I came on IMDB hoping someone would have presented some deeper meaning to this movie that would make the last 85 minutes of my life worth a dang but that did not happen. The movie is really about an aspiring artist who dreams he is trapped in a room with mirrors and he cant get out. That is what most of the movie consists of with no revealing or interesting moments beyond that concept so I was hoping the ending would have answers but it did not and unfortunately the movie was just not that good or made you really care about anything going on. It is very low budget but that is not a reason to totally write off a movie however an awful or threadbare plot is.
6 Reviews
An Interesting Philosophical Drama/Psychological Thriller.
betchaareoffendedeasily17 August 2021
This is a low-budget film, but this should never be used a pejorative in and of itself. "The Box" feels low-budget, but overall, the production values are great, albeit the film has little action and is a slow-burn with no "pay off", if you miss what the movie is about and the philosophical underpinnings, you are guaranteed to hate this, and even if you do pick up on them, you might still hate it anyway. This is a hard film to review for many reasons, but it isn't poorly, and it is well-executed.
The acting is solid on the whole, the sound mixing is really good, the music is well-done, the lighting is good, the cinematography is more than serviceable, and it is well-directed. I have no major gripes, it is short of brilliant, but settles for being a solid drama/thriller instead of ever quite achieving greatness. The script can be a bit philosophically heavy-handed with it's numerous "box" analogies, but given the concept, I don't rally feel it is avoidable. The dialog is not bad, though some of the delivery can be a bit stiff at times, although some of it is for sure intentional, such as the painfully stiff auditions of our lead character Tyler, and some of the opening scenes. It actually gives the movie a bit of an artificial and uncomfortable feeling.
There is a lot of symbolism here, and a lot of ideas to chew on. Of course the metaphorical idea of a "box" that you are in, or you put yourself in, is a common one we throw around, but one that isn't necessarily explored in media a whole lot. This movie also explore contentment; if we are all in a box of our own making, why is it that some are happier than others? Do some do better at accepting the confines that exist in their life? Are some more easily adapted to the box they find themselves in? These ideas are implicated, but not explicitly said. What happens when you achieve something you wanted, but find it isn't cracked up to what you thought it to be, do you leave it? Or stick with it because it took so long to achieve?
So, if you like philosophy, this one has a lot of ideas, and they are fairly well fleshed out, but not shoved in your face, as with another low-budget philosophical concept film "Look Again". This one takes a slightly more ambiguous route, and I think it is to it's advantage. The question is, do you watch movies just to be entertained? Or do you like movies that give you a bit to chew on afterwards? If you enjoy the latter, "The Box(2021)", might just be for you.
The acting is solid on the whole, the sound mixing is really good, the music is well-done, the lighting is good, the cinematography is more than serviceable, and it is well-directed. I have no major gripes, it is short of brilliant, but settles for being a solid drama/thriller instead of ever quite achieving greatness. The script can be a bit philosophically heavy-handed with it's numerous "box" analogies, but given the concept, I don't rally feel it is avoidable. The dialog is not bad, though some of the delivery can be a bit stiff at times, although some of it is for sure intentional, such as the painfully stiff auditions of our lead character Tyler, and some of the opening scenes. It actually gives the movie a bit of an artificial and uncomfortable feeling.
There is a lot of symbolism here, and a lot of ideas to chew on. Of course the metaphorical idea of a "box" that you are in, or you put yourself in, is a common one we throw around, but one that isn't necessarily explored in media a whole lot. This movie also explore contentment; if we are all in a box of our own making, why is it that some are happier than others? Do some do better at accepting the confines that exist in their life? Are some more easily adapted to the box they find themselves in? These ideas are implicated, but not explicitly said. What happens when you achieve something you wanted, but find it isn't cracked up to what you thought it to be, do you leave it? Or stick with it because it took so long to achieve?
So, if you like philosophy, this one has a lot of ideas, and they are fairly well fleshed out, but not shoved in your face, as with another low-budget philosophical concept film "Look Again". This one takes a slightly more ambiguous route, and I think it is to it's advantage. The question is, do you watch movies just to be entertained? Or do you like movies that give you a bit to chew on afterwards? If you enjoy the latter, "The Box(2021)", might just be for you.
Solid film.
alexkzapf25 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Low budget. But. Good production value. The acting is well done. As far as what it is about. It is a psychological journey of an actor. Feeling trapped. There is a lot of symbolism. Not for everyone. That is for sure. You have to be in the right state of mind. Some will hate this no matter what. It is better than I ever expected. I like the voiceover. It adds a different angle to this type of movie and story. Would not call this a must see for everyone. But. It you like psychological movies. You might want to check this out. The lead actor is good in his role. Believable with his stress. Again low budget. So. Understand what you are getting into.
The Box: ultimate psychological thriller
juliamrosette25 March 2021
The box is a completely original and fun take on the classical genres of psychological thrillers. The film is complex in theme and story structure while still offering satisfying answers in the film's close. For the most part the film stays true to traditional psychological horror while also offering a unique and stylized perspective of this new director, most notably in use of voiceover, which added another texture to the viewing experience.
Good acting and good story
johnbamber-543-39050517 October 2021
Psychological thriller presented in a very interesting way. Highly recommend. Acting was excellent as well; this is not one to have on in the background, as there are flashbacks to dream sequences, if you miss some of the movie you may be left too far behind.
Very Impressive Low Budget Movie
diarkosophy2 September 2021
I'm pretty sure this is definitely not a movie for everyone. It can feel a little boring or repetitive at times and I think most people would call this a slow burn. With that said I really enjoyed this film and I didn't really feel it was slow except for a few parts.
Most of the time it was tense, contemplative and kept me captivated. I didn't rewind any parts which is a hallmark for me that is reserved for the best movies, however I never skipped though anything which is giving this film much praise. For a film this low budget I was expecting to just not be able to watch it however, it constantly exceeded my expectations. The acting is great, music great and the plot was more than serviceable for me. This is also a movie about acting which is something I typically don't like but I felt like it was very well done and that really wasn't the point of the film. I also thought this movie does have a great "pay off".
All and all, I feel like I could give this movie a 7-9. Maybe 7 if I'm feeling like it is too contrived or 9 when I catch myself still thinking about a movie that is so low budget. It's as if they used every penny meaningfully. Lastly, this film kind of reminded me of "Pi" by Darren Aronofsky with a little "Cube" or something sprinkled in. I can't recommend it but I will say it not only exceeded my expectation by miles, I truly enjoyed this film. Still thinking about it.
Most of the time it was tense, contemplative and kept me captivated. I didn't rewind any parts which is a hallmark for me that is reserved for the best movies, however I never skipped though anything which is giving this film much praise. For a film this low budget I was expecting to just not be able to watch it however, it constantly exceeded my expectations. The acting is great, music great and the plot was more than serviceable for me. This is also a movie about acting which is something I typically don't like but I felt like it was very well done and that really wasn't the point of the film. I also thought this movie does have a great "pay off".
All and all, I feel like I could give this movie a 7-9. Maybe 7 if I'm feeling like it is too contrived or 9 when I catch myself still thinking about a movie that is so low budget. It's as if they used every penny meaningfully. Lastly, this film kind of reminded me of "Pi" by Darren Aronofsky with a little "Cube" or something sprinkled in. I can't recommend it but I will say it not only exceeded my expectation by miles, I truly enjoyed this film. Still thinking about it.
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