Cube

Cube (1997)

Image From IMDB

I’m not sure if there’s a movie outside of Star Wars that I watched more during college than Cube. I was somewhat obsessed with this movie, both from a ‘it’s entertaining and I love it viewpoint,’ and a ‘how can I make a movie like this myself viewpoint?’ I failed at the latter despite writing plenty of screenplays, but my enjoyment hasn’t diminshed. It’s a fantastic movie, and one I can watch at any given time.

Cube is about seven strangers stuck inside a giant moving trap filled cube, (think Saw but years earlier.) They don’t know how they got there, why, or how to get out, but they intend to solve the puzzle while they look for the door… if there is one.

It’s a character study as much as it is a fascinating sci-fi horror. Each character is so well layered, with their personalities evolving due to circumstance. While the tough beat cop could be the most useful one moment, he could be the most dangerous next. The irritated nurse may seem annoying, but who would you want looking after a man with special needs more? And the shy kid can easily turn bratty when it turns out she’s useful, but she’s still a kid.

It’s kind of a simple concept when you think about it. Seven completely different strangers having to work together to escape a sci-fi escape room, but the movie felt so unique at the time. There really was so little to compare it too, yet with barely any budget it was made and executed so well. Vincenzo Natali just got it right first time.

The cast are all great in their roles, with Nicole de Boer Leaven standing out for me, and the effects look absolutely fine, never stretching too far or trying anything too complicated. The fades work well as time passes in the cube, and I like the different montages as we track their progress. Nothing outstays its welcome, and they found a way to make each room a set piece, with the quiet room being particularly great.

The movie builds plenty of tension both through the anticipation of what the next room could hold, and the bubbling animosity amongst the strangers. You’re constantly worried for them, but which way is the threat going to come from? For a wacky concept, everything about this movie felt real to me, and that really is down to how well the characters are written and performed.

Cube is a movie I have infinite love and time for. A movie that made me want to make films. Obviously, from the outset you can see it’s not a movie with any kind of budget, but it uses that restraint to tell an engaging story rather than falling into some B-Movie trap. If you gave the director twenty million to make the movie the only thing that would change would be some of the special effects as everything else is perfect how it is. Great film.