For the uninitiated, the Cube films are under-seen gems.
The first film, Cube, opens in a cubic room, with the unfortunate occupier immediately sliced and diced by an unseen booby trap. We then meet more prisoners, who realise that they can can move from one cubic room to the next in any direction, with some rooms lethally booby-trapped and numeric codes at each doorway giving a clue as to the way to proceed. It was stripped-down sci-fi at its finest – no spoon-feeding or easy answers and lots of imaginative use of a shoe-string budget.
Cube 2: Hypercube expanded well on the first film’s premise, introducing time loops into the Cube, but continuing with the pleasingly imaginative booby-traps and grisly deaths. Kind of like Saw, but with skill, craft and inventiveness rather than unpleasantness for its own sake. Cube Zero then went back to before the first film, showing more of the outside world and how the Cube was developed. By shifting outside the Cube it lost much of the claustrophobic dynamism of the previous films, but had a few good ideas and at least slotted into the overall mythology in a logical, coherent manner (I’m looking at you, Star Wars prequels).
As is the case with all good ideas, Lionsgate want to start milking the series again. In an astonishing development, they are also looking at making the new film in 3D. They are currently fielding pitches, however it is unclear whether they are looking at a reboot, remake or straight sequel. If it can match the quality, inventiveness and atmosphere of the first film, then all will be well, but I’m not expecting too much at the moment.
We’ll bring you more as this develops. In the meantime, check out the trailers below for the previous series entries. Be warned, Cube Zero gets a bit icky.
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