Cube (2021) [Film Review]

Cube (2021); or, Running Scared
     I see a sin in your eyes.
My first encounter with the Cube franchise was not a positive one. Back in the early 2000s, while watching preview trailers on a rented VHS tape, I stumbled upon a teaser for Cube 2: Hypercube (2002). This advertising clip was so atrociously bad that it made me dislike the series before even seeing it. However, I caught the original Cube (1997) on TV years later and actually enjoyed it. It was simple, innovative, gripping, and had memorable characters. Therefore, I am all the more surprised that the Japanese decided to remake this horror classic almost 25 years later…

Release Info

Directed by: Yasuhiko Shimizu Starring: Masaki Suda, Anne Watanabe, Masaki Okada

Language: Japanese Original Title: CUBE Runtime: 108 min

Synopsis
Six strangers wake up in a cube-shaped room. They do not know how they got there or what is their purpose of being in the cube. Each wall of the room (including ceiling and floor) has doors, which lead to same cube-designed areas. The strangers try to get out of the endless, claustrophobic maze while avoiding deadly traps awaiting them en route.

Cube Your Enthusiasm
The 2021 remake directed by Yasuhiko Shimizu and produced by Vincenzo Natali (the director of the original film) faithfully repeats the basic points of the 1997 source material, but it also manages to muster up a few innovations on its own. Let’s take a look at production design, for instance. Evidently, this is a studio flick (Shochiku), so the crew actually had a budget to work with. The cubical rooms do not have the industrial, “used” look as in the original. Instead, they seem brighter, cleaner, and more spacious. The lighting of the sets is also pleasant for eyes.

In terms of the story's overall execution, Cube feels like a play on Japanese stereotypes. Whereas the original had clear anti-authority sentiment, the remake presents us with a critique of generational conflict, social politeness, honne/tatemae modes in daily interactions, and group mentality vs. individualism. Watching the 1997 and 2021 remake back to back reminded me about a passage from Haruki Murakami’s Underground: The Tokyo Gas Attack and the Japanese Psyche, in which a survivor of the 1995 subway events states that Americans would have certainly behaved differently from Japanese passengers during a terrorist attack and, consequently, there would have been less victims.

This is very much the vibe you get from Cube (2021). The characters behave in an erratic manner when it comes to action, and they seem to be afraid more of each other rather than of the actual maze… In the original, the protagonists hated each other’s guts but at least they consciously worked on getting out. In the remake, the hints as to how the cube operates are thrown into the characters' faces. They discover solutions to challenges they face by pure chance.

With regard to performances, Masaki Suda does well as the leading man, but he gets outshined most of the time but the supporting parts of Takumi Saitoh and Kotaro Yoshida. Hikaru Tashiro is unfortunately bland as the child who forms a bond with Suda’s character. Anne Watanbe looks adorable in prison rags, but her character is one-dimensional and just when you think this is an issue, the film surprises you with a plot twist (no spoilers). As for Masaki Okada, I am glad that his fame gets recognised internationally nowadays, but this movie does a disservice to him. He just goes full Jack Torrance towards the finale. You should never go full Jack Torrance.

Recommendations
All things considered, I do not regret watching the Cube remake. Undoubtedly, it is inferior to the original, but it is worth checking out just for the production design and top-notch sound editing, which really enhances the viewing experience. It is an okay horror flick for one viewing only.Overall score: 7/10

«Enjoyed this post? Never miss out on future posts by following us»