Cube Zero

Cube Zero is the third film in the Cube trilogy, although set before the other two films (Cube and Cube 2). Once again, a group of people wake up inside a large cuboid room, with doors leading to other such rooms, and no memory of how they got there. Some of the rooms are safe and some are booby-trapped with horrific devices, leading to a terrifying ordeal for those trapped inside. Instead, however, of focussing on those inside the cube, as the first two films chose to do, this film centres on the work of those controlling and watching the cube from the 'outside' - an area not touched upon before. The plot follows a cube technician coming to terms with what it is he is doing and his efforts to rescue a young woman trapped in the cube.

With a relatively low budget for such a well-produced film (only 1 million dollars), the cast, made up mostly of unknown faces, put in some great performances, especially Michael Riley, whose eccentric portrayal of cube supervisor Jax is one of the most memorable characters of any film, combining humour and fear to great effect. In addition, the special effects and sets don't let the film down, as everything looks like it's from a movie with a much higher budget.

Despite being a prequel, it is, logistically speaking a sequel, using the knowledge of those who have seen the first two films to expand the mythology of the Cube. To those people who have not seen the original Cube, the film will have less impact, and I would suggest watching the trilogy in the order they were made. However, even without prior knowledge of the systems involved, this film is both entertaining and fearlessly dark in parts.

There are twists and turns throughout and the intricacies of the world, which are never really explained, become very complex. For those who have already become caught up in the mystique of the Cube franchise, it is a must-see, for those who are yet to experience the phenomenon, it is one to keep in mind for the future, a great addition to an intriguing series of films.

Patrick Telford