CUBE - 1997
Darkyl New Media / Tri-Mark Pictures
Ratings: Australia: M / France:-12 / Singapore: PG / UK: 15 / USA: R |
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CUBE was originally released in 1997, but because it is an indie movie it had trouble getting decent
distribution. Tri-Mark Pictures, the distributor for the U.S.A., would
have done well to front the money for a theatrical release. CUBE is not only that good but, even with the no name cast, it outshines a
lot of the big budget pictures released in 1999.
Canadian visitors and some European visitors will have no trouble remembering CUBE,
as it did quite well in Canada, France, Germany, and Belgium in 1998.
I first saw CUBE at my local video store this year in February. Having seen the trailers
for it while watching other Tri-Mark movies, I was intrigued.
The movie was written by three Canadian friends, Graeme Manson, Andre Bijelic, and
Vincenzo Natali - who also directed. Natali is a hot up and comer in Canada
whose short films have already won critical comparisons to fellow Canadian
David Cronenberg, as well as John Carpenter and Dario Argento. This is
nice hype for anybody, but Natali shines with his own light in that he
has created a horror picture that requires the audience to Think.
It is rare indeed when a SF/Horror movie contains a mystery as well. It
is this mystery that makes the audience try and solve the puzzle of CUBE before the characters.
From the beginning, CUBE let's you know what you are in for with a surprise, By - The - Throat
kind of opening scene. This opening moment creates the tension of the
film, which is largely character driven, that carries the audience to
the edge and keeps them there.
A man (Julian Richings: MIMIC, URBAN LEGEND) wakes up in a room alone. The room is perfectly square with machinery built into the walls. The machinery serves no apparent purpose, yet there it is. There are also doors in the center of every wall, roof and floor.
He has no idea why he is there.
Time passes and the man's jailer brings no food. There is no place to eat, wash or
relieve waste. Another person comes in through one of the doors, also
looking for escape. They leave and find more people, all join the quest
to escape, none know why they are there.
So they go, from room to room, searching for a way out. But some of the rooms are
deadly traps. Traps that are triggered by movement, or heat, or sound,
or . . . ?
And there is no way to tell what rooms are traps because they all look
the same.
Some of the rooms are timed traps. They are safe within a certain period,
and then you'd better get out.
To keep alive and escape the prison before they starve to death, the group of prisoners
must discover a way to safely go from one room to another. As we learn
about each character, we start to wonder: Have they been brought together
by design? Do they deserve to be imprisoned? Do they deserve escape?
There is gore where necessary in this movie, and it has some very gory scenes.
Yet the blood, instead of serving as the release, only serves to heighten
the tension. Our group of prisoners need to rely on the talents of every
member. No one can be lost: not even the cruel, not even the stupid. As
an audience member, you wait and wait for those insidious traps to snap
out and catch one of the characters off guard, and this movie plays no
favorites. There are no give-aways as to who will live and who will die.
No dim-witted arrogant teenagers, no obese people who can't stop eating,
and no pinch-brains wandering down dark hallways because they heard something
that scared them. There are no horror clichés of any kind in this
movie, which is refreshing enough in itself. It's just too bad that the
screenplay didn't give more substance to the actors. I really didn't care
about or for any of them. There is no one to root for.
This movie was created entirely by newcomers to the Motion Picture field. For many,
this was their first professional production of any kind. This makes CUBE all the more amazing as it is a Class-A release. I've watched and enjoyed
many a horror movie and other indie release with a very forgiving heart,
saying to myself 'This is good for a first attempt.'
CUBE is Great for a first attempt! CUBE is great for a well established writer/ director / producer. There is
a new and wonderful wave of SF/Horror/Action being made these days from
wholly new talents like the Wachowski Brothers (THE
MATRIX), Sean Gullette and Darren Aronofsky (Pi)
and now director Vincenzo Natali, who along with his co-writers / friends
Andre Bijelic and Graeme Manson, have brought usCUBE.
The Digital Visual SFX, of which there are few, were directed by Bob Munroe and John
Mariella of C.O.R.E. Digital (MIMIC),
whose CEO is none other than William Shatner (IMPULSE,
INVASION OF THE SPIDER KINGDOM).
Make-up effects, including the opening scene, were created by Louise Mackintosh, Ray Mackintosh,
and Russel Cate of Caligari Studios.
Production Designer Jasna Stefanovic and Art Director Diana Magnus were responsible
for the fascinating and deadly look of the prison rooms which make up the CUBE.
Keeping the
edge, and our attention, at a time when our eyes must be surely getting
bored with seeing the same looking room after room after room with the
same limited number of characters, must have been a daunting task for
any director: even with the intriguing room design. Director of Photography
Derek Rodgers keeps our attention focused on the action.
Another kudo must go to sound recordist Steve McNamee and sound effects editor Steve
Barden. Trust me when I say, you'll find yourself tensely listening for
the hiss, click or snick of a booby trap preparing to spring.
!!!UNFAIR RACIAL CLICHE ALERT!!!
Like so many SF/Horror movies, CUBE follows the time honored tradition
of kill the black folk.
Go to UNFAIR RACIAL CLICHÉ ALERT
Now back to the review -
Another great thing about this movie is its Twilight Zone flavor. It doesn't take
the viewer long to draw comparisons between this and some of Rod Serling's
work. Yet the movie will not let you down with aggravating TZ rip-offs
like these people actually being toys in a box or humans in a toy town
on another planet.
For the characters in this movie, the puzzle is real, it must be solved. What would you do
if you found yourself in the CUBE?
This review
copyright 2000 E.C.McMullen Jr.
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