Beware strangers baring gifts. Advice like this should have been taken by an unsuspecting couple who wind up inside a world of untold danger in The Box, the latest thriller from Warner Brothers now trying to freak folks out at Tinseltown, Esplanade 6, Empire Studio 12, Colossus and Famous Players Silver City cites across B.C. Alas, if such common sense was used there would be no movie. Despite a good cast and some freaky moments The Box comes off looking more like a stifling, unpredictable drama than a bonafide suspense thriller.
Monetary Troubles provide the Perfect Impetus for a Couple to Forsake Morals
Financial hardships can make anyone think twice about their future. Take Norma and Arthur Lewis for example. Each holds jobs that can be classified as professional and they have a young son who they will do anything for. Life seems good for the family who live in Virginia. Things however quickly take a turn for the worse as the pair encounters a few problems.
Bad luck can be countered with good omens. Out of the blue a package arrives at the Lewis’s comfortable residence. Set in 1976 you’d still think folks would be cautious about opening unmarked letters or boxes.
Part and parcel with this package a few hours later comes a strange man called Arlington Steward. Directions are given to the pair that involve an action and a financial benefit. So the morality of money comes into play as well as sacrifice. Not wanting to give too much of the plot away a set of mishaps occur that revolve around just a bunch of unbelievable circumstances. Take this all in with a big grain of salt.
For a movie to be suspenseful there really must be a sense of danger. Anticipation is there as well as fear on the part of the parents but once the story proceeds the nature of the whole procedure becomes too cumbersome, predictable and just not that, well, exciting. About the best issue this film forces on viewers is how they will morally decide what to do if it involves life and death and your family.
Frank Langella oozes Sophisticated Evil as a fiendish Messenger from Hell
Fresh off his winning turn as Richard Nixon in Ron Howard’s Nixon/Frost spectacular Frank Langella continues to revive his career as the mysterious Arlington Steward. Langella is the best part of this movie as his elegant demeanour and short syllabic threats are downright chilling. Few words and a face full of menace really set things up for the horrors to follow, which unfortunately aren’t that effective.
Happy go lucky Cameron Diaz (Charlie’s Angels) tries her hand at drama for the second straight movie and does her best and is mildly convincing as a mom in trouble. Take some advice Cameron and try sticking to comedy or romance films or at least look for better stories. Handsome James Marsden (X-Men) plays the husband and does a fairly good job but again things bog down when the movie delves into conspiracies, outer space descendants, science gone bad and X-Files symbolism.
Long at 116 minutes The Box could have been a lot more exciting and creepy so it only gives off a mild charge. One Two .
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