Thoughts on the "The Box"

Richard Kelly, director of "Donnie Darko" has again created a movie that is deceptive with it's simplicity and astounding with it's depth. I saw The Box tonight and loved it. These thoughts are my own personal interpretations, but feel free to share you own. (Assuming you have seen the movie, if not, spoilers ahead.)

The movie's selling point is based on the moral question: Would you press a button and kill a random stranger for a million dollars? Most of the movie, though, deals with the consequences of pressing said button.

I feel that the movie is a biblical allegory. Sin, Judgment, and Salvation through self sacrifice are all ideas that are explored.

First, there is allusion to the original sin being committed by women. 3 times a woman pushes the button. It is also mentioned that the "employers" will expedite mankind's extinction if enough people don't press the button. (Judgment of mankind/Armageddon) These are obvious biblical references.

Perhaps couples are offered the choice because mankind's nature is predictable. Consider this his sin. Someone will almost always push the button, and they will always choose to save the child's senses over the spouse. Therefore, someone will always die. The child can be saved at the cost of another life. (Salvation through sacrifice) Good old wrath of God, but in a less obvious package, in this case, a box.

However, it also presents the idea that God (Omnipresence, power to do impossible things) is merely technology so advanced it is "indistinguishable from magic". This would mean that another, more advanced civilization is pulling the strings in our world, rather than an all powerful being.

The problem with this is that faith and science don't mix, or at least haven't in the past. People often claim that they either believe in a greater being because of absolute faith, or they do not because there is no scientific evidence that God does in fact exist. For those people there is no middle ground.

I think this movie is trying to say that things do not always work in absolutes in terms of whether you believe in God or not. Faith and belief in a higher power may have originated from science and technology.

Your thoughts?

well the box is based off of Button Button by Richard Matheson. Matheson was the writer for several Twilight Zone episodes (many of the most iconic ones like the gremlin on the airplane)

i havent seen the movie, but ive read the story. it was excellent. i didnt notice any overt religious message, but its not unbelievable that its in the movie. the story is dark and makes a point that kind of touches home.

i hope to see the movie soon.
i'll have to look out for the ideas youve proposed.

reply to post by TeddiRevolution


I agree completely! I saw 'The Box' on opening night and left the theater thinking. ( Love it when movies make me do that!) The biblical allegories were all there. Even with the three choices, the water caskets, water=rebirth and all that. I also think that the lines of religion and science were definitely blurred. I like the idea of it and have never understood why people don't. I mean, I know several hardcore Christians who despise the idea of aliens or science, yet they believe in this unseen God. And I know several friends who are into science and believe that blindly as well. I don't understand why you have to choose one or the other. I personally believe that the higher power- whether it's God, a giant platypus, or an alien will be just as effective in either form. Who cares the about the exact backstory as long as well all get to the right place?

Enough of that blather! I was completely bothered by how many people disliked the movie because they had to THINK about it to actually understand it. It's a shame that movies like this aren't made because there are talking, peeing, robots that need to battle. Oh well.

P.S. I want the soundtrack to this movie. It was crazy awesome!

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[edit on 12-11-2009 by Seiko]