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The Cube Movies Explanation
The Cube series is highly regarded as a fantastical and complex franchise that bases its films around the intricacies of a mystery cube. The initial cube is a 6-sided room that offers small doors on all sides (leading to other cubes) with lethal booby traps awaiting in some of them. A pattern to “which” rooms had traps was never established, though we know that they were activated with either motion or sound. The films are set up with captives that awake into this new environment challenged with trying to figure a way out.
This article was designed with a focus on the Cube film series and to bring some clarity to the cube enigma. For research this entailed the viewing of all 3 films and whatever filmmaker information I could dig up in regards to uncovering the cube’s purpose. While there are clues that were incorporated “into” the scripts, it should be noted that keeping aspects of the Cube ambiguous was intended and deliberate. This of course becomes a frustration to viewers who seek resolution. This article is not intended to resolve “all”, but to bring clarity on the points made in the films.
My purpose for this article could be extracted from the previous reviews on all 3 films, however I felt it might be better to lay the facts out in a single article that “connects” the 3 movies.
Note: The following provides SPOILERS that should only be referred to “after” viewing the films. The facts are provided to bring clarity to the enigma of the series.
For starters “Cube (1997)”, was the first, “Cube 2:hypercube” was the 2nd entry with “Cube Zero” being the 3rd that actually acts as a prequel leading up to “Cube”. One could start with “Cube Zero”, but that would take all the fun out of it. The preferred viewing is as suggested.
To establish a foundation, it should be noted that each of the 3 films were directed by different directors. Vincenzo Natali was responsible for “Cube (1997)”, but passed when offered to direct the sequels stating that he wasn’t a fan of sequels. This is important as Natali’s initial concept was left as is in the film “Cube (1997)”. The follow-ups were “new” inclusions that were developed from the initial idea (All 3 films are quite different but still share the focal aspect of the Cube).
The character “Worth” was noted as saying in the “Cube (1997)”, that the cube was a “headless blunder,” with at one point, perhaps having a purpose, but the purpose having been long forgotten”. It was also stated as “operating under the illusion of a master plan”. His perspective was further commented by “There is no conspiracy. Nobody is in charge”.
In dialog he suggested “You keep everyone separated so the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing”, which referred to the series of contractors who were hired to construct various parts of the whole.
In fact the creators of this cube were never mentioned. It was “assumed” to be a private builder or a government project. This was left unresolved, though clarified with the inductions of the films “Cube 2” and “Cube Zero”
These points “may” have been the intention of first director / writer Vincenzo Natali, if the film was left “as is”. The location, the purpose, and those in charge were left to an ambiguous plotline that was intended to stay unresolved. The 2 sequels that followed were designed to tell more the cube’s story developing it into an elaborate franchise. So in “initial” summary, what we saw was what we got.
So what was the first cube in “Cube (1997)”?
The cube was a three-dimensional puzzle much like a Rubik’s cube. It was made up of 14 foot square rooms enclosed inside an outer shell. Its total dimensions were cited as 434 feet square. An equation was made that if a cube was 26 rooms high by 26 rooms across by 26 rooms deep (leaving 35 feet between the rooms and outer shell to move within), it would total at 17,576 rooms. The rooms were lit with either red, amber, green, blue, or white.
Cube (1997) took on a mathematical tone with its solution resting on prime numbers to help point the way out. We learned in the first film that it required at least 1 mathematical mind held captive to solve the puzzle for the rest.
Cube (1997) was created on a low budget that used one complete cube and one partial (for camera angles). The room was lit differently as they entered a new cube to give the film the illusion of multiples.
The characters of Cube (1997) all held names that were taken from well known prisons. This was assumed to be a metaphor in the script for the idea of being trapped (or imprisoned).
Moving forward with the franchise………….
The 2 films that followed would not arrive immediately. “Cube 2: Hypercube” would debut in 2002 with Cube 3 titled “Cube Zero” arriving 2 years after that. 2 factors should be also noted, the writers were different on all 3 films, with “Cube 2: Hypercube” being directed by Andrzej Sekula and “Cube Zero” being directed by Ernie Barbarash.
It is fair to say that the intention, direction, and purpose would evolve and change by the time we reached the 3rd film. “Cube Zero” as a 3rd entry was created to be a prequel to “Cube 1997” telling the story from an inside perspective. “Cube 2: Hypercube” wasn’t followed by a sequel that picks up where it left off. The ending would prove to be frustrating and incomplete, but I’ve helped o fill in some of the gaps in this article.
