The Box, 2009

The Box, 2009
Director: Richard Kelly
Cast: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden, Frank Langella




The Box in short: A small wooden box arrives on the doorstep of a married couple, who know that opening it will grant them a million dollars and kill someone they don't know.


Stage: home theatre

Preps: Seeing the trailer, I want to see it. The story seems exciting, devilish offers and regrets after taking them often end up in a good movie. And it makes the viewer observe, what might happen to him, should he end up in such a situation.



Reality: Philosophically put, the dilemma in the movie is superb. A box that puts your bank account a new perspective, but the price is a life of a person you don't know. Now, can you live with this? For most people seems a stupid question, because one mio USD is a hell lot of money and financial worries seem to hit the jackpot lately for most of Earth inhabitants.

Turns out it's not that simple. The couple raises their hands, say aye, we want it and push the button (ok, the lady does). and the mill USD comes along. Very slick. They didn't read the post scriptum to the contract, however. Technically speaking, they didn't know about the consequences. With pushing the button, you too are in this game (become a precious member of the list) and can be one of the future dead persons dying when someone that doesn't know you pushes the button.

How to exit this? You cannot. You should have known better and not push the button. Those sins cannot be forgiven, the price is your life.

This is the most important message the movie brings. Everything else is a weird package of unexplainable stuff, weird scenes and bad acting. However, the director could drive this philosophy even deeper. Afterall, covering your body with ashes with guilty thoughts has been a grateful topic lately (see for instance Antichrist of Lars van Trier - guilt as a topic and splendid interpretation).

Think about it. Could you take the money and not worry about who gets killed, because either way, you don't know that person? I think I know some people that wouldn't mind that. I thought about it. I am not the one that would push it. Most probably. The charm is in the simple fact that you don't know until you have that button in front of you and it's not just hypothetical question :)


My personal rating: 6,0 (it could touch you in the philosophical sense, however, to expect anything more, is just pure fantasy)


p.s. Box on IMDB
Official movie site