A ciegas

Otro intento de drama social de terror, sentado en un rincón a la sombra de La niebla de Frank Darabont. La constante alternancia de dos planos temporales empieza a hacerse narrativamente monótona al cabo de una hora. De alguna manera, con su «contenido relacional» y los clichés a los que tiende, se hace muy improbable que la película pueda sorprender a nadie, aportar algo nuevo a un tema que ya se parece a algunas películas de género recientes. Una premisa atractiva para el público, con un montaje genial, desaprovecha así el potencial de un evento de género decente, dejando la película como un drama convencional y seguro para el espectador sobre la importancia de la cohesión, con algunas escenas de miedo, niños en peligro y una agradable Sandra Bullock. No es que no lo haya visto con interés. Lo veo como una gran oportunidad perdida. (20.01.2019)

Cualquiera puede afirmar que es un clon de Un lugar tranquilo, pero no se puede negar la calidad de A ciegas y el hecho de que va por su cuenta y es técnica y artísticamente muy buena (me hubiera gustado mucho más tiempo y espacio para John Malkovich y su personaje en particular). Sin embargo, la narrativa retrospectiva me pareció perjudicial: debido a ella, desde el principio sabes cómo van a acabar la mayoría de los personajes, por lo que no te sorprendes realmente cuando ocurre algo malo. El espectador se ve así innecesariamente privado de suspense y carece de toda conexión emocional con los personajes desde el principio, lo que es una gran pena en este tipo de películas. Y el final es algo que solo los más ingenuoss podrían creer. (11.01.2019)

One of the best directorial works by Susanne Bier, who has endured the dangers of a film in which a piece of hypersensitive kitsch is definitely dormant. But, folks, Sandra is great and Trevante Rhodes shows that his special fragility is as astounding as his musculature. Screenwriter Erik Heisserer is an aspirant and intends to specialize in female alien encounters ... which is why the structure of the two alternating levels of storytelling works very well. Bird Box has a nice rhythm and does not drag, and moreover, it avoids the absurd escalation that damaged the similarly tuned A Quiet Place. It's a bit unfortunate that the point itself feels a little lost, and the main character, despite trying to question her relationship to unwanted motherhood, never quite goes deep enough. But chattering aside, this is very solid genre work in all respects, also because the creators eventually gathered enough courage not to show the evil at all. I wish their Hollywood colleagues would take an example from them. One of the best Netflix originals and a dignified reparation for ultimate evil from Shyamalan's The Happening. (18.01.2019)

For me, on the same level of A Quiet Place (which I actually liked a little bit less than the average rating would suggest), though it also has some passages that will make a sane viewer facepalm. The behaviour of the characters doesn’t correspond to what would be sensible a given situation (can anyone explain me why nobody paid attention to the guy who in the flashback was experimenting with cameras around the house?). Taken as a whole, however, it’s professionally put together, with solid performances and direction. But expecting a masterpiece would be a mistake. (16.12.2018)

Netflix, a good director, decent idea and actors. That’s becoming a synonym for 2018. I hope that sticks with the years to come as Birdbox is quite a good apocalyptic drama I could imagine as a series. What makes me happy is that Sandra Bullock again proved herself to be a great actress. Not many people appreciate her, still I think she deserves some respect. Similarly to the plot of the movie which kept me on the edge of my seat from start to end. However I know how hard it is to walk blindfolded through the forest – had the honor on a team-building exercise I went to – and the characters in this movie made it seem all too easy. It’s true that the plot is a bit naive yet under Susanne Bier’s baton it works perfectly and the movie deserves attention. (31.12.2018)