If you’ve viewed all 3 films, you will have much more clarity than any single one on its own. Each is a different film with its basis being centered on the same construct. Since time has passed between the film productions, the sets and the technology used have been upgraded to bring in more complex scenarios. For instance in “Cube (1997)” we are confined to a extremely large construct that combines what “seems” like miles of rooms with an interchangeable one that is constantly in motion. The structure of “Cube (1997)” is an all mechanical architecture located in an unknown source. The powers behind it are quite ambiguous and never really revealed. We do gain clues thru discussion about the construction of this massive structure, but like all great companies, its a sum of parts that never connect as a whole (as mentioned prior).
The cube project is has been tested many times for research. In “Cube 2: Hypercube”, we learn that Kate Filmore is one of the only operatives to have survived (with the previous obviously being terminated within the cube’s time-based puzzle).
I do comment a bit on this more in the “Cube 2: Hypercube” review.
So let’s break things down to where we are at:
(This is important as some of the proposed perspectives tend to change by the time you get to “Cube Zero”)
Cube 1 is an elaborate mechanical construct, cube 2 is a quantum experiment that has a tesseract slowing closing in on itself. How the captives were placed inside this device isn’t mentioned (at this time), but we do learn that each captive was drugged and kidnapped from various parts of the world.
They were all chosen as having abilities that “could” collectively figure a solution on how to get out. (aka the fair chance) They were also hinted at all having various roles in the planning, construction, or creation of the cube. But with each, none seems to have fully known how all the parts would fit together. Some of the captives are more versed in the theory realities of it while others were related in simple architectural engineering tasks.
We now learn that:
The cube project was originated by a weapons company called Izon. At some point, it is suggested that it becomes a government owned operation. (which is typical anyways of these weapon testing projects) The keyword to remember is “weapons”, since in “Cube Zero” we learn that the cube environment is used for this, but the cube itself is only a puzzle-prison of sorts.
In “Cube (1997)”, the construct featured “death rooms”, that triggered booby traps. The traps varied and were designed to weed out those worthy of figuring them out.
In “Cube 2: Hypercube”, the death traps were abandoned in place of the complexities of a quantum-based tesseract. So the dangers would revolve around the physics changing and the occasional execution motion-based configuration shape that could shred its victims.
Oh ya…..then there is the threat of dealing with the complexities of time warping. This aspect was demonstrated when captives would later return aged or in an alternate reality starved and deteriorated from old age. The clues for this threat pointed to the idea that the group should never stop moving (or possibly face time acceleration). As when the 2 lovers “engage in intercourse” over a short period, they also wind up aged corpses suggesting that time moved by very quickly for them (or slower for the others depending on the perspective).
How is this possible?
a room with a slow time rate would of course offset the instantaneous difference from those that were faster
Was the series purposely ambiguous? Of course, in fact the original ending of Cube 2, left the ending unanswered which was better resolved (but not entirely) in the included alternate ending (this is explained in the “”Cube 2: Hypercube” review). The contemplation of 2 endings proves that the filmmakers “did” have a clear idea of what and where it was all going, but decided to keep things unresolved to create more tension.
In the alternate ending we hear the words “Phase 2 complete” which gives us an idea of what stage we are at. Though with no follow up film from this point to forward, the “next phase” question goes unanswered.
We also learn from the alternative ending that Izon has been sending in operatives for various testing reasons (which most have not survived). Due to the nature of the cube, and the expression on Kate’s face before being shot, they (Kate) are assuming termination regardless of success.
“Cube 2: Hypercube” is a time based puzzle that closes in on itself (implodes) based on a quantum (parallel) reality. Alex Trusk is the hacker genius who first designed it for Izon thinking it was only to be used for a game and not in reality. The cube’s purpose in this case was to test teleportation. The puzzle ends on the exact time of 6:06:59 of which Kate jumps into. To further play with your mind, we are told that the whole experience lasted only 6 minutes and 59 seconds, which was obviously warped in quantum physics terms.
“Cube Zero”, the 3rd entry into the franchise, BUT centered on a period leading up to the first film works much like a band aid to the series. Even with more reveals at its disposal, it still leaves behind holes, unanswered questions and some leftover enigmas. I tried to collect the facts and information under one article
It’s probably best to layout what new information we learn in a listing of new conclusions:
– the organization gets all its captives with the inclusion of a consent form
(which we assume is doctored under drug injection)
It is also worth noting that we assume some of the prisoners to be “prisoners on death row” who have consented to try their luck in the cube.
