The Box Movie Explained. Who Will Die?

Today, I want to tell you about Richard Kelly’s fantastic thriller The Box 2009. The film plunges into a unique, slightly detached reality and a mystical atmosphere.

Let’s figure out what the director laid down as the main idea in his work.

What’s the movie The Box about? 

The strong, vital morality in the film sounds from the lips of Arlington Steward, a stranger with a burn: Are you ready to kill someone to get one million dollars?

Director Kelly and Richard Matheson say that the world is doomed and people are not ready to sacrifice their interests, even at the cost of human life. “I don’t care who it will be – a small child or a criminal waiting for the electric chair.”

Further in my article, I will remind you of the plot of The Box and its meaning. I will also explain the movie’s end and the symbolism.

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The Box summary.

Virginia 1976. Arthur is a talented scientist from NASA who does not sit still and is looking for new project ideas. Norma is his wife and a good teacher at school. The family is flourishing, and their son Walter is growing up.

But one day, in the early morning, someone leaves a small package containing a button block. Then, precisely at 5 p.m., a certain Arlington Steward appears on the house’s threshold.

He is calm. His rules are simple: if Norma or Arthur presses the red button, two things will follow – good and bad. A good incentive is handy – the family will get $ 1 million. The bad one sharply discourages desire – if the button is pressed, a person will die somewhere.

Everything is simple. After the Steward leaves, a whole tangle of problems begins, where only money can serve as a way out. The choice is difficult, but Norma presses the button in the end, leading to severe consequences.

The film The Box is based on the science fiction work ‘Button, Button’ by the legendary American writer Richard Matheson, famous for his books in horror, science fiction, and fantasy. In turn, director Richard Kelly once became famous for the mysterious film Donnie Darko. Kelly writes scripts for his movies and is passionate about everything unusual and mystical.

But in my opinion, the film simultaneously suffers from excessive symbolism and mixing of genres.

The director is trying to develop the human drama seriously. It is partly successful; the issues of conscience, morality, morality, and freedom of choice are touched upon. But the sci-fi part cannot boast of this, although it looks intriguing.

Check out my The Lovely Bones movie summary if you love dramas.

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Cast.

I was intrigued when I saw Cameron Diaz in the trailer for the movie in the lead role. I think her fans will be divided into two camps after watching this film. Some will see the amazing transformation of a comedian for a mystical movie. Others will be alien to the actress’s cold image and sad smile throughout the film.

James Marsden didn’t disappoint, either. A caring and devoted husband, he glows with tenderness next to Norma.

But Frank Langella creates the most potent and exciting image as a mysterious and frightening stranger. That’s whose acting game raises no objections. Imposing and restrained, he commands respect with his speeches and manners.

Here is a short but interesting interview about how Cameron Diaz and James Marsden understand this movie.

The Box movie explained.

“Money can not buy happiness.” Many believe this well-known line’s primary meaning lies in the film The Box. 

In the modern world, we pay much attention to material wealth. But what is the true meaning of money? Is it worth chasing money in huge quantities? Is it necessary to look for ways to extract untold wealth efficiently? These are the questions each viewer must answer for himself.

Ending explained.

The scales must be balanced. It is impossible to have everything you want without giving anything in return. An unexpected ending will show that everything in our world is known in comparison. Arthur kills Norma to save their child. But unfortunately, he goes to prison, and it is the end for their family. The meaning of the ending of the film The Box is to show us that “nothing falls from the sky.” It takes a lot of effort to achieve success and recognition.

In the novel, Arthur dies after Norma presses the button. In response to all her horror and anger that a stranger must die, she heard: “Do you really think that you knew your husband?”

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Symbolism.

Of course, Kelly is not alone in posing the problem and, fortunately, does not hide it, filling the film with quotes and allusions that clarify the tape’s content. For example, he constantly quotes Jean-Paul Sartre in the movie.

Sartre’s “Hell is Others,” a kind of adaptation of which is The Box. According to Sartre, others are hell because everyone thinks only about personal happiness, without considering the price other people or all of humanity will pay for their desires.

After all, absolute happiness is impossible for everyone. It means that if somewhere in the world there is a happy person, then there is also his antipode – an unhappy person who paid with his happiness for the happiness of another.

In The Box, great attention is paid to the details. Sometimes, they only flicker in the frame, but at the same time, they carry a deep meaning. Several times in the picture, we see the inscription no exit. But, at the same time, repeatedly, we see how men show our heroes two fingers up – a sign of peace, exit number two. 

It is also no coincidence that this story takes place on Christmas Eve. While the hearts of many people are filled with love and gratitude, our heroes seriously discuss the possibility of getting rich but killing a person.

Final words.

I think The Box is an excellent choice for those looking for something unusual from the cinema.

This film is an original, non-standard, and exciting sci-fi thriller. Having a deep philosophical thought in its assets, this creation looks extremely ambiguous and leaves an incomprehensible aftertaste. The film is essentially a mystery that cannot be unraveled.

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