Cube 2 - Hypercube
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Movie Reviews of Cube 2 - Hypercube
Movie Review: Intriguing, but falls short of its predecessor
Summary: 3 Stars
The original "Cube" movie was incredibly original, scary, and thought provoking. Unfortunately, the sequel did not live up to the grandeur of its predecessor. In fact, it fell quite short and pales in comparison (as sequels often do). In the original movie, we are introduced to a group of people who have been dropped into a large cube against their will. Together they must find a way to get out of this nightmare realm without losing their lives in the process. Various rooms within this cube are plagued with horrific traps, and to avoid the traps the group must break the mathematical code that the giant maze operates on. In this sequel, we are introduced to a similar band of characters who are placed into the cube against their will, and again they try to find their way out of the awful waking nightmare. However, there are a few twists this time. In the Hypercube (a somewhat far-fetched theory in both physics and mathematics) the people are not only traveling through 3 dimensions, but four. In other words, these unsuspecting and unwilling participants must face variants of gravity and time within each room of the cube. They come across themselves in alternate realities. Furthermore, there are traps as in the original film, but they seem to have a supernatural element. They aren't the simple, explainable mechanical traps that we encountered in the previous film.
One thing I enjoyed about the first film was that the concept was somewhat believable. The maze and traps were mechanical and based on mathematical principles. There was a solid explanation, and thus a way out. In the sequel, there really was no big mystery (mathematical problem) to resolve. Furthermore, in the original film, the group of people stuck in the cube were all there for a purpose. They were specifically chosen so that they could each bring strengths to the group in order for them to find a way out. In this film, however, the group of people was chosen merely because they were affiliated with a specific company that made the cube, and thus needed to be eliminated for knowing too much. In addition, the group of characters weren't developed as much in this film as they were in the previous one. Thus, you, the viewer, don't feel as compelled to see them make it through the cube.
The ending, unfortunately, left something to be desired. Many things are left up in the air. You are left with the notion that there might be a third film. If that does turn out to be the case, I certainly hope that more thought and attention goes into making that movie than went into this one.
Overall, I'd say that this movie is a renter and not a keeper. It has it's good moments, and it is an interesting concept, but not as well done as the first movie (which I think should be in everyone's collection).
Movie Review: 2 Cube by half
Summary: 3 Stars
Cube 2: Hypercube, wasn't a bad premise. In fact, it was very much in the Twilight Zone vein, which was a great show, indeed. The problem with Cube 2, in my opinion, is that the characters are FAR too polarizing. There isn't much of ANYTHING about any of them which makes one want to LIKE them. Even the sensitive, bleeding heart heroine is quite unlikeable. Just when you want to root for her, because she takes pity on a young, blind girl, she spits out venom with language any self-respecting SAILOR would say. This Jeckyl/Hyde routine kept up throughtout the flick, making her one of my LEAST favorite characters. I was rooting, with all my might, for her to get offed, however it's doubtful that would have mattered, because she probably would have just returned as a 'parallel' character again, anyway! I thought it was incredibly unrealistic the way she easily overpowered the sadistic psycho with his own knife and stabbed him to death. He would have had her for lunch!
As for the blind gal, even she isn't very likeable for me. She begins as a cowering, frightened cripple, and I want to take pity on her, but even SHE isn't who she pretends to be. I like her the best, only because I never get a chance to really KNOW her. I believe had I been able to do so, I'd find her as repugnant as the others.
The alternately hysterical and coherent old biddy is also a bit much to take. Her early death was a welcome respite for my insulted senses. The young game programmer guy was a loudmouthed little cretin and how UNREALISTIC is it that the party girl in the red dress is a LAWYER!?!? She doesn't talk like a lawyer, nor does she act like a lawyer. In fact, before she mentioned she WAS a lawyer, I'm willing to bet most viewers thought she was a HOOKER!
So, why do I give this movie 3 stars, if I think the characters are so unrealistic and repulsive? First off, I like the fact that most of them DIED! It was a sweet bit of silent justice, I felt, for having invested 1-1/2 hours watching and listening to them all! Every one of them had a major attitude problem.
Secondly, as I mentioned, I like the premise. People of very different backgrounds stumbling around in a strange place in which no one knew where they were, how they got there or how to escape. It was more of a character study than an action movie.
Finally, I felt that Cube 2 was more or less a watered-down version of Cube 1, remade with less gore and violence, so that people with easily offended sensibilities would be able to watch it without turning it off in disgust after 15 minutes.
