Bird Box: Sandra Bullock’s emotional performance is just one reason to watch the Netflix horror film

“If you’ve seen what’s out there, it’s already too late.”

That’s the premise of Netflix’s new post-apocalyptic thriller/horror, Bird Box.

In the vein of A Quiet Place, and based on the book of the same name by Josh Malerman, Bird Box is a truly terrifying portrayal of a dystopian world that nobody would want to live in.

Bird Box is directed by Susanne Bier (Emmy award winner for The Night Manager), with the screenplay written by Eric Heisserer (Oscar nominee for Arrival).

When does Bird Box start?

Bird Box is available to stream on Netflix now.

What is Bird Box about?

When a mysterious force kills off the world’s population, only one thing is certain: if you see it, you take your life. Malorie (Sandra Bullock) must flee with her two children down a treacherous river to the one place left that may offer sanctuary. But to survive, they'll have to undertake the perilous two-day journey blindfolded.

Where was Bird Box filmed?

The Smith River in California was used as the filming location for the dangerous river that the family must travel down in the movie (pictured below). Filming also took place at the Olympic National Park in Washington, and on a lake in Crescent City, California.

Who’s in the cast?

Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side, Gravity) is Malorie

Trevante Rhodes (Moonlight, 12 Strong) is Tom

Sarah Paulson (American Crime Story, 12 Years a Slave) is Jessica, pictured below

John Malkovich (In the Line of Fire, The Man in the Iron Mask) is Douglas

Danielle Macdonald (Patti Cake$, Dumplin') is Olympia

Colson Baker aka Machine Gun Kelly (Nerve, Bright) is Felix, pictured below

Tom Hollander (The Night Manager, Pirates of the Caribbean) is Gary

Vivien Lyra Blair (Band Aid, Waco) is "Girl"

Julian Edwards (Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, Marvel’s Runaways) is "Boy"

Is there a trailer?

Yes, you can watch the trailer for Bird Box right here:

You'll love Bird Box if you liked…

The Haunting of Hill House, A Quiet Place, Hereditary, The Walking Dead, Contagion.

Three reasons to watch Bird Box…

1. Sandra Bullock is captivating in the lead role

The Oscar-winning actress appears on screen in the first few moments of the film, giving a harsh warning to her children never to remove their blindfolds.

“If you look, you will die,” she tells them.

Her emotional and compelling performance continues throughout, and it’s Bullock who drives most of the movie in her role as a reluctant mother who does not even bother to name her children - they're simply called "Boy" and "Girl" - yet who has an uncompromising survival instinct.

Speaking to The Guardian, director Susanne Bier says of the role: “Motherhood has been described by males for hundreds of years as warm and natural, and that survival is caring and soft. It’s not.

“Anybody who is a mother has that animalistic force inside. I have with my kids. Anybody coming near them, I’m going to kill them. That sense of fierce protectiveness is not pleasant or kind.”

Trevante Rhodes is also stunning as level-headed Tom, while Tom Hollander is genuinely terrifying as Gary.

2. Horror has never been more popular

It seems Netflix audiences love having their socks scared off.

Netflix revealed its most-binged shows of 2018 and The Haunting of Hill House was in the top 10, which is no surprise as it's been praised for 'reinventing the horror genre' and was the streaming service’s biggest sleeper hit of the year.

Bird Box’s terror comes from the unknown - the frightening sound of the birds flapping, the ripping of the blinds off the windows and the light that enters, and the fear of what they'll find outside the sanctuary of the house.

And then there’s the not knowing what lies at the end of the river...

3. The novel was a smash hit

Before Netflix adapted it into a film, Bird Box was a 2015 novel by Josh Malerman.

Fans have called the book “one of the best suspense novels ever”, while it’s received an average 4-star rating on Goodreads (the book review aggregation site) and been compared to legendary horror author Stephen King’s work.

Fans of the book shared their anticipation for the film version:

Bird Box is available to stream on Netflix now.