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• 1 2022-10-24T18:23:25-07:00 Themes in Birdbox 5 plain 2022-10-25T18:44:07-07:00

  In Birdbox, the audience is taken on a metaphorical journey into the depths of ignorance as a forced action. The movie addresses the issue of mental health in society with delicacy. It examines how it is seen by those immediately impacted as well as those who observe it, as well as how these perspectives are communicated. 

  The film is a response to the prevalent culture of "if I ignore the issue, it won't affect me." Throughout the movie, an "alien" that nobody knows anything about, has no face, and can't be seen stands for what people try to hide from themselves. There are characters in the film that want to observe the monster, are not frightened to do so, and urge others to do the same.These characters are in alliance with the unseen and symbolic 'alien' within the narrative. They are portrayed as bad by the protagonists and should be avoided at all costs.

  In the last scenes of Bird Box, when Sandra Bullock's Malorie and her two children seek to reach a promised "safe spot," they must rely exclusively on their voices and communication. Tension builds up as they try to get to this safe place because they want to be heard and use the voice that many people hide to deal with their mental health problems.The school for the blind, the shelter the family reaches, embodies the ideal society in the storyline. The people in the school have their eyes open but remain unharmed. They face the 'aliens' without fear, removing the blindfolds that symbolise ignorance. When they are no longer needed, Malorie releases the birds she had kept in a box to serve as a warning of impending danger, a metaphor for the stigma society holds.

  The fact that the sanctuary is also a school for the blind is no coincidence. The motivation behind spiritual blindness is not novel—it has been talked about in the Bible and an array of other notions. Sometimes hope is more important than trusting what you see, and allowing yourself to love freely is more important than attempting to shield loved ones from trouble by suppressing emotions. This is also indicated by the film's title, "Bird Box." The birds represent freedom, the connection between Heaven and Earth, the antithesis of evil, and Malory's (humanity's) guardian angels. As both the heroine's emotions and the birds' are released into the "sanctuary," a form of catharsis is initiated. Malory contrasts herself with others throughout the film: she is the chosen one, intelligent, knows how to survive, and does not trust anyone. As a result, she feels secure among her peers, where she does not need to fear for the children. The conclusion does not provide a clear answer to the question of the future of civilization; after all, monsters are hidden behind the wall, and the "infected" are difficult to identify. However, the feeling of hope does not leave the viewer.

  Considering "Birdbox" in relation to virus eco-horror, the narrative of the movie is an in-depth portrayal of post-apocalyptic human survival. Humans commit mass suicide, panic, and the search for shelter; some monsters are able to activate a person's self-destruction mechanism with just a glance. However, why is this occurring? Where did these monsters originate, and what brought them to Earth? Is it a virus disease or just the supernatural powers of the creatures? By its very nature, the virus eco-horror concept provokes many questions among the viewers. As in real life, the majority of the time, we do not know the origin of the viruses and must simply deal with their effects. "Birdbox" does not answer any of those questions, which instills fear of the unknown. This partly explains why in some horror movies, monsters are not shown completely, or not shown at all. The director, Suzanne Beer, chose the latter, terrifying the audience with the disturbing music, shadows, and emotions experienced by the characters in her film. Because the characters in the film avoid making eye contact with the monsters, the absence of these creatures in the frame allows the viewer to become immersed in what is happening and imagine that they, too, should avoid looking at the threat. "Birdbox" is a great example of a story that can be considered a virus eco-horror movie—it embodies the uncertainty and the fear of a deadly crisis.