Cube (1997)
I had heard a lot about this movie while looking for cult horror/sci-fi movies on the Internet. I've heard people call it major inspiration for the
Saw movies which would dominate the last decade of American horror, and I've heard a lot of people say it's a pile of week old wank.
I can definitely understand why people don't like it. The acting is pretty mediocre and just a little... off for the situation. Everyone seems to just readily accept the situation after a "inspiring" speech from the group's leader/ sociopath. It wasn't very well paced and some of the actions were just groan-worthy, like when the conspiracy theorist doctor lady mimicked a guy masturbating.
The setting was quite interesting, a series of cubes with 6-doors and a group of numbers that hold the key to which rooms are safe, and which ones are booby trapped. The traps are all nicely varied, ranging from entire grid patterns of razor wire to acid to metal spikes, and the ways the numerous ways they are set off will always leave you in a tense state. I also like how the film never really explained anything, leaving it to the viewer's imagination as to why the individuals are there.
Overall it's easy to see why this is a cult movie and why it's not particularly fondly remembered by a massive audience. If you're a fan of the
Saw franchise or just interested in viewing something most people aren't aware of, I'd say give this a try, but to remember to adjust your expectation.
6/10