Bird Box (Netflix Film) - Sandra Bullock

[neoELITE]

 

I just watched Birdbox. There were lots and lots of things in the book that weren't included and they changed the start too.  I enjoyed it as a stand alone film but there were things I didn't like about it (I am a big fan of the book).

 

The drawings of the "demons" were really stupid and that character in the book doesn't just turn up and start the carnage - it takes a while and people grow to distrust him.

 

 

The mad people weren't in the book. What they were introduced for, I don't really know as they didn't do that much and why are the baddies almost always dressed up like Nine Inch Nails fans?

 

There wasn't enough at the start - everyone seemed to just go mad and commit suicide - I remember the book being very gradual. I understand they've got 2 hours but they could've cut quite a bit at the end to build the background.

 

The bit in the woods where they were being chased by the demons was ridiculous. The voices trying to get them to take off their blindfolds was really stupid. 

 

The actual title of the book is pretty important but the birds in the box in the film weren't really used the same way and I thought that was odd.

 

I did enjoy it though as a standalone film.

 

I read Bird Box and then Joe Hill's The Fireman afterwards - I think The Fireman would be a great film. This was solid enough but I was a bit disappointed and although I enjoyed it, I was really looking forward to this.

 

I watched I Do Not Feel At Home In This World Anymore yesterday and although that was quite fun, I don't get the hype really. There were a few laugh out loud moments but it was a really strange film - a film that didn't seem to know what it was. 

[ckny]

I just finished Bird Box and found it distinctly average.

 

Spoiler

The middle third of the film particularly was awful. ‘Can a house full of stereotype strangers get along?’ Dreadful.

 

[Rudderless]

The structure of the film saps any tension from the middle act, because you already know how it ends up. Silly. Once or twice it reminded me a bit too much of The Happening, which is never the kind of comparison you want to draw. I thought Sandra Bullock was excellent, though - her performance deserved a better film. Trevante Rhodes was very likeable, but had to work to make the best of a thinly-sketched character. 

[instasis]

It's a pretty shit adaptation of a brilliant book. Thoroughly disappointed. 

[Majora]

Bird Box is full of cliches, silly and predictable but I thought a couple of bits worked quite well, particularly near the beginning. A hell of a lot didn't work at all though, particularly near the end. The beginning lulled me into thinking it would be a much better movie than it actually was.

[neoELITE]

The character played by John Malkovich is quite different in the book and I've just read the book synopsis to remind me but the Gary character is very different in the book too. The ending is fairly similar but in the book, it's a lot darker.

 

One thing I do remember from the book is that there is a dog in the house.

 

Mallory takes the dog on the food runs and the dog eventually dies - I can't quite remember how. They replaced the dog with the black guy who ends up being her lover as he dies on a food run with her.

[instasis]

There's piles of stuff Bird Box (film) does wrong in adapting and changing the the book. After sleeping on it I'm actually quite annoyed by it. What's more, it rushes the things it takes directly from the book.

 

Spoiler

Gary is the source of the conflict for longer than the 2 scenes he's in. He remains a threat once he's gone as well. The exploration of the world is better handled; the supermarket scene in the film being rushed. They even get the opening of doors completely wrong - the film just lacks the sense of paranoia and unending fear the book portrays that would exist in a world where you don't want to open your eyes in case you go mad and kill yourself.

 

The loons in the cars aren't in the book at all, and serve no purpose here other than to kill one of the other surviving characters. Again, rushed through in 2 scenes. They're shit. The film completely misses the themes of motherhood, of raising kids in such a world here. It makes the end of the film less of a triumph, even when it's mixed with horror.

 

It loses lots by having the relationship between Malorie and Shannon so...short, exchanging real character depth and establishment for passing comments and quick shock.

 

Some of my other criticisms come from the setting and the way its filmed. The house is simply too big; I get that's partly imagination, but the layout of it is not conveyed well at all and it all feels luxurious and comfortable. The house tells a story in the book, it's filled with memories for Malorie, and it's just not conveyed here at all. Exploration comes too easily to the film characters; in the book it's a source of immense fear and paranoia, which works better to explain the dependency Malorie develops on Jules than the flirtatious lines they exchange in an all too easy trip to the supermarket in the film.

 

So, as a filmed adaptation of a book I think it fails on almost every level. As a film, in its own right, its way below average. It has a decent opening 15 minutes and its all downhill from there.

 

[MpM]

On 22/12/2018 at 13:30, Pelekophoros said:

There's piles of stuff Bird Box (film) does wrong in adapting and changing the the book. After sleeping on it I'm actually quite annoyed by it. What's more, it rushes the things it takes directly from the book.

 

  Reveal hidden contents

Gary is the source of the conflict for longer than the 2 scenes he's in. He remains a threat once he's gone as well. The exploration of the world is better handled; the supermarket scene in the film being rushed. They even get the opening of doors completely wrong - the film just lacks the sense of paranoia and unending fear the book portrays that would exist in a world where you don't want to open your eyes in case you go mad and kill yourself.

 

The loons in the cars aren't in the book at all, and serve no purpose here other than to kill one of the other surviving characters. Again, rushed through in 2 scenes. They're shit. The film completely misses the themes of motherhood, of raising kids in such a world here. It makes the end of the film less of a triumph, even when it's mixed with horror.

 

It loses lots by having the relationship between Malorie and Shannon so...short, exchanging real character depth and establishment for passing comments and quick shock.

 

Some of my other criticisms come from the setting and the way its filmed. The house is simply too big; I get that's partly imagination, but the layout of it is not conveyed well at all and it all feels luxurious and comfortable. The house tells a story in the book, it's filled with memories for Malorie, and it's just not conveyed here at all. Exploration comes too easily to the film characters; in the book it's a source of immense fear and paranoia, which works better to explain the dependency Malorie develops on Jules than the flirtatious lines they exchange in an all too easy trip to the supermarket in the film.

