Director: Susanne Bier
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Trevante Rhodes, John Malkovich
Running Time: 124 minutes
Synopsis: Malorie (Sandra Bullock) bundles two blindfolded kids into a boat and sets off on a river journey seeking a survivor settlement. Flashbacks to five years prior reveal a pregnant but resentful Malorie being cheered-up by her sister Jessica (Sarah Paulson) before a mysterious menace suddenly devastates humanity: anyone who looks at it immediately commits suicide. With the world disintegrating Malorie seeks refuge in a house with army veteran Tom (Trevante Rhodes), crusty Douglas (John Malkovich), and supermarket cashier Charlie, among others. Blindfolds becomes essential for any outdoor excursions, but with supplies running low and the evil entity recruiting allies, staying alive is increasingly difficult.
What Works Well: Fear, uncertainty, and courage mix well in a quality study of normal people caught in the horror of apocalyptic events, creating a good companion piece to A Quiet Place. The threat of self-inflicted death manifests in various forms, the unseen malevolent enemy evolving, the lack of clear explanation adding to the tension and allowing space for discussions about drivers of physical and emotional societal self-destruction. The parallel story lines featuring Malorie's river journey and flashbacks to the start of the crisis provide variety and relief.
What Does Not Work As Well: The running time is prolonged and too accommodating of samey character dynamics, while the sappy ending is a let-down amidst the global carnage.
Conclusion: Well worth removing the blindfolds to view the unseen.
All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.
All Ace Black Movie Blog reviews are here.
You were nicer to this than I was. There's potential here, but I don't know that it really lives up to it.
ReplyDeleteIt's a well-made conversation-starter. Not perfect, but quite good for the genre.
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