Bird Box (2018)

Five years after an ominous unseen presence drives most of society to suicide, a mother and her two children make a desperate bid to reach safety.

Director:

Susanne Bier

Writers:

Eric Heisserer (screenplay by), Josh Malerman (based on the novel by)

Stars:

Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich

5 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sandra Bullock	...	Malorie
Trevante Rhodes	...	Tom
John Malkovich	...	Douglas
Sarah Paulson	...	Jessica
Jacki Weaver	...	Cheryl
Rosa Salazar	...	Lucy
Danielle Macdonald	...	Olympia
Lil Rel Howery	...	Charlie
Tom Hollander	...	Gary
Machine Gun Kelly	...	Felix (as Colson Baker)
BD Wong	...	Greg
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Rick
Vivien Lyra Blair	...	Girl
Julian Edwards	...	Boy
Parminder Nagra	...	Dr. Lapham

Storyline

In the wake of an unknown global terror, a mother must find the strength to flee with her children down a treacherous river in search of safety. Due to unseen deadly forces, the perilous journey must be made blindly. Directed by Emmy winner Susanne Bier, Bird Box is a thriller starring Academy Award winner Sandra Bullock, John Malkovich, Sarah Paulson, and Trevante Rhodes.

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Plot Keywords:

suicide | survival | invisible creature | dystopia | supermarket | 

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Taglines:

Never Lose Sight of Survival

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, bloody images, language and brief sexuality.

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to an article by Helen Bushby, director Susanne Bier suffered "sleepless nights" after Sandra Bullock refused to cut holes in the blindfold she wore for the film.

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Goofs

When they arrive back from the mall (51:56) and see the house from outside, newspapers are plastered on the outside of some windows on the 2nd floor, while the windows next to it have newspapers inside the glass.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Man: [over the radio] We have a place, a compound. We have a community. It's safe here. How many of you are there? Are any of them children? Because, the fastest way to get here is by the river, and I don't think you could make it with kids.

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Connections

References Cinderella (1950)

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Soundtracks

Outside
Written by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross
Performed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross

User Reviews

Not worth the hype

Bird Box has a fun concept and huge star (Sandra Bullock) that combined to make this one of the most streaming Netflix movies ever. It's memeable though not exactly memorable. In a year, how clearly will you remember the plot and the ending? How well do you remember it right now?

The movie is fine for a night of mindless entertainment. That's about it.

It features a problematic storytelling technique. The flashbacks remove some of what would have been the most suspenseful moments of the film. Instead of wondering what will happen and who will survive, viewers connect a few simple dots and figure out the answer. Suspense gone.

Many moments lean too heavily into the blood and violent imagery for effect. These tactics work to an extent, but they elicit cheap reactions. They are not earned, and they are not lasting.

Upon some reflection after watching, I found myself wondering, "what is this movie about?" A woman unsure if she can learn to love her child? I suppose, but what does the end of the world have to do with her plight? I couldn't find a clear answer.

Details

Official Sites:

Official Netflix

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 December 2018 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bird Box

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Netflix, Chris Morgan Productions, Dylan Clark Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

124 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1