Living In A Box.

Rating: 6/10 (26 April 2006)

Okay, I agree with the majority of people around here in thinking that "Cube" is a fairly intelligent and well-constructed Sci-Fi thriller, but did it REALLY deserve all the hype and exceptionally high ratings it received? Basically, it's only the conceptual design and claustrophobic atmosphere that are unique here, while the evolution of the characters and their behavior certainly isn't new. "Cube" is not the first film that gathers different and seemly-unrelated characters in an unusual setting where it quickly becomes clear that not the location but their own personal difficulties and the urge for survival form the biggest danger. That's just stating the obvious. Force people to cooperate and depend on each other and bad things WILL happen, especially if the situation is life threatening. The whole success of reality-TV shows like "Big Brother" is based on this concept! So by now you already know that the story of "Cube" revolves on a group of people that wake up and find themselves trapped in a peculiar location. Six people, to be exact, with different backgrounds and occupations (a math student, a cop, a shrink, an architect, an autistic boy and a criminal) have to find their way out of a mathematical construction stuffed with codes and booby traps. Naturally, they're disorientatedÂ… Unaware of what they possibly could have done to deserve this test or who's the evil mastermind behind this. "Cube" is a powerful motion picture with a truckload of tension, eeriness and ingenious camera-tricks. The budget obviously was very limited, but talented director like Vincenzo Natali largely compensates this by using simple eye-candy (the disturbing color shades!) and implementing psychological terror. Personally, I didn't understand one iota of all the mathematical mumbo-jumbo, but it was fascinating to listen to and it certainly kept me on the edge of my seat. Often read criticism goes out to the acting performances, but I thought they were very adequate, especially considering the faces were unfamiliar. Don't get your hopes up for a genuine and old-fashioned shock ending, though.