There are many times when movie trailers paint an entirely different view of what a movie really is. That is the case with The Box. The trailer leads the viewer into thinking that the movie will be about a decision a couple makes which leads to non-stop action sequences. That is the opposite of what it turns out to be.
The first big surprise is that the setting is not current day but instead over 30 years in the past. The way the premise is set up, one can’t help but think it’s based on a real story…at least until a potential action movie takes a sharp unexpected turn into the Twilight Zone. Apparently The Box is based on the 1970 short story, Button, Button, which was actually made into a Twilight Zone episode in the 80’s. It would have been for the best had it not been remade into a movie in the 21st century.
What Were They Thinking?
Fans of Cameron Diaz (Norma) and James Marsden (Arthur) would certainly expect better from these actors, who should have known better than to accept their roles. After struggling to look past the 70’s clothing and ambiance, along with the seemingly unrelated subplots, the first hour of the movie is somewhat gripping. It is only after numerous nosebleeds and the town people acting like throw backs to Invasion of the Body Snatchers that confusion begins to set in. Disbelief quickly follows.
Spoilers for the movie’s ending will be discussed, so it would be best for anyone who wants to see The Box to stop reading now, though it might be best to continue reading. What could have been an intriguing action story quickly becomes a silly science-fiction flop. It can’t even be considered horror, since nothing about this movie is remotely scary. Frank Langella portrays Mr. Steward, a disfigured NSA agent who goes door to door making a tempting offer to struggling families: accept $1 million dollars in exchange for a stranger dying.
Spoiler Alert!
Should it make any difference if the person dying is a stranger or not? Should greed be placed before humanity? Eventually, it is discovered that Mr. Steward, who has been possessed by a Martian (Yes, from Mars!), is testing humanity to see if everyone given the box will press the button to accept the money knowing someone will die. If enough press it, we face extinction.
Yes, that is the point of the entire movie. Will everyone press the button or will anyone decide that life is more important? The actual question should be, would it make any difference? After seeing the movie, it seems pretty clear the answer would be no. It wouldn’t have mattered if the next family offered the box hadn’t accepted the offer, since Norma would have still died. So what’s the point? Steward has powers over anyone he touches, which apparently must be the entire town. Even though he acts like he hopes someone will refuse his offer, it can’t really be believed he truly wants that.
Alien Plays Dirty Pool
As the story progresses, it turns out that no one is actually being killed because of this box. Any person who dies does so willingly to save someone else they love. This sacrifice happens because of the guilt of pushing the button, even though pushing it had nothing to do with anyone dying (Sound confusing? Well, so is the movie).
The timing of the deaths and the pushing of the button is actually one of the most far-fetched ideas of the story, though Steward’s special abilities might help to explain it. By the time the movie ends, most viewers won’t even care who ends up dying. Going by how it started, the cycle continues to its predictable (if not ridiculous) conclusion. Relief that it’s finally over might be the only emotion felt. The Box isn't even worth the cost of renting.
Judith Lee - Judith has been a writer for over two decades. She is also a blogger and book/movie reviewer.
