Customer Reviews

The Box

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

If bleak moderrn noir is your thing, THE BOX (2003) is certain to please.
(Last paragraph is an ending spoiler.)

Since 1967, there have been 39 "Box" films and one TV mini-series. Doubtless few (if none) of these are as darkly violent as the one director Richard Pepin created from star James Russo's script.

SYNOPSIS--
Frank, an ex-con with unfinished business involving a large sum of cash, gets a junkyard job in a small town. After a violent confrontation with Frank over money owed, his old partner in crime sends two goons to settle matters, but they come to the party unarmed. So much for them, at least for now.

Frank gets friendly with Dora, a hooker turned waitress at the greasy spoon where he eats lunch, and she takes him home. Dora's physically abusive ex-husband shows up unexpectedly during one of Frank's visits; a wild confrontation leaves the ex quite dead.

Dora finds a small wooden box belonging to her husband and it's not until much later that she discovers what's in it: a pile of ill-gotten C notes. Things really spiral out of control when two of the nastiest, dirtiest "cops" imaginable enter the picture.

There's no happily ever after for Dora and Frank, no spending their loot in paradise, no fond farewells. There's just blood, and lots of it. This one's not for the squeamish.

CAST PRINCIPALS: James Russo, Theresa Russell, Brad Dourff, Steve Railsback, Jon Polito, Michael Rooker, John Snyder, Lee Weaver.

If bleak moderrn noir is your thing, THE BOX (2003) is certain to please.
(Last paragraph is an ending spoiler.)

Since 1967, there have been 39 "Box" films and one TV mini-series. Doubtless few (if none) of these are as darkly violent as the one director Richard Pepin created from star James Russo's script.

SYNOPSIS--
Frank, an ex-con with unfinished business involving a large sum of cash, gets a junkyard job in a small town. After a violent confrontation with Frank over money owed, his old partner in crime sends two goons to settle matters, but they come to the party unarmed. So much for them, at least for now.

Frank gets friendly with Dora, a hooker turned waitress at the greasy spoon where he eats lunch, and she takes him home. Dora's physically abusive ex-husband shows up unexpectedly during one of Frank's visits; a wild confrontation leaves the ex quite dead.

Dora finds a small wooden box belonging to her husband and it's not until much later that she discovers what's in it: a pile of ill-gotten C notes. Things really spiral out of control when two of the nastiest, dirtiest "cops" imaginable enter the picture.

There's no happily ever after for Dora and Frank, no spending their loot in paradise, no fond farewells. There's just blood, and lots of it. This one's not for the squeamish.

CAST PRINCIPALS: James Russo, Theresa Russell, Brad Dourff, Steve Railsback, Jon Polito, Michael Rooker, John Snyder, Lee Weaver.

James Russo, a competent actor, is the writer/producer/star of this tedious and overblown noir drama. He plays an ex-con who is trying to make a new start. He gets a job as a mechanic, meets a sexy waitress, falls for her and gets involved with shady characters and murders a few people along the way. Russo plays his role ala Prozac; Theresa Russell tries to maintain the sexy kittenish style she used 20 years ago and comes across pretty wimpy; Steve Railsback looks older than he is, and acts awfully and Michael Rooker hams it up as the bad guy. And oh yes, Chucky Brad Dourif is around as Russo's old friend. It's all been done before and better. And ultimately it's just a bore.

*sigh*. Okay, I am giving this thing 2 stars because in a weekend of watching awful movies, this has the distinction of being the "lesser of two evils". First, the movie is about 90 minutes long. You will watch the ENTIRE first hour of this movie, and still have no idea what the hell "the box" has to do with the title of this movie. The production value and storyline are okay, but it drags and drags. I was surprised to see Brad Dourif in this, his career was always hit-n-miss. He wasn't too bad in this, but he was a minor character. The overall plot revolves around a recently paroled convict and a waitress with a drug dealing ex-husband and all the fun and magic that happens when they get together. Finally at minute 65, into this mess, we realize "the box" contains... MONEY! (like you'd expect anything less? not really a spoiler is it?) Its drug dealing money... ohhhh.. ahhhhh. Alright, enough sarcasm. Look I rented this and invited friends over to goof on it, instead they passed out waiting for it to end. That about sums this up.

An ex-con hasn't forgot his past. His criminal partner has been untouched and so he returns for his money that well deserved these missing years in prison.

He decides to reinstall himself into the world, getting a job. But soon he will be trapped by the invisible hands of destiny, when he gets involved with a woman with a dark past.

Here you have the basic premises that will lead us to a brilliant and suspenseful drama where once more, no one will be able to trespass the tragic limits behind the existential fence of the impeding reality.