Considering the fact that I seemed to enjoy Bird Box more than most people, it's a bit odd that it took me a few years to finally get around to this sorta-sequel/spin-off. Bird Box remains one of the best sensory-based monster movies from a time when we had a few of them released in fairly quick succession, but Bird Box: Barcelona proves to be a surprisingly good attempt to revisit that world without simply retreading very familiar ground.
The plot this time around focuses on Sebastián (Mario Casas) and his young daughter, Anna (Alejandra Howard). The world remains a dangerous place, nobody should be stepping outside without some kind of blindfold, and some kind of plan, and those caught unawares by the entities that invaded our planet some time ago are either driven to kill themselves or turned into some kind of loyal "seer". Sebastián soon meets up with some other survivors, and he hopes that he can be the one to guide them through the world, but everyone has a different opinion on the best way forward. And some may not agree on what constitutes a happy end point to their journey.
Co-written and co-directed by Àlex and David Pastor, who have both worked with similar material previously in their shared filmography, Bird Box: Barcelona is a genuinely interesting companion piece to the first film, and it's something that becomes more engrossing and thought-provoking as each scene plays out. Some early developments may make viewers roll their eyes, but things are set up nicely for a tale that more fully explores the choices that people might make in such a life-threatening apocalyptic scenario.
It helps that the leads are great. Casas continues to show why he's become such a popular choice for Spanish film and TV roles over the past couple of decades. He's very easy to keep rooting for, even as his behaviour is reframed quite early on in the proceedings. Howard does well, although is understandably sidelined as Sebastián starts to connect with other characters who may change his main objectives, and both Georgina Campbell and Naila Schuberth do very well as a couple of vulnerable individuals who could greatly benefit from Sebastián's protection. Campbell has quickly become quite the horror genre stalwart, and that's no bad thing.
As much as I liked this, however, it's hard to say for certain whether many others will share my view. I think this is on a par with the first film, but it quickly becomes a very different beast. Whereas that film was a survival horror, boosted by the star power of Sandra Bullock, this is a bold attempt to show a very different perspective. Some will just want another version of the first movie, and those people are likely to hate this. Anyone willing to appreciate some interesting story-telling decisions should respond positively to it. So don't make the same mistake I did. Get it in your eyes ASAP.
8/10
If you have enjoyed this, or any other, review on the blog then do
consider the following ways to show your appreciation. A
subscription/follow costs nothing. All links are HERE.
It also costs nothing to like/subscribe to the YouTube channel attached to the podcast I am part of - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCErkxBO0xds5qd_rhjFgDmA
Or you may have a couple of quid to throw at me, in Ko-fi form - https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews
No comments:
Post a Comment