science fiction as allegory

Rating: 9/10 (29 March 1999)

Fun, short film that reminds me of the creative power of the old twilight zone and outer limits episodes. Not full of the sort of didactic crap that poses as science fiction these days, Cube is an allegory in every way. Back before science fiction was all about moralizing or political debates cheaply disguised as "future settings", projects like cube could be made that simply offer a concept. With the seven characters trapped inside a cube, trying to unlock the mystery of why they are there and how to get out, I was suddenly aware of how allegorical the whole story was, the whole point of solving a puzzle working on two levels (the scientific puzzle and the human puzzle). The characters had simple names and functions, reminding me of the characters in Stalker (writer, scientist, stalker). Definitely an interesting film, and a must see for anyone who gets tired of going to the movies to watch Keanu Reeves blow up something for god and country.