Excellent and original, if gory

Rating: 9/10 (21 April 2005)

I only saw this movie very recently, and was absolutely stunned. I can count exactly thrice in my life when I came out of a movie with my jaw this close to the pavement; that would be for Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, I Robot, and Cube. The difference is that I saw the other two on the big screen. Even on my antiquated TV and badly-set up sound system, this movie floored me.
The acting was close to perfect. The setting was wonderful. With one cubical room and twenty days to shoot, this film manages to give us more suspense and better acting than all of the expensive dramatical sets of "The Lord of the Rings" or "The Ring". In a dramatic style almost comparable to Shirley Jackson's wonderful "The Lottery", the movie starts out relatively slow; no music, no interpersonal tension, and we're not sure what's going on. Slowly, over the course of the movie, the tension begins to build and build. By halfway through this movie, you are absolutely glued to the screen, and balanced precariously on the edge of your chair. By close to the end, you feel like screaming (in a good way).
I would give this movie a perfect ten out of ten, but for two things; the ending and the gore. The gore is not by a long shot overly-done or tasteless; but it is still a bit too much for sensitive me. Now, I understand perfectly that both of these things were needed, and that they fit well with the context of the movie; and I agree that cinematic ally, they absolutely work. I, however, do not personally enjoy them. Objectively, this movie receives a ten out of ten; personally, it's about a 9.3. (And yes, the math is shaky, but in most cases forgivable.)
This is a brilliant, original movie. If you're looking for closure, good-guy-beats-bad-guy, normal English-class conflict, and Freytag's pyramid, for Heaven's sake go watch Star Wars. "Cube" is a movie for intellectuals and thinkers, for people who like to challenge reality as we know it and be left with food for thought rather than a satisfying conclusion. It's like an indie, leatherless, gunless Matrix--only better.
I cannot say more without being forced to check the "Contains Spoilers" box; and since this is primarily a review for those who have not yet seen the movie, I don't want to do that. All I can say is; If you're not bothered by a little gore (and both instances of such are predictable, so you can cover your eyes), GO FOR IT. I highly doubt you'll be sorry.