Black Box ★★★½

THE role of sound in films can be underestimated.

Its main importance is of course to ensure you can properly hear what is being said by the characters.

But, in a film like the French thriller Black Box, sound becomes integral to the story in another way.

As the title suggests, this 2021 film is about an investigation into the crash of a commercial aircraft.

We follow the French version of the Civil Aviation Authority as it seeks to uncover the cause, principally via the in-flight recording from the cockpit.

Much to the annoyance of brilliant but brash young investigator Pierre Niney he is not chosen to lead the team. But when his boss goes AWOL, Niney gets his chance and brings his obsessive nature into play amidst events that seem to be thwarting the investigation.

So let’s talk about sound here.

Director Yann Gozlan and his technical crew put us in the position of Niney as he listens intently and repeatedly to the Black Box recording; not just what is said and the way it is said, but also any slight sound that could attest to something being out of place.

It makes for an immersive experience that adds further enjoyment to a film that nicely blends mystery and suspense with political intrigue and character study.

The film was a major success in France and you can see it for free via streaming on SBS.