Bird Box Barcelona Review (2023)

Film Birdbox Barcelona releases on Netflix on July 14, 2023 . The film, which carries a post-apocalyptic theme, was directed and written by Álex and David Pastor.

Sequel spin-off from the film Bird Box (2018), which was adapted from Josh Malerman’s 2014 novel of the same name.

Bird Box Barcelona Synopsis

Since the attack of a mysterious creature, the city of Barcelona is like a ghost town. Everyone who was affected by the sight of the mysterious creature, committed a violent act of suicide.

One of the survivors, Sebastián (Mario Casas) travels and survives with his child Anna (Alejandra Howard). Sebastian meets a group that wants to help him..

However, Sebastian acts strangely and leads the people who helped him to an open area. Where is the area where people close their eyes so as not to see the mysterious creature just now.

The people who were brought outside and forcibly saw the outside world and the creature, committed suicide. Indirectly, Sebastian killed the people who helped him.

Sebastian continues to do this because of the influence of something. His son being with him was just his imagination. He is influenced by the belief of Father Esteban (Leonardo Sbaraglia), who states that this creature is a messenger of God.

Sebastian feels he is the chosen one, to lead people lost in the world, to see the creature, and be saved from the world. This belief brought many victims.

Bird Box Barcelona Movie Review

A little detail about the mysterious creature

The film goes on and on and provides a few more reveals showing the connection between whatever creature it is, and the few humans who see it.

Birdbox Barcelona also reveals more about why some people seem crazy and intend to hurt others and make them see those creatures and die.

However, the film does not explain what these creatures are, where they come from, or how they do all that. It’s as if the horror background is not important to support the overall plot.

However, what’s important is a lead that we can relate to, that we feel attuned to on the journey, and that person doesn’t actually appear until the end of the film. At that point, we don’t care anymore. The rest of this film cannot survive because there is no main character with all his problems to survive.

The storylines drag on and end up boring and unsatisfying. The main focus of Sebastian’s mission is killing everyone, it seems so boring that the end is added with a little twist.

So in the end I still watched this film just to cross the finish line, but not to examine what really happened.

Who is Sebastian?

Very badly cast, apart from the lead role. There is literally no one character that is right or good, or an evil character that you want to destroy.

At first, we will think that the main character is evil, but there is something more terrible. Connection with a heretical sect that thinks the creature is God, makes the plot chaotic and messy.

Then, Sebastian’s meeting with several groups, has no correlation at all with the past, at the start of the attack by mysterious creatures in Barcelona.

All plots only lead us to the trauma of Sebastian losing all his family members. So don’t get emotional, because everyone loses it all.

Ordinary visuals, less horror

There were some instances of poor CGI and story progression into the universe as a whole was quite minimal and these two factors certainly explain some of the lower reviews from critics and audiences alike.

Compared to the first film, the mysterious attacks are worse here. The plot template and attacks have no development from the first film. Even worse.

A creature that we really cannot see until the end, leaving only pseudo fear. We are just sad to see people with past fears and shadows of voices.

How could a creature targeting those who see it still affect people who have closed their eyes? Everything seems to be made up for a deeper fear.

Bird Box Barcelona Conclusion

Basically, it’s the story that makes this film fail. They executed it well, the acting was good enough to increase the suspense.

But, because we no longer care about the main character and feel that he is not liked, because he keeps killing throughout the film, we end up ignoring the main plot as well.

The visual effects are acceptable, albeit with a few flaws, not flashy, and detailed enough for a mysterious terror.

The violence feels inaudible and rushed. It’s emotional and horrific enough to have a real impact, it’s also thrilling.

Director: Alex Pastor, David Pastor

Cast: Mario Casas, Naila Schuberth, Georgina Campbell, Diego Calva, Alejandra Howard, Leonardo Sbaraglia

Duration: 112 minutes

Score: 5.2/10