This is the Christy Pick for February, but with all the Oscar shenanigans, I'm just getting to review it now. Malorie (Sandra Bullock) is one of the few survivors of an apocalypse. Five years previously, the world was suddenly taken over by unnamed creatures whose very image drove people to commit suicide or become dangerously unhinged. At first, Malorie finds refuge with a house of other survivors, but as time goes by, they are winnowed down further and further, until only Malorie and two children are left to seek a possible sanctuary down a very dangerous journey by river.
This became a huge Internet phenomenon and pop culture touchstone. Between it and A Quiet Place, I'm pretty sure camping rates dropped precipitously. If I had to choose, I'd give the edge to Bird Box, only because A Quiet Place made me so irritated. Bird Box isn't without its flaws, but it has a terrific cast and a better mythology.
Trevante Rhodes is the post-apocalypse boyfriend we all need. John Malkovich is the most John Malkovich-y cantankerous old man ever. Jacki Weaver is strong, even in such a small role and Tom Hollander should be the next Bond villain. Leave Rami Malek alone, and choose Tom Hollander.
That being said, the film has received some criticism from people in the visually impaired community about how blindness is treated in the film. Hollywood has a long history of fetishizing certain disabilities and blindness is one of its top three favorites, right up there with losing a limb and savants. Bird Box certainly isn't the worst offender when it comes to representation but the resulting "challenge" and memes could definitely be considered offensive. That's less about the movie, however, and more about how people are garbage.
If you're in the mood for something that's horror-lite, go ahead and click on Bird Box. It's not going to keep you up at night but it's worth a lazy, rainy, Sunday watch.
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