The Box: trailer preview

Richard Kelly returns after the mammoth misfire that was 'Southland Tales' with a pared down horror thriller, 'The Box'. We preview the new trailer...

It’s crunch time for Richard Kelly. The goodwill engendered by his smart, agreeably pretentious debut ‘Donnie Darko’ was completely swept away by the jawdropping, overindulgent behemoth that was ‘Southland Tales’. Wisely, Kelly has responded by retreating into the bosom of the Hollywood mainstream for his third film as writer-director, ‘The Box’.

Set in 1970s New England, the film concerns a struggling married couple who receive a mysterious package: a wooden box containing a red button. As Frank Langella’s spooky, scarred stranger informs them, if they push the button, two things will happen: they’ll be a million dollars richer, and somewhere in the world a total stranger will die. With reliable stars like Cameron Diaz and James Marsden on board, a mid-range budget and a classic twist-fuelled 'Twilight Zone'-style narrative adapted from the story ‘Button, Button’ by ‘I Am Legend’ author Richard Matheson, ‘The Box’ seems like safe ground for a director out to prove his bankability.

From the trailer it looks like Kelly has moved far beyond Matheson’s original high-concept moral dilemma, throwing a conspiracy element involving mysterious spies, car chases and a lot of shouting. But what’s really impressive is the film’s aesthetic: clearly inspired by David Fincher’s ‘Zodiac’, Kelly has digitally altered his footage to look like ’70s film stock. Coupled with some terrific haircuts and pastel-shaded interior design, ‘The Box’ looks uncannily like a classic ’70s supernatural thriller. Let’s hope the plot lives up to the look, and that Richard Kelly gets his directorial career back on course.



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