– the organization has no intention of letting any of its captives free without execution despite giving them hope and a mathematical challenge.
(this is demonstrated when one does make it to the final cube and is executed (we have to assume that if they answered yes, they probably would die per another fate, hence stating disbelief in God triggers a flamethrower execution. My guess is that if they chose “Yes” that it would end in a light-driven execution)
We could also jump back to the original Cube film, where 1 survivor makes it out (assuming). Though if you remember correctly it was a brightly lit doorway (which is repeated in “Cube Zero”). We find in “Cube Zero”, that this is in fact just another room, hence the final execution room
– a file is kept on every captive, who is also recorded per hidden cameras
– the organization kidnaps those who pose a political threat
– the organization kidnaps those who get too close or are consented in some way
(an ex-employee, ex-contractor…so on)
– The employees are also cautioned and left in the dark on many things. (left hand separated from the right hand concept)
– Those who pry too much are placed in the cube (thus deemed dispensable)
– the location is assumed to be Earth rooted on an island or remote location
– the location of the “cube” is underground
– the cube has been tested, recorded, and analyzed for some time, but is also under future reconstruction
– The soldiers who work for the organization are implanted with a mind control devices, that can be deactivated (per the soldier prisoner who was placed in the cube without “green eyes”)
– those who know “too” much are lobotomized and placed back into the cube
(we can make the connection that “Kazan” from “Cube (1997)” was also an ex-employee who was lobotomized and placed in the cube)
– We don’t know who is leading the organization, but assume the highest in political and military status
(thus a former General was placed inside)
– higher rank employees are re engineered with electronic devices implanted in them
(per an eye or hand device inclusion)
– As per the dialog “I’ve even heard there are other facilities” – suggests other constructs, but not confirmed
(this might explain the difference in appearances)
Well, hopefully this personal study paints a clearer picture between the films and the clues left for us like a bread trail that needed to be followed. Others who read this may find a few “connect the dots” themselves which I encourage you to share. One thing was clear to me. The minds behind all 3 had their work cut out for them keeping a solidarity from one film into the next. Then again, they were also inventing points as they wrote next inclusions taking the original into new realms.
Also make sure and check out the film reviews of all 3 Cube Movies:
The Cube Movies Explained – Analysis and Meaning of the Cube movies franchise
I don’t understand the final of the first movie. I didn’t read all your text to not view spoilers of the sequels.
I would advise to watch all 3 and then refer to my notes, thx
As all that can be revealed is covered
OK
I don’t know if this was mentioned and I didn’t notice it but when Wynn was about to undergo that surgery, the man says “me and him have agreed on some new terms”
They made him “disabled” but he kept his genius. He was the person who escaped in 1997
Wynn still escaped.
go Wynn go
i still think there is something more important in the 3rd movie i think the end means more than just what the sugery result was
in my opinion,the ending of the first movie is an exit to an better cube an more challenging one for Kazan,after that they went cyber
I got the impression that the “Yes” answer administered to the escaped prisoners might actually set them free after all, or at least prolong their execution for some other test. Given Dodd’s propensity to say Praise before eating meals, and the generally oppressive and tyrannical nature of the environment where he and the main character (“Brainman”) work, I would guess that the government is some sort of “Big Brother” theocracy, where sinners and doubters are required to prove their enduring faith in God — do they still believe in him, after their memories are erased and they’ve seen the most horrible things that seem to disprove the existence of God? There are a lot of different ways you could go with this theme, if you decide to attribute more significance to the God question.
Another idea I had was that the workers, “Brainmann” Wynn and Dodd, were suffering in a Cube of their own, just like the prisoners they monitored. I noticed that Wynn and Dodd don’t have very clear memories, and suspiciously don’t remember the last time they were outside. Their work lives appear to be repetitive and cold, much like the cube rooms, and their coworkers seem to be disappearing at a surprisingly quick rate, much like the prisoners within the cube. And at the end of Cube Zero, the one-eyed man reveals that the workers are lab rates, just like the mechanical Cube’s prisoners.
