The Box is an oddball psychological thriller set in 1976 Virginia. The word thriller is used very loosely in this instance. When a suburban couple receives a mysterious package on their doorstep containing a single button, they're given a simple challenge - press the button and someone, somewhere, who they don't know will die instantly and in exchange they will receive one million bucks in cash. If they opt not to push the button, the box is returned and they receive a crisp $100 bill for their troubles. Don't worry about me further spoiling the movie for you, as that would require me to have understood it.
Fundamentally, next to casting Cameron Diaz, the movie's biggest flaws are the insane plot twists and turns that give you whip lash just by trying to keep up. (Oh don't think you're getting away that easy Ms. Diaz. I have more to say to you later). I found the first forty-five minutes to be a great set up - things were falling into place, suspense was building, my interest was definitely piqued, and I wanted to see more. But as the movie went on, it meandered away from reality into the bizarre, followed by the "what the hell?" You desperately hold on to hope that at some point, it'll all come together and make some sense in a grand, "I see dead people" kind of way. It sorta does....sorta...maybe.
The Box tries to cram so many thoughts and themes into itself that it's just a bit of a mess. With thoughts on God, life, death, heaven, hell, purgatory, human compassion, science and innovation, supreme beings and zombies, about the only subject The Box didn't try to tackle was a comprehensive health care initiative. And was there an Adam and Eve/original sin reference in there somewhere? Do we have any religious scholars in the room? Ultimately, every thought and theme is half assed and competes with one another for attention.
However, none of this could have disappointed me more than Cameron Diaz's performance. The role was a bit of a stretch to begin with, but has hard as that woman tried, she just couldn't act. I truly feel she was cast completely for her looks, because she looked the part damn well. The problem was every time she opened her mouth. It was like she was so proud of herself just for memorizing the lines, she really didn't care about the acting part. And the southern accent she attempted made her sound like she was overacting in a Hallmark movie about the dangers of diet pills.
All this said, I must say the movie itself was well done technically. I love the art direction which was fantastically 70s detailed, from the shag carpet to the geometric wallpaper to the shows flickering on a television in the background of a scene. It also had a great authentic 70s movie thriller feel, thanks to the lighting, cinematography and even a symphonic score that shrilled with suspense. In all honesty, it felt very much like watching an authentic Kubrick film, a la The Shining.
In that vein, it had a lot of Kubrick-esque characteristics, including long drawn out scenes, interesting camera angles, a plot that's hardly understandable at times and uncomfortably creepy characters. And like a Kubrick film, all the pieces of the puzzle may not make sense individually, but in the end when they're assembled together, the overall picture is there and it's quite poignant. While The Box could pass as an homage, it doesn't come close to the original genius.
Lucky for me I love Kubrick, even if I didn't always understand him, and therefore have a bit of an appreciation for this movie. Oh it's not great by any means...but there's something compelling about it. Even a few days after seeing it I'm still thinking about it, so that certainly says something positive. I mean, would you press the button for a million dollars? Could your conscience deal with killing someone even if you you didn't know them? One thing's for sure, even if I was offered a cool million, I'd still just give this one a BREW & VIEW IT!
Decide for yourself, check out the trailer.
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