If you have the internet, you can watch things for free at the expense of your data being collected. Isn’t life full of contradictions? Recently, I had the pleasure of watching Cube (1997) again. You can watch the film on Pluto TV and/or on YouTube. It was one of my favorite childhood films. If you ask me to explain why I liked it back then, I wouldn’t be able to answer it properly. I just thought the idea of telling a story about being trapped inside a giant cube was cool. Now with some life experiences under my belt, I can explain why I like it. It’s smart, edgy, and thought-provoking.

Disclaimer: I sound like I am about to write an essay! Nope, this is a writing prompt, a sneak peek at a potential essay explaining why I find it smart, edgy, and thought-provoking.

If you have not heard of this film before, it is a science fiction thriller film directed by Vincenzo Natali. The story involves six strangers (not counting Alderson, the false protagonist) waking up inside the Cube without any recollection of why and how they got there. As the story unfolds, the characters learn that they have unique talents and skill sets to solve the Cube’s puzzle. But of course, things eventually take the wrong course when each character’s personality clashes with one another. There is David Worth, a nihilist. Quentin, the fascist cop; Dr. Helen Holloway, a free clinic physician; Joan Leaven, a high school math genius; Rennes, a sensor expert; and Kazan, the autistic savant. They must work together to escape the Cube that is designed to be a death trap. Making the wrong moves can cause instant death. So then is there a logical mathematical way to escape the Cube? You’d be surprised how well the plot ties in well with life’s biggest questions. The most profound question of them all is what purpose does the Cube serve? 

If you are like me, an independent thinker, you would enjoy this film for its ambiguity. I like how each character provides a different insight and viewpoint. I can empathize with all the characters; however, I detest the antagonist, Quentin. Like the majority, I don’t like folks who abuse their authority. He is the benevolent cop who pretends to have everyone’s best interest but only thinks about himself. That’s why his wife left him. So, then you must think I must like Dr. Holloway because she is the opposite of Quentin. Not quite. I sympathize with Worth the most. Worth represents the mass majority. Despite his ingenuity, he breaks down when facing the unknown and is motivated by a paycheck without ever questioning how his line of work is impacting others. He likes to pretend he’s doing something meaningful when in reality he could be creating a deadly weapon to annihilate humanity. His guilt paralyzes him as soon as he realizes he is part of the death trap. I suppose there is some humanity in him like most of us. So that is why his character left a bigger impression on me than Dr. Holloway who is also a likeable character.

In contrast to Worth Rennes is indifferent to those around him. Rennes is the type of person who doesn’t ask a lot of questions. Sometimes “You gotta save yourself from yourself,” he said. Don’t think. Just do what you have to do in front of you. While that may seem like a form of strength, it doesn’t solve anything. More importantly, his attitude doesn’t benefit anyone. That’s why his personality clashes with Dr. Holloway, the aging, single woman with no children who likes “sticking [her] nose up in other people’s assholes, sniffing their business,” according to Quentin. She is fueled by conspiracy theories, believing that she is fighting an ongoing battle against Big Brother. She is the symbol of social justice and the fabric of humanity. Despite her good intentions, she may very well be suffering from a delusion and Worth is not afraid to bust her theories. But if you ask me, I rather take her side than side with Quentin. He may appear stern but he is actually nothing more than a frightened boy who uses his fist to get people to obey him. You could even argue he is the product of patriarchy gone mad. The only thing he cares about is procreation and passing on his genes. So, this is where Leaven fits into the equation. She is young, beautiful and brilliant. She represents the young and the restless of our society. She is eager to utilize her talent but is easily exploited by someone like Quentin who hides behind the identity of a caring father figure. She may be brainy but she is also naive. Lastly, there is Kazan. He is the most vulnerable and innocent of them all. By no fault of his own, he was born with a disability. Quentin believes he is a danger to the group and wants to leave him behind. No wonder Dr. Holloway called him a Nazi. These characters make up our society as a whole. It paints a picture of humanity and its ugly struggles to co-exist.

So not only is the film entertainingly thrilling to watch, but it’s like listening to a philosophical conversation between different people from different backgrounds. There is not much happening in this film other than someone dying from “accidentally” walking into a death trap. So, then what is the Cube? Is it Big Brother’s creation? Is it part of the government experimentation, or even scarier–the works of aliens? Or perhaps, is there no one operating the Cube? Does it exist because it just happens? Lastly, is it some twisted rich man’s form of entertainment? There’s no clear answer to what the Cube is but I do know what one of the characters thinks about the world:

“[Outside the Cube is] boundless human stupidity.”

– David Worth

P.S.

I haven’t seen the remaining movies (Cube2: Hypercube and Cube Zero) from this series, so I am excited to learn more about it! However, I have recently watched the Japanese remake version of the Cube, which is pretty decent.