 The Box describes itself as a science fiction-horror film. It attempts to achieve this by a convoluted plot that raises more questions than answers and is unlikely to appeal to aficionados of either genre.
A teaser to the plot is given in the opening minute of the film with the typing out of a cryptic note alluding to Mars and someone transporting machine parts. The action kicks off with a young couple being awoken at an ungodly hour to view a fleeing vehicle that has left a nondescript box on their doorstep. Opening the box reveals an elaborate contraption housing a button with instructions that a visitor will come explain its significance.
The visitor duly arrives as a grotesquely disfigured yet sombre figure who offers them one million dollars in exchange for pressing the button. The only catch is that said action will translate into the murder of one person unknown to them. Apparently, this offer will continue to do the rounds within the human race.
This dilemma sets the stage for descriptions of the personal lives of the couple and their son as we learn of their financial difficulties, troubled medical history and personal failures. They are unable to resist the urge to press the button and this triggers a chain of morbid events. All the while, the mysterious visitor lurks in the background as they struggle to learn more about him and why he has become intertwined with their lives.
There is conventional horror in the form of eerie Hitchcock-like music and the dimming of lights. But much of the horror stems from repeated Kafkaesque moments where the protagonists are marching down long hallways unsure of where to go next and surrounded by intimidating strangers who contribute little in way of the storyline. Confounded expressions and unexplained characters and sequences abound and are not quite justified in the conclusion as they were in Donnie Darko. Horrific moments are often preceded by the spontaneous bleeding of noses but somehow this symbolism isn't as memorable as the oranges in the Godfather trilogy.
The movie is based on a novel and frequently refers to the work of Jean-Paul Sartre even calling on his famous words, "Hell is other people". It's thus little surprise that the movie has plenty of philosophical twists emphasizing dilemmas such as choice and existence. The movie vaguely shares overtones with The Matrix as we continue to learn how the human race is under observation.
 The science-fiction aspect of the movie is rather peripheral and only emerges much later in the story as we learn the real purpose of the box and how it connects different human beings. The climax is quite dramatic but there is no genuine buildup to it. Too often, the flow of the movie is disrupted by scenes that obfuscate the storyline or involve monologues of attempted explanation by one of the characters. It seems like the director attempted to incorporate many scenes from the book at the expense of weaving together a coherent storyline for the film.
Cameron Diaz is the most recognizable character on the screen but it's hard to associate her with such a morose and pathetic figure given how well she has played vivacious roles in the past. The acting of the rest is fairly monotonous but the storyline doesn't render many opportunities for flexibility of expression.
If you are seeking genuine chills, The Box won't really satisfy you as a horror flick. It seems like one of those movies that might be worthwhile if you have nothing better to do on a given evening and don't mind following a plotline with gaping holes. Some of the scenes may stick in your mind due to the sheer surrealism but for the most part it's not the kind of movie that would have high retention value.
– Jazib Zahir |
 Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year - the film didn't yield the 'rocketing' results that one expected. In fact, the movie did anything but rocket upwards, or anywhere else. So far, the sales figures are not looking good. The film seems to have attracted very small crowds on the day it was released