Horror doesn’t always age terribly well, but some hidden gems stand the test of time and reveal themselves to beway ahead of their time. One example of this phenomenon which, through clever ideas and smart execution, made a tiny budget carry a trilogy of visceral horror hits, wasCube.
Cubereleased in 1997, with its sequel in 2002 and the third entry in 2004, enjoying cult success but sufferingdiminishing returns over the series. A remake has been suggested by Lionsgate and a Japanese-produced remake is set to premiere in October of this year.
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The genius of the firstCubefilm is that it is at once simple and complex. A handful of strangers, possessed of unique and complementary skillsets find themselves trapped inexplicably in a Kafkaesque three-dimensional maze. The film takes place entirely within the titular cube, which is a complex superstructure packed to bursting with deadly traps. While the setupfeels vaguelySawadjacent, the result is something impressively original. The characters undergo incredible suffering, break down, find new purpose, solve bizarre problems and often turn against each other. Its unique setup blends the coldly efficient torment of industrial machines of death with the harsh peaks and valleys of emotion.
No explanation at all is given to the situation in the originalCube.The audience knows exactly as little from beginning to end as the characters within.Cubewas the first full film by writer-director Vincenzo Natali, who went on to create other cult hits like 2009’sSpliceand 2019’sStephen King horror adaptationIn the Tall Grass.The idea began life as a concept to direct a film set entirely in hell. The eponymous cube was designed by a professional mathematician, nearly every aspect of it carries complex mathematical detail. The firstCubeis the perfect distillation of the concept, a tight 90-minute nightmare blending torture with puzzles to push people to their limits, but its sequel added some new ideas to the format.
Hypercubegradually unveilssome of the mystery surroundingthe unyielding torture geometry. A shadowy defense contractor begins to come into focus, characters unveil terrible secrets and the plot, while still sparse, gives a bit of context to the series. The new upgrades to the cube keep the spirit of scientific horror alive from the first film, though using less intelligent puzzles throughout. The film is better in some ways and weaker in others than its predecessor, but the final piece of the trilogy sought to dig deeper into the newfound lore.
Cube Zerois aprequel to the first filmand the first in the series to feature scenes outside of the cube. This film is very different from its predecessors, splitting its time between the usual strangers trapped in cube format and aCabin in the Woodsstyle bureaucratic horror office. The prequel examines some of the technicians working on the cube, which resembles that of the first film rather than the hypercube. It, likeCube 2,offers some explanation as to why the specific characters wind up in the terrible box. This film suggests a totalitarian government using the cube as both corporal punishment and violent suppression of dissidents.
Cube Zerorepresents an interesting moment in the series; it’s the firstCubeto existafter the release ofSaw.Torture horror had just become the next big thing in the genre.Sawwould go on to release yearly every Halloween for the next several years and Eli Roth’sHostelwas right around the corner.Cubeshould have felt right at home, but there was something different that made it difficult for the series to blend in with the other mindless gore fests.Cubefeatured all the gruesome deaths of its peers, but the soul of the franchise was its bizarre intelligence.
TheCubefranchise pulls off a strange feat, being interesting in different ways with each entry.Cubeis a hauntingly straightforward piece, anyone can jump in and be shocked by what a clever filmmaker can dowith a contained horror story.Hypercubeengages by lowering the veil of the first film and showing off the wild new powers of the scientific marvel.Cube Zerois a difficult story about functionaries fighting the system, and what they get for their troubles. The series is far from perfect, but they took a tiny budget and a sturdy concept and turned it into a series that deserves more fans.
A remake of theCubefranchise has been on the docket for years, currently hanging in limbo. Whether the series gets revived for a new generation, the originalCubetrilogy is well worth the attention of horror fans after all these years.MORE:Watch The Terrifying Teaser For Midnight Mass From The Creator Of The Haunting Of Hill House
