Nature vs. Humanity: How ‘Bird Box’ Uses the Environment as a Character

Nature serves as more than just a setting in ‘Bird Box’; it actively shapes the narrative, affects the protagonists’ ability to survive, and reflects deeper themes of adaptability, terror, and resiliency.  Based on Josh Malerman’s book, the movie depicts a post-apocalyptic world where invisible monsters drive people insane and commit suicide when they see them.  The environment, an almost sentient force in the narrative, becomes both a menace and a haven as society implodes.

Unpredictability is one of the most stunning ways that ‘Bird Box’ employs nature as a character.  The fight against uncontrollable forces is symbolized by the river voyage that Malorie (Sandra Bullock) and the kids endure.  They must navigate the river while blindfolded, depending only on instinct and trust, as it is both a route to safety and a lethal impediment.  This excursion demonstrates how vulnerable people are when their normal defences are taken away.

 The forest is also quite important.  Nature has its own hazards, such as rough terrain, invisible enemies, and a constant test of survival abilities, but it also provides some protection from the horrors of the outside world.  The wilderness is similar to the creatures themselves in many respects: invisible, erratic, and cruel to those who do not respect its strength.

Image Courtesy: IMDb

The movie also implies that although civilization has fallen apart, nature has not changed.  The juxtaposition between nature’s resilience and human frailty highlights a common issue in apocalyptic fiction: humanity’s dependence on nature but its inability to control it.

 In the end, ‘Bird Box’ presents nature as a strong, neutral force that is neither good nor bad.  It forces humans to adapt in order to live, acting as both an ally and an enemy.  The film’s use of nature as a character heightens the tension and makes the setting just as eerie as the invisible monsters.

–Farheen Ali