Rating of
2.5/4
"The Box" by Yojimbo
Yojimbo - wrote on 01/13/12
A mysterious stranger delivers a box to the doorstep of a young couple and tells them that if they push the button on the device contained within, they will receive a million dollars but someone they don't know will be killed. This intriguing premise combined with a spooky performance by Frank Langella as the enigmatic stranger make for a compelling opening act to this story based on an episode of The Twilight Zone. Unfortunately, as is always the case with these twist based ideas, the reveal had better be DAMN good or else the viewer is going to feel like they've totally wasted their time. When it did come I didn't feel like I'd been cheated, but it wasn't exactly satisfactory either; the conspiracy aspect to the story felt forced and actually rather unnecessary and just made the story more convoluted than it really needed to be. It's got a nice 70s feel to it and the direction is stylish offering up some nicely atmospheric scenes and visuals but Kelly must be nervously eyeing the career of M. Night Shyamalan by now because he seems to be heading down the same road.
