The Box
Screen Rant reviewsThe Box
Well this is going to be a short revaluation because I do n’t desire to spend any more clock time on this movie than I have to . The Boxis found onButton , Button- a very short story written by Richard Matheson that was used for an onetime sequence of the classical television seriesThe Twilight Zone . It was written and maneuver by Richard Kelly , the man behind the cult classicDonnie Darkoand the poorly receivedSouthland Tales .
BTW , in person I suppose it ’s obvious , but this review does tell you whether or not they labor the clitoris .
The film take place in 1976 , around the time we embark on sending probes to Mars . This is the ( very thin ) rationality the film takes place back then - it could have easy taken place today , but then the tempo of the film might not have made as much sense ( I ’ll get to that later ) . Cameron Diaz and James Marsden whiz as a mid-30s span living in Virginia . He work at Nasa as an visual applied scientist but has intake to be a infinite shuttle cosmonaut , she works as a instructor at a private schooling at which their son pay heed . They ’re living paycheck to paycheck and money is stiff ( and despite seeming to be a bright guy , mid-30s Marsden is drive a Corvette despite their fiscal position ) .
They get a package wrapped in plain chocolate-brown composition ahead of time one morning : A blackened box with a glass dome covering a red push button . Very simple , but well - crafted . It is lock , and later that day the mysterious Arlington Steward ( the ever sophisticated Frank Langella ) go far with a key to the boxful , a briefcase with one million dollars and half his face CGI’d forth and pock in a painful burn mark injury . He makes the pass : Press the button and somewhere , someoneyou do not knowwill die , but you will then receive one million buck tax free .
decision , decisions .
Well a twain of thing have coincidently ( or , not so much ) just happened to do the financial noose to tighten a bit more , making the deal tempting them ( to the married woman in particular ) . They vibrate between call in the law ( tell apart anyone and the batch will be off ) , just return the box , and assume that even if the guy IS crazy , maybe they can get the money . After all , the person kill " might be some liquidator on destruction run-in . "
candidly , maybe it ’s just me ( and I really hope it ’s NOT ) , but the picture lost me here . If someone showed up at your doorway and made this offer , with the warrantee that SOMEONE WOULD DIE if you pushed the push , would you ? I sure as hell would n’t , even for a million dollars .
The husband does decide to enter the loge , not knowing what to find , but it ’s just empty - not even a transmitter to notify anyone if the button had been pushed . Still , he is leery . In the end , the married woman drive the button , Steward make it with the money , and assures them that the box will be given tosomeone they do not have intercourse .
The Box follows Norma and Arthur Lewis, a couple who receive a mysterious box with an offer to receive a large sum of money if they press a button—at the cost of a stranger’s life. Directed by Richard Kelly and starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden, the film explores moral dilemmas and consequences in a suspense-filled narrative based on Richard Matheson’s short story “Button, Button."
Did n’t see THAT one coming .
Of naturally writer / conductor Richard Kelly substantiate this , and in rules of order to keep the movie * cough * interesting * cough * puts in a ton of curiosity that could ’ve drawn you in with the whodunit , but instead just get plaguy as they continue to pile on top of each other . In the close what made for a great , scant ethical motive fib is made so convolute by trying to stretch it out into a two hour movie and give explanation to the how s and the why randomness that you ’ll be become flat to be done with the movie and get out of the theatre .
I line up it interesting that it was set in the 70s because the pacing of the picture show reminded me of movies from that time period . Looking back , a lot of the movies made then seem agonizingly slow in act the story along , and that ’s the case here . In the last 30 minute or so it experience so completely disjoin , jumping helter - skelter from tantrum to scene that you ’ll wonder what the editor and manager were suppose .
I ’ll give it two stars for concept and Frank Langella , but that ’s being generous - I would n’t even call this a renting .
The Box follows Norma and Arthur Lewis , a brace who receive a mystic box with an offer to receive a large sum of money if they press a button — at the cost of a stranger ’s life . aim by Richard Kelly and starring Cameron Diaz and James Marsden , the cinema explore moral dilemma and issue in a suspense - filled story based on Richard Matheson ’s shortsighted story " Button , Button . "
