I can tell Richard Kelly is going to be one of those filmmakers whose voice is endlessly fascinating but who is always destined to fly under the radar. In a way, I could see his path being similar to that of David Fincher. Yes, very different filmmakers, but individuals with very distinctive cinematic visions that are destined to have mediocre theatrical runs followed by strong a strong home video market. Richard Kelly only has three features under his belt, but each one has and will continue to provide endless discussion. His latest is no exception. The film is called The Box and it is either as complex or as simple as you want it to be. It really depends on how much time you to give it — the more viewings, the more that will become apparent.
The Box is based on a short story by Richard Matheson called "Button, Button." The story has previously been adapted to the small screen, during the 1980s run of The Twilight Zone. On top of that, if Matheson's name sounds somewhat familiar, you may have come across it with I Am Legend as he also wrote that original story. Anyway, "Button, Button" was originally published back in 1970 and is a really short tale that focuses on a couple who are made an offer that could have grave implications. Now, nearly four decades later we see another version of the story, one that has been expanded in scope yet still retains what made the original story so interesting to begin with.
The story is an interesting morality tale. It offers up a simple 'what if' premise. You are given a simple choice. Well, you are given what initially appears to be a simple choice. The problem is that once you make a decision, things get that much more complicated. Why? There are two ways to explain the complications. You could say the movie requires it for length and the script goes on to provide it, or you say that the complications arise organically from the thought processes of the characters involved. The first option is boring and typical, while the second allows you to go off in new directions once the first decision is made.
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