Shows modern sci-fi movies don't need to be popcorn fodder

Rating: 8/10 (10 July 2000)

A small group of strangers wake up in a maze-like system of cubes from which their individual skills are required to escape. Thats it. A relatively simple pitch that doesn't waste time boring its audience with lengthy back story and concentrates on being a tense character-driven escape movie. Although not exactly earth-shattering the actors get the job done with Nicole deBoer (of Deep Space Nine) being notable as a high school maths whizz. In revealing so little about the characters the director has fun with playing on who the real hero of the piece is. There is also a certain voyeuristic quality to the cinematography if one ponders the true purpose of the Cube. The relatively low budget (which does not hinder it one bit) and the use of some complex maths should not put off fans of the genre from an intelligent, modern and thrilling sci-fi movie that will really make you think.