This may not be the right way to interpret these clues, but perhaps the inner cube is a kind of mental and physical test, culminating in a test of faith, while the outer cube is some sort of moral test: only those who are receptive to the prisoners’ suffering and courageous enough to follow their moral intuitions have any change of escaping, or at least getting to the “Exit Room.” The others are demoted to the inner cube. What would the analogous question be in the Exit Room? Well, if one eyed Zakk and his studly techies are truly running the show as part of some evil totalitarian Church of Latter Day Saints or whatever, I really can’t imagine what they would ask. But, if you think about it, Dodd and Wynn didn’t really know or why the prisoners from the inner cube were tested using the God question. They simply administered the test, ignorantly, at the behest of the higher level. Perhaps, then, to keep things analogous, the evil-Mormon doesn’t really know how or why the dumb-worker level is being tested; they simply administer the test, by being evil-scary “Big Brother” creeps, and accept orders unconditionally from an even higher and mysterious source. Perhaps, then, the phone call that one-eyed Zakk receives from the work-room has some sort of symbolic significance, in showing the hierarchical nature of the movie’s reality. In that case, what would Zakk’s test be? And who’s above Zakk? There still appears to be a normally functioning world outside the Cube reality, so what’s that like? I really don’t know.
Very curious to here other thoughts on this theme, and any other interpretations of the plot. I feel like there are so many ways you can go with it.
i believe.. its been done by a religious group.. :), it owns a company izon.. which is of course connected to govt too.. :), whatever it is.. it clearly states that.. this world if filled with retards.. who are rich and powerful.. and religion is one making another class of retards that are actually poor :)
The name of the company, Izon, is even an anagram for the word Zion, which is the mountain in Canaan that plays a large part in Mormon/LDS culture. I think that you’re right on the money about the religious subtext theory.
They should have stayed in the white room, each of them where put in there at a different time, someone must have put them in there, did you not notice the names of the :prisoners: quentin aka san quentin, holloway its a women’s prison here in the uk, Kazan russia. The ren, renne France, Anderson need I go on. Each character is named after a prison!
If you can escape the cube, you are allowed the join the inner echelon of those who rule the world
You think so? I think they are pretty much the equivalent of lab mice in a maze. Even if by some chance they do get out, they won’t be rewarded with anything special; certainly not an invitation to join the upper ranks of some top-secret elitist cabal.
In fact, just the act of making it through that puzzle only ensures that they will have to be silenced in some fashion.
I think the Cube is a sort of metaphor for life; you’re thrown into a strange, new place without any memory of a world before. You are locked in the Cube with complete strangers, symbolizing the fact that you have to choose who you want to trust in life. The never ending, unpredictable traps symbolize how treacherous life can be.
I think this is sort of evidenced by Worth’s comment on how the Cube has no creator and no purpose, despite looking so perfect and fine-tune. It’s a metaphor for religion, and how some people think that there is a way out of the Cube and to freedom, while others do not; but no matter if you believe or not, you can not know for sure what comes after the “exit”.
I guess Cube Zero made this a bit more obvious, with the “Do you believe in God?” question. The creators of the Cube are, in a way, God; nobody knows why they made the cube, or how. Of course, in the Cube series “God” isn’t exactly a nice guy, with the whole “burning people alive” thing. I also think it’s interesting that Jax refers to his superior(s) only as “the big guys” or just “above”.
But hey, that’s just my theory. If you want to be a little less abstract, I think it was built by either a government or some sort of religious organization that has gained almost government-like power. Still, the true purpose of the Cube will probably remain unknown.
I agree.
PIISAMI WAS HERE
Yeah you’re right…I think there’s more lessons we can figure out in this movie that we can apply in our lives.
so is Worth right about there not being a creator, or is it just metaphorical atheism? and why did the female doctor seem to have outside info about Quinton’s personal life?
Holloway proposed that Quentin abused his children based on his violent personality, it just happened to be a correct assumption on her part.
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the other facilities would explain why even cube have different traps and ways of escape,in other words there is more than one cube and each movie is based around a different one
It’s possible they all take place on different cubes or simply different versions of the same cube, at least Cube(1) and Cube Zero’s Cube seem to indicate this.
