Cube [film]

Most people probably have never heard of the film Cube. I read its synopsis many years ago and I was interested. It's like this. Six people wake up and find themselves in a giant maze. The maze consists of many interconnecting rooms. Each room is a cube that has a door on each of the six faces. The doors lead to other rooms. The trapped people include a policeman, a doctor and a mathematics student, etc. They have to cooperate to find a way out. They also have to avoid the death traps in some rooms and try to keep their head cool. Yup, that looks like a geeky sci-fi movie that has some brainwork involved.

It's not a mainstream film so I don't see it on TV or see it mentioned. Surprisingly, I saw the sequel of Cube on TV in Taiwan. The sequel "Cube 2: Hypercube" is one of the worst films I've ever watched. It makes no sense at all. I easily give it my lowest rating: 0 star.

Anyway, I rented the original Cube movie and see if it satisfies my geeky curiosity. Although I'm not a fan after watching it, I find it engaging and interesting. The puzzle solving is geeky enough. The mathematics make sense (I think) and the correct decoding can lead them a escape route. The characters also surprise me when they reveal their hidden sides over time.

I am disappointed of the ending, though. It comes out of nowhere. I feel the twist is just there to make it more shocking. However, I feel that the story is less believable because of it.

LC rates: 3 stars

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A note on Cube 2: The original Cube focuses on figuring out how to escape and the conflicts between the trapped people. Cube 2 focuses on presenting unusual rooms and death traps. The puzzle has no significance and makes no sense even when the story ends. It just kills people again and again. The movie is so terrible and disappointing that I'll always remember it.