 

So, as a filmed adaptation of a book I think it fails on almost every level. As a film, in its own right, its way below average. It has a decent opening 15 minutes and its all downhill from there.

 

 

I face palmed at the black 'Basil Exposition' character in the house.

 

We have a complex story from a complex book so lets bring someone in, to explain it in simple terms, to the plebs.

[Nespresso]

Glad I saw Birdbox at work as it was a complete waste of time. At least I got paid for it. 

[Stopharage]

I’m tempted to give Birdbox a go, as I can’t believe it’s as bad as the book. I know quite a few people on here liked the book but I thought the plot was interminable, the characterisation hackneyed and the writing was inconsistent. 

 

Anyway, the Christmas Chronicles was ideal Christmas Eve family fodder. 

[sandman]

1 hour ago, Stopharage said:

I’m tempted to give Birdbox a go, as I can’t believe it’s as bad as the book. I know quite a few people on here liked the book but I thought the plot was interminable, the characterisation hackneyed and the writing was inconsistent. 

 

Anyway, the Christmas Chronicles was ideal Christmas Eve family fodder. 

My daughter and I both loved it. One of the best Netflix original films I've seen 

[gospvg]

New thread created - discussion moved from the Netflix megathread

 

[Protocol Penguin]

Saw it, have never read the book, but as a standalone film, it's garbage. Embarrassingly bad in places.

[James Lyon]

It annoyed me that they took their blindfolds off as soon as they entered another person's house, without even checking the curtains were closed. Are you sure that's such a good idea?

[NecroMorrius]

Felt like a middling film they tried to save in the edit and ended up making it worse. The rules were really inconsistent and I kept waiting for a dark payoff that never came. It was like The Mist for babies. You can see poor Sandra strangled by the awful writing!

[gospvg]

Thanks for the thoughts all, I won't bother with this & enjoy A Quiet Place instead.

[thesnwmn]

2 hours ago, James Lyon said:

It annoyed me that they took their blindfolds off as soon as they entered another person's house, without even checking the curtains were closed. Are you sure that's such a good idea?

 

How would you check otherwise? I guess you could ask.

 

I enjoyed this well enough although I am a sucker for all things Sandra. The premise was enough to carry me through most of it. Makes me interested in the book.

[Guest]

I thought the mad people were a good addition. They made it so you couldn't just hole up in a house because they'd bust in. 

The birds were silly cos there's no way they'd have survived the journey. 

 

Apparently Bullock opted not to have any holes cut in her blindfold and actually did her whole performance blind. 

[James Lyon]

15 minutes ago, thesnwmn said:

 

How would you check otherwise? I guess you could ask.

 

I might be misremembering, but I think in the book they don't take the blindfolds off at all until they're back home where they're sure they're safe.

 

I guess it's all artistic licence, though.

[JLM]

Reading the first few posts in here before I got to the one explaining the thread move was very confusing. Why is everyone saying Bird Box so much, it's a thread about Bird Box, you don't need to keep saying Bird Box.

 

Bird Box.

[gospvg]

In the mega thread, you have to name the tv series/film you are talking about so everyone knows which is why Bird Box is mentioned.

 

I tend to wait for a few posts before splitting out to a new thread, hopefully going forward members will see these new threads & start a new thread.

[andygt]

11 minutes ago, JLM said:

Reading the first few posts in here before I got to the one about the thread move was very confusing. Why is everyone saying Bird Box so much, it's a thread about Bird Box, you don't need to keep saying Bird Box.

 

Bird Box.

Birdy Box

Bird Boxer

 

Sorry wrong thread

[Mr Cochese]

The trailer for this makes it look like A Quiet Place but with blindfolds.

[instasis]

On 27/12/2018 at 18:38, James Lyon said:

 

I might be misremembering, but I think in the book they don't take the blindfolds off at all until they're back home where they're sure they're safe.

 

I guess it's all artistic licence, though.

 

This is correct

 

Book spoiler

 

Spoiler

Also, in the books, every time they open their own front door they have to completely blindfold themselves. Then, once whoever has come in is in, they have to check around the whole room until they're absolutely certain it's empty before nervously taking them off.

 

It's portrayed as a tense and unbearable moment - opening up to the outside world being absolutely terrifying. The film completely fails to convey this at all. All they have to do is turn away and shield their eyes momentarily. 

 

[Pug]

Just watched this and man, that was utter shit.

 

And calling it Bird Box was a waste of time as it made no difference if they chirped or not......take your blindfold off/open your eyes and you were got.

[MidWalian]

How the hell did all three birds survive? Especially the rapids. 

 

Whenever I saw a character outside of Sandra Bullock and the two kids appear I just thought: "You're going to die". I was right. 

[Dirty Harry Potter]

18 hours ago, Mr Cochese said:

The trailer for this makes it look like A Quiet Place but with blindfolds.

 

Thats exactly why I watched it!  Haven’t read the book, but quite enjoyed the film.

[Pug]

The next film will be called...... Tommy Squeaker.

 

Everyone will have to go around with nose pegs on, because if you smell one of Tommy The Purp Demon's poots you disappear up your own bum.

[womblingfree]

Liked this more than A Quiet Place. Was pleasantly surprised it had a

 

Spoiler

pretty unambiguously happy

 

ending too.

[hmm]

Don't you mean

 

Spoiler

preposterously happy ending? I mean, it was convenient enough that they found this perfect little oasis, after everything that had just gone before, but I laughed out loud when Neela from ER wandered over to catch up. A note of optimism is one thing, but this was ridiculously at odds with the rest of the film.