Wow, thank you so much for posting this! It is gonna be so helpful when I am thinking about going to AMC Regency 24 in Jacksonville! Awe Inspiring!
ok, here is my take on the movies:
cube: facility for testing weapons on prisoners. Regardless on why they are there: as described in cube zero political reason or death sentenced , it does not matter. why the special construct of the team? they selected the best team to test their traps. The ending shows Kazam escaping probably to a final test. Cube zero reveals who Kazam is btw (spoilers)
cube: hypercube -although entertaining hypercube does not relate well with neither of the other cube films and is set in a distopian future where time-space anomalies can be generated at will. Also it does not reveal much about the cube itself.
cube zero: reveals most of the inner ideas behind the cube (weapon testing facility using prisoners) which in the original cube were only hinted. Also reveals who is Kazam. About the yes answer I believe that if the prisoner would have answered yes then he would be reinstated as a worker (the one eyed dude was probably a survivor of the cube), Is a great way to ensure loyalty in a totalitarian system. The whole part with the workers who are in itself prisoners is in some way a mirror of today’s life. Most people today work to survive (it does not matter how much you gain)having no clue on what’s going on in reality (the big picture); also the room where the two coworkers are is similar to a cubicle. Before the capitalist reign money were a measure of the work you made. Now due to a lot of economic laws including banking (which is theft in reality) money are held as value into themselves so you can make money with no work. If tehnology would disapear we would see the reality that money are just meaningless pieces of paper the same as the pelet of a hamster. But we are trapped in an economical prison were so called “democratic states” are no more than slave driven states. We become so dependant on these meaningless pieces of paper that we are like slaves. Also you will remark that most people today cannot survive outside this system because they have no skills: they do not know how to grow food, how to build a house, how to make a fire, etc.
Kazan could or could not be Wynn. In Cube Zero, Jax had mentioned that Wynn’s “sentence” was extended for “two more lifetimes”. Those lifetimes could have been as himself first, then as Kazan. His memory could have been erased twice. If not erased, the severe autism would have rendered the inability to properly communicate even if he were to warn members of the group about what they had to face.
Nah. I Think in all 3 movies that just It’s leaded by a goverment division.
As it hinted in Cube 2 or Cube 3 It said C,I,A Which is the position of a cube.
But the cube could be made by the CIA OR Funded by the CIA.
It’s either run by the goverment Or military.
Most likely The goverment is using alien technology.
That..
Is my theory
Huh no.
CIA was a random location within the cube, it could have been AAA or DEF.
Am I way off in suggesting that the whole film I’d an analysis of the human psyche and that each character represents a different part. Kind of like the film Identity. If we break it down to the simplest part we are left with the truest purest form. I found it suggesting that autism wasn’t a disease, but in fact the next step in human evolution.
Oops… is an analysis…
If autism is the “next step in human evolution”, then we’re all in deep trouble.
Actually I believe that if they answered yes then two possible outcomes can occur:
1. they can have part of the memory erased and placed as supervisors of the cube (themselves being supervised)
2. they can be killed or placed again in the cube if deemed too dangerous
Note that Kazan asked to be placed back into the cube because he felt guilty.
Kazan never asked to be put back into the cube. There were never references to who he really was except that he seemed autistic.
kazan, is the guy, that has his (memory erazed)
or some other nasty thing, who are meddling with his mind, in a relaatively free of sedations procedures
that’s why he appeas autistic , in the first installment, although he has attained a few abilities from his past, he was an excellent chess player, and had his way with numbers, so he is ‘helping them’ navigate through the maze, with his amazing skills (multiplying 3 digit numbers)
You wrote that the 3rd movie leads up to the 1st one which I believe is not true.
Given that different people created the movies I think it was just a bad try to “round” the trilogy up.
The first “retard” was more than likely not an ex-worker but autistic, hence his special ability with numbers.
Also, at the end it’s not Worth, Quentin etc. but a new bunch.
There are some similarities to how Kazan and Wynn act, but they are not the same person. However it can be seen that Kazan was an ex-employee who may have broken the “rules” similar to Wynn. The punishment was lobotomy causing autistic behavior while leaving their intellectual abilities in tact.
OK….. Is there another movie like this… But better….
Questions about Cube Zero:
Did anyone notice the human body silhouettes near the end of movie when Wynn was about to be lobotomized? Does anyone have a clue what the human body silhouettes are and used for?
-Based on the human silhouettes, is it possible that they are clones? Their memory could have been inherited/modified or induced. We don’t know for certain how the outside world is like, but if people disappear wouldn’t it cause others to look for them? If the “lab rats” were clones, no one would know they exist nor would anyone be worried if they were missing. In general the people who made them would own them and can do as they please, with a never ending supply of bodies, the human silhouettes, they could do any type of test or results as they please.
At the end of the movie, one-eyed Jax didn’t say much about Rains escape even though Wynn believed that she got away. Is it possible that she also has the tracking chip in her brain as well? In her REM video feed, you could see a chip being put in the brain although it could have been induced plus the fact that she saw her daughter captured as well. During the video speculation, the screen does have a tracking ID for her.
