[5.50/10] The Box (2009)

The Box (2009)

Short review: "The Box" is a remake of "Button, Button", a 1986 episode of "The Twilight Zone", based on a Richard Matheson short story. Kelly's "The Box" puts a modern day spin on a classic story and while it isn't entirely satisfying, it does have its high points. As the puzzle the film is wrapped in unravels, its first few reveals are interesting, but it was like they tried to cram in as many twists and turns as possible as the film went on. While Richard Kelly has at least one great film under his belt, it seems like he still hasn't found a specific stride to being a great director. That doesn't mean he's not capable of doing so and he certainly has his trademarks that seem to bleed through in his films, but that he hasn't been able to channel a similar formula to what made "Donnie Darko" such a standout film. That, in itself, is disappointing. The acting was uneven. Cameron Diaz's Southern accent might be unnecessary, but it is surprisingly Langella who is the most disappointing in the film, with a very unsubtly written role, as the mysterious scarred man, who seems to be hiding a military base that would make Dr. Evil proud. It really is just a shadow of his towering performance in "Frost/Nixon". There is not a lot for many of the other actors in the film to do, and the CG also seemed to look a bit low budget during the three gateways scene. Sometimes entertaining and engaging, sometimes silly and ridiculous, "The Box" is a mixed bag!

• My Rating: 5.50/10
• Rotten Tomatoes: 44% (5.0/10)
• IMDb: 6.2/10