Bird Box (2019)

Faith.  This is a word which could be used to describe acts done without reasoning, or without proper motivation.  But that definition falls short.  I saw true faith in this film.  Faith is difficult to pin to a single definition, but let us consider faith as a choice to trust in a higher power, and to act on that trust.  In the midst of a world which was thrown into immediate chaos and destruction because of some unknown assailant, Malorie was faced with many seemingly impossible choices.  Should she trust other people?  Should they leave the safety of the house to get more supplies?  Should she raise a child as a mother?  Should she risk everything they have on the hope that there is a sanctuary for them?  In the midst of each of these questions, it took faith to move forward.

Now let us not ignore the spiritual nature of this film.  The unseen enemies which caused those who look upon them to kill themselves or to become enslaved in insanity exist in our world today.  There are many names which can be used to describe it, but I will use a single word: “sin.”  Sin causes us to make choices which lead to our death.  These choices always cause pain and heartbreak for those around us.   And sin is so very tempting.  It exists for a singular purpose: “look towards me, and look away from God.”  When we encounter those who are driven insane by the sight of the unseen assailants, they can only describe how beautiful it is.  Sin appears beautiful.  After all, if we saw sin as it truly is, we would never choose it!  Faith is a natural opposite to sin. When we place our trust in true goodness, in God, we encounter peace.

Malorie’s character develops gradually over the course of the film.  She begins in a state of self-centeredness.  Her sister arrives to pull her out of this darkness, but is overcome rather early on by the attack of the unknown creatures.  When Malorie falls in love with Tom, the idea of a family is established.  But this family does not happen automatically, as it seems Malorie rejects it as much as she seeks it.  Her refusal to give names to the children is much more than an uncaring attitude.  She does it to protect herself from loss.  If she were to name the children then she would then be vulnerable to heartbreak.  That is why the resolution at the conclusion of the film is so satisfying.  She names the children, giving them an identity, and more importantly, giving them the love they deserve.

The other significant element in this film was sacrifice.  It began with the sacrifice of a person who ran to help Malorie but was killed in the process.  It continued with the sacrifice of Tom, who chose to take off his blindfold in order to save Malorie and the children, and in the process, costing him his own life.  And the third sacrifice happened when Malorie was floating down the river, considering which child would be chosen to be the lookout, potentially sacrificing their own life.  That image was reminiscent of Abraham walking with his son Isaac up Mt. Moriah.  Abraham knew that God had asked him to sacrifice his son, and he was prepared to do so, but that did not make the journey any easier.  When Malorie chose not to sacrifice either of the children, I briefly wondered why she considered for so long if that was a feasible option.  While all turned out OK in the end, Christianity had a different and much more glorious resolution.  It was through the Cross that the Resurrection occurred.  The challenge and the goal for us is to accept sacrifice in our lives, uniting it with the Cross.  In that way, we can truly love others, and be a model of faith in this dark world corrupted by sin.