There has to be a better conclusion than “they are being experimented on.” Well duh, but really who would go through all this time, effort and money to construct something so intricate and evolved as this without there being a major reason? “Just experimenting” is too obvious. These movies could be so much better if the audience was given more to work with. Also, if a more qualified director/screenwriter would be willing to take on this project (i.e. Christopher Nolan) we could actually have a quality series. I do like the overall feel of what has been done so far, but it could be polished with the right crew.
Cube illustrates the pointlessness of life It takes you through specific points through time and space that can be plotted but never with an actual point that can be determined. It shows us that we are all rats running on a wheel. “Nothing matters. What if it did?” Also for interest there are many many Egyptian themes. Entombed. Buried. God. Light. Engineers being trapped in their own devises. Cartouche “chips” and symbolism a. Labyrinth
It also compels one to question a modern notion of a benevolent God If we are created in his image and we play with other oeoplees lives like chess game. Then is that what a judeochristian God does?
Cube reminds me a lot of persons unknown’s “The program” except with no clear purpose.
So, three films into the franchise and the only conclusion that can be made is “they’re being experimented on”? I came to that conclusion ten minutes into the first film. Glad I didn’t bother watching the other two. I didn’t find the movie particularly thrilling or well made, and since there appears to be no discernible meaning or reason behind the plot, I can’t understand why these films are so popular.
It’s cult science fiction. The 3 films delve into things like quantum physics and time distortion which is appealing to science fiction fans. The trilogy simply offers an experience different than others and makes for some compelling discussions. If your not willing to check them all out then you are not gaining a full perspective
Is this thread still active?
If it is, i have to say I have watched all three series of Cube for number of times in my 28 years of life..
Much of old threads on IMDB are lost, most of fan art is lost, but I came to this thread because it seems still alive… So a few thoughts I would share with you all, in case someone is still reading and thinking about this great concept of the Cube..
I never liked third part, Cube Zero, so i will stick to the Cube 1 and Cube 2 Hypercube, as mentioned about, Cube Zero tried to “wrap up” the whole story, but diffrent writers, producers… just a NO NO..
There is a rumor going on that Natali (director of the first movie) deleted some parts that indicated the “alien” theory.. What do you guys think about that? People inside the first Cube finding some food, indicating that its not human? Also, where do you think Kazan ends up when the light shows? And please don’t say that this is explained in Cube Zero because I dont think thats what happened in the first part.. not by far.
There is a picture of Cube in alternate versions of movie posters which keep me boggling… WHERE cube exactly is, how… ? :)
https://www.movieposter.com/posters/archive/main/18/A70-9427
A beauty!
If someone is still here, give me a ring so we can discuss this a bit..
I like the theory about Cube being a metaphore for life or also a “game for sick sadistic richmans” as Quentin hinted..
Hypercube was for me good, because it has solid begining and ending, not OPEN as Cube 1..
I actually liked Cube Zero, it didn’t just explain too much away, but ended up creating more questions that I felt further deepened the mystery. But I can see where it might ruin the original by taking away its open-endedness.
Anyway, I never had a solid theory on where Kazan ends up in the light, though one idea that intrigues me is that he is able to walk off without a problem because what Worth said is true: nobody is in charge, the cube is an abandoned project/facility that continues to operate on its own, and these people are here because of some system that keeps running by itself.
Another theory I like is that the cube exists in something like a pocket dimension. When Kazan walks into the light, he is returning to the real world, though the state of that world could be anything. For some reason, the original Cube film gave me the impression that whatever the outside world is like, there aren’t a lot of people left in it. Not sure why. I also think each film can be Canon or not with each other depending on the viewer’s interpretation, since they are all made by different people and don’t necessitate connecting.
As for the alien theory, I find that less likely but not impossible. The presence of human numbers and letters being the main reason, but it would also make sense since aliens would be more interested in experiments beyond our comprehension, the tech to build the cube is obviously advanced, and the light at the exit/darkness at the edge suggests an unnatural location.
I’m with Julian Smmoller way up there ^.
I think it’s all religious undertones in a Big Brother society – the cube is real, and those that go in the cube do actually die. But – why would anyone ever be released, even if they entered the Exit Room and answered the questions correctly?
