon. With thrills and tears, there’s just too many other bases to cover the intriguing story and amazing twists.
The film uses two different timelines throughout the whole film. This is usually viewed more in literature than in movies, but the execution doesn’t leave viewers confused and instead offer an intriguing thrill of what’s coming next. Bird Box displays how people can survive by themselves—people opting to save others or salvaging themselves. The concept is brilliant, as the creatures are uniquely created for every viewer’s deepest and darkest fears. Remember the Bogarts from the Harry Potter films? The reason as to why the aliens drive you to suicide is because they manifest themselves into either a person you deeply love and have lost, or the greatest most unimaginable fear you have. That’s also how the film works as if you see something, it can be one’s worst fears or greatest regrets that can lead you to suicide.
The plot introduces a whole host of colorful characters along with Sandra Bullock as Malorie Hayes, an empowered woman who is very much the modern woman of this age. She has a job, hobbies, and a strong personality and distaste for traditionally feminine roles such as motherhood or settling down in a long-term relationship. Besides her, another notable character is that of Tom (Trevante Rhodes), a warm war veteran who speaks his mind about all things. As a pairing, Rhodes and Bullock established a notable chemistry within the film.
The cinematography itself was a collection of clear shots and cool-toned themes. The setting is beautiful and haunting, ultimately convincing since they lived in a post-apocalyptic world. Although the movie was limited to very few locations, it never became a hindrance.
The film truly gets you invested with your emotions. You follow Malorie throughout her journey and you can’t help but be proud of her when she succeeds, and worry when she fails. Especially with its reoccurring theme about beyond life of the four walls you create for yourself, and that no matter how hard reality is, you always have a choice to step out and change it.
The film itself is a triumph with its own beautiful and brilliant concept. It is a film where you can see how a woman survived for a long time with two children in a world that is falling apart—and seeing how people will connect with each other despite of their differences.
Written by Ahmad Mahusay
