The Box Movie Review 79

The Box is a movie starring Frank Langella, Cameron Diaz and James Marsden. It is a psychological thriller and Langella plays a mysterious man called Arlington Steward who one day leaves a box outside the front door of the home of Arthur Lewis(Marsden) and his wife Norma(Diaz). He has a facial disfigurement from a burn injury. He decides to pop in the next day. He calls in to put a proposition to the couple. They can push a button mounted on top of the box and they will get one million dollars but unfortunately, someone they do not know will die. They are given 24 hours to decide.

The Box is written and directed by Richard Kelly who was responsible for Donnie Darko and it is based on a story by Richard Matheson called 'Button, Button'. I read that Kelly decided to base this in the 1970's as nowadays people have access to the Internet and photos to learn about mysterious people so this explains why the couple know nothing about Steward. Arthur works in NASA and Norma walks with a limp as her foot was left under an X-Ray machine when she was younger and the radiation affected her.

The Box starts off with great promise as the whole premise seems interesting. It takes the couple forty minutes of the movie to press the button. I don't think that's a spoiler as obviously they press the button or there would be no movie!!Once they press it, things do not go according to plan for the couple. For me, the movie got very weird and nothing much happens in it other than people around the couple getting nosebleeds and people acting strangely. Cameron Diaz has a pensive look on her face throughout and does not do much in this movie. This story was previously made into an episode from the first season('85-'86) of The Twilight Zone but Richard Matheson did not like that version. I wonder does he like this version?

I thought that it was terrible. Bear in mind that I did not really like Donnie Darko so I'm guessing that if you loved that movie, then you will love The Box. The movie ends on a very depressing note so do not go to see this to lift your spirits!! I did not like this movie and would not recommend it to you. Only see this if you are a hardcore Donnie Darko/Richard Kelly fan! Maybe then you will love it. For everyone else, stay well away as this is one box that should stay closed!!!!!

The Box - 1/10.