You wouldn’t – if this person got out, there’s two scenarios that occur in my mind: They are memory wiped and put straight back in (or some other experiment), or they’re simply killed. Imagine if one of these people escaped and lived to tell the tale? There would, at least, be national scrutiny and satellite imagery would no doubt find the location of the Cubes, unravelling Izon entirely.
I think it’s real, but no one ever truly gets out.
the first movie freaked me out and the second i thought was silly.
i enjoyed the cube zero expansion of the lore though.
it’s really pretty forward. cube zero is pretty much a stretched remake of the book 1984.
people are put in a testing chamber for military weapons aka the cube. the observers (and the audience) at first are lead to believe that only bad people are put in and with their consent- but we soon learn any foe of the system is tossed in, and probably getting killed even if they do get out. Cube Zero is very close to the book 1984 in structure where you have Winston who, like in Cube Zero, is a part of the government and participating in the lie – basically question things and end up fighting the system he was a part of only to find himself in a doomed situation. and both over a women if memory serves.
Personally,I always thought it was some “alien” entity in charge. Remember the alien writing on the computer screens? i think it was in the 1st movie.
My take on the whole thing after viewing Cube Zero is that there are NO PHYSICAL CUBES. The entire experience is created via a virtual reality brain implant that the captors control. I think the proof of this comes in Zero when we see the woman ‘rescued’ by the main character living in the woods with her (previously missing) daughter. The girl had been taken (assuming she existed at all) so there would have been no happy reuniion simply by the woman escaping the Cube and its hidden omplex. The main character is shown this in his mind (I believe) as a reward for doing the right thing. These are all prisoners in a correctional facility, but they aren’t imprisoned by bars and guards, they’re imprisoned by brain implants that don’t allow them to distinguish reality from the virtual reality being fed directly into their brains. In each case in the movies where a good deed is performed, there is a corresponding reward AND punishment. The reward is for doing the good deed (like saving someone else or retrieving vital information) and the punishment is for further testing of the subject’s degree of change. I.e. will the change hold, or will the prisoners revert back to their bad ways if things don’t go their way? IMHO nobody actually dies in the films, but some people (like the daughter) may not actually exist. The fact that timing plays such a role in the ‘final’ movie Hypercube, suggests that the creators (of the virtual reality program) are trying to speed the ‘cure’ (perhaps getting a lifetime of psychotherapy in five minutes.) It’s also possible that the political aspects of the film are ‘real’ and that the object is to get people to conform to society overnight. That’s why those who are apparently ‘outside’ the cube get tossed ‘inside’ when they don’t follow the rules and procedures outlined for them. Conformity could also be the theme of all the movies, as we’ve learned that one of the initial rooms is also the exit room, meaning no course of action is the best course of action. Trying to ‘escape’ one’s fate just places you in more jeopardy. I think this also suggests that no one is ever really killed, as the theme suggests that every person is important in some way, has some contribution to make to society, and just needs to learn to work well with others. All in all it’s about a totalitarian society trying to bring its misfits into line.
they are redoing a lot of older movies (i.e IT) maby someone with pick up this movie one day and it will be remastered into something great :D
I haven’t read all of the responses, but could the lady in Cube Zero be the wife of Wynn? Maybe that is why she is as protesting and why he felt such a connection to her.
Cube Zero can work with cube 1 based on some of the theories above but they really need another movie to clear up cube 2. Cube 2 has Sasha aka Alex Trusk possessing something that Izon wanted and so she his in the one place that they would not look for her…. but they did.
The weird part is that there is no special way to escape in cube 2, the exit just appears as the time is about to expire, which i think is a bit of a copout.
The part that truly didn’t make sense though was that they execute the operative.
From a film making point of view, i think they needed to show that Alex Trusk was wanted for her knowledge (it doesn’t change the plot but reinforces it).
As mentioned above they also need to have Alex and the agent escape via some means other than surviving till the exit appeared (all the movie did to reconcile their escape was explain the physics of why everyone else died of old age, which may have correlated with moving to escape the waves or been in the vicinity of Alex Trusks necklace).
Cube 1 suggests that there is no rhyme or reason, that’s is some forgotten project, Cube 2 plots that they are trying to develop futuristic technology and it is a testing ground not just for people but time and dimensions, Cube 3 has some religious backgrounds but mainly gears it’s plot to setting up Cube 1.
Good movies but they suffer from huge continuity errors as they are somewhat unrelated due to different directors and i believe that Cube 1 was never meant to have a sequel. Usually a sequel would follow up the last movie by continuing the characters story but since they want to make the cube the focus of the series they should have made some form of central character or organisation (the might have been fragmented to the point the “the left hand didn’t know what the right was doing”) that was running the cubes which would give a running purpose to base a series of movies on.
Cube 1 and 2 simply aren’t related properly, they have different goals which conflict with each other.
For me the whole trilogy keeps in tact a Kafkaesque metaphor for human existence in general, applying various societal themes throughout. They actually did a great job of covering pretty much all bases, which created a lot of ambiguity and loose-ends, but honestly that’s exactly what great art is supposed to do.
The idea of arriving somewhere dangerous with no ‘manual’ and wondering why you’re there is literally exactly what we experience living on Earth, which is why stories like this are so gripping. I hate torture-porn type stuff, but I *love* cube, because it’s not about the gore (which is hilarious and creatively done throughout all three movies imho) it’s about the psychological torture of existing, and being convinced of a better place or a better situation that is worth working towards. Some characters choose to become nihilist in the face of such horror, and others turn to their primal survival instincts to keep them going, others commit suicide, while still others simply ‘run out of time’ looking for the answers and simply die.
Basically Cube is just a metaphor for existence put through a very harsh lens, but if you watch the movies with this in mind, you’ll realize how great they are, and why they seem to get under your skin so much.
Update to film makers
We cube fans – could surely benefit from either/and a new cube film or at least a trilogy Bluray set
C’mon Shout Factory, or other – let’s get this task(product) into the hands of viewers who would love to get them collectively packaged AND on BR!
or simply, tell me why these movies have so many passionate fans, but yet the product is ignored!
We finally saw the [REC] movies hit BR set……..so let’s get CUBE films added to that list!!!
Administration – HNN
I agree with the comments that, abstractly, the movies are about life.. You show up confused, some make decisions that weed them out early, others make relationships and work together.. But, even if you ‘win’ nobody gets out alive.
However, from a ‘purpose in that world’ perspective, the cubes seem to be set up as elaborate social science experiments. They seem to take a lot of inspiration from both the Stanford Experiment, where some students were guards and some prisoner, and each assumed their role over time to the point of the guards abusing the prisoners (they took on the mindset of their roles) nd the Milgram Obediance Experiments where they saw how far people were willing to abuse others if an authority figure told them to. These would be things a totalitarian government would want to know… How far can you make people go before they give up. How much affect does a panopticon have on people and their willingness to abuse others they can actively see to appease faceless masters theyve never met. A totalitarian govt runs on fear and getting citizens to police / monitor / punish each other. It also wants to see how cohesive people can be and why they would be cohesive vs turning on each other. A govt like that wants to know how the citizens can come together to be stronger, so it can counteract them and keep them under its thumb.
But, the experiment may have ended long ago, and the facility is still just going on, oblivious. If you pay a contractor enough cash, they’ll do somethibg forever without question.. Projects get lost in govt red tape all the time. It was probably kicked off for a reason, but the govt moved on, and now just uses it as a black ops place to dump people they dont want to hear from again. Izon is still running it all since theyre still getting paid, but theres no purpose anymore. And the govt has forgotten about it but its still on the books.
Like life, maybe it seems to have some kind of grand design, but in the end its all pointless but has been given a twisted meaning by the people running it now. Eg maybe the govt told Izon to make the cubes and do the experiments because THAT was the experiment.. The govt wantes to see if a company would gonthrough with it or queation the morality. And, seeing them gonthrough with it, the govt just sat back and watched what izon did… Power corrupts, and izon has corrupted to the point of chipping soldiers, and tossing kidnapped dissidants into cube to hush them up if they oppose izon. Corporations tend to have psych profiles of psychotics (greedy, self interssted, etc) so the cubes could have no purpose but to see how far a dyatopian company is willing to go with unlimited fundibg and no oversight.
If you chose yes you become a first level watcher and in time you can become a second level watcher like the dude without an eye and arm. Of course if you do not follow orders back in the cube you go.
Has anyone thought that ‘The Belko Experiment’ could fit somewhere in this universe?
i think that in the second movie they are trying to get Sasha/Alex Trusk out of the cube. Sasha did say she ran in there by herself trying to escape. If you watch closely at the begining besides Kate, Sasha is the only one not in a bag wich might mean shes still in there. At the end of the movie the guards say that they are gonna check the device for recording (probably to see where Sasha ended up so they can retrieve her from the maze she created).