Shaky cam was really adorable…back in 2008. When Paul Greengrass used it incessantly it made sense because it was the visual style for THE BOURNE TRILOGY. Any other usage of shaky cam since the last Jason Bourne movie has been borderline hotshot bull****.
The first act of BIRD was super duper shaky in the most egregious and unnecessary way, and I was borderline on the verge of walking out. However, in the second act, the film recovers very well, and the third act is an absolute emotional roller coaster in a really good way.
Boy, do I hope this gets some Oscar buzz within the next couple of months because Nykiya Adams has one of the biggest breakthrough performances of the year and is a future star in the making. A Best Actress nomination isn’t too ridiculous to suggest for her.
BIRD opens in theaters on November 8, 2024.
Editor’s Note: This review is part of a collection of reviews by Eli Brumfield after attending the 2024 AFI Fest in Los Angeles. Check out the rest of his reviews from the film festival here: AFI FEST 2024 (A RUNDOWN…)