Movie Review: More remake than sequel
Summary: 3 Stars
Despite being titled 'Cube 2', this movie is more of a remake than a sequel. In fact, it reminds me exactly of those Hollywood-ised remakes of cult B-grade horror/sci-fi films. Yes it has a bigger budget and flashier special effects......but Bigger doesn't equal Better, and you can't help but miss the raw simplicity of the original.
While the basics of the two films are the same (small group of diverse characters trapped in the Cube and trying to escape), 'Hypercube' makes several changes, for better and worse. On the plus side, the concept of the fourth dimension opens up a range of possibilities that are utilised well; rooms with time going faster or slower, characters witnessing the future or past, characters meeting alternate versions of themselves. Indeed, one of the best sequences in the film is where one character kills alternate versions of another character over and over again. The bigger budget also allows for more flashy and inventive death traps and other effects, which might interest you if you want eye-candy.
But on the negative side, the story is more streamlined and straightforward than the original. Instead of the deliberate mystery of the first 'Cube', there seems to have been a conscious decision to give 'Hypercube' an explicit plot whose pieces all fit together nicely. While this does give the film a clearer "point" than 'Cube', I personally prefer the plot device of the original: No Questions, No Answers, Just Get Out. Also, the hardcore sci-fi and mathematics has been replaced with more conventional horror/slasher elements, which make the film feel more like 'Saw' than the original 'Cube'. There's less focus on the characters' attempts at escape, and more interest in killing them off in gruesome and unusual ways.
'Hypercube' is not a bad film as such, even if it doesn't measure up to the original. But like all those big-budget remakes, it is kind of pointless, since it just rehashes the same film rather than improving or expanding it. Why mess with a good thing?
Movie Review: Decent
Summary: 3 Stars
Naturally, whoever expected Cube 2:Hypercube to be better than the original Cube was dead wrong. I am huge fan of the first Cube and I always knew (since I heard that this was in works actually) that this sequel was not going to blow the first one out of the water. It's basically the same thing all over again and the only better thing about it is the visual aspect. The story line took a difference approach to it and the actors had some really cheesy lines which made me roll eyes quite a few times. However, this is a straight to video/dvd release so I guess everything was expected. All in all, the damn movie takes place in a Cube! What more can you really do that wasn't done and explained in the first one?
In the first movie the Cube the atmosphere was much more suspenseful and the characters were just plain better and generally seemed terrified with their situation. Sadly in Cube, some of the characters just did not display the same genuine fear that the first cast had. It almost seemed like a joke at certain parts. By all means, the cast was good, it's just that the script was weak and they could not do a whole lot. Cube 2 also focuses on different things that the first one, more of a 'fantasy' and nothing exists type of deal which just made the movie seem like one of those nightmare flicks with a different universe which often seems like a cheap way out of a good story that just did not have a good ending in the first place>
Visually, this movie was stunning. The music was good and suspenseful but everything else was unfortunately below the bar. When it all comes down to it, this is a fun movie to watch on cable or even a decent rental from your local video store if you happen to be a huge fan of the original Cube. Be warned, this movie is not as good as the first one, but it is still cool to watch.
Movie Review: Started great and ended with a mess
Summary: 3 Stars
Occasionally there comes a film that has such an interesting premise that it makes us wonder how something so simple could be so original. This was the case with the first Cube. Cube I was a brilliant movie. It showed us how strangers tried to escape what seemed to be an impossible trap. The plot of the film was as unpredictable as the next cubical room. I immensely enjoyed the first Cube but I was somewhat disappointed with the second installment, the Hypercube. The idea of the Hypercube was more elaborate and underdeveloped at the same. The Hypercube tried to be more complex than the original for no particular reason. The greatest beauty comes from simplicity. Once again there are characters trying to escape a deadly trap. Early on we can see that the new cube functions differently than the one before. Unlike in the previous installment the characters of Hypercube cannot get a single clue to what is going on. There seemed to be no pattern whatsoever. This is probably the greatest failure of Hypercube. Things start happening for no reason in a bizarre fashion. While the movie started out intriguing it ended with a mess. The ending of Hypercube was also unsatisfying but in a different way then the original. And above all, it is still very frustrating to see how people can never work with each other in time of danger.
However, I cannot label Hypercube as a complete failure. Hypercube is enjoyable especially to the fans of the original. I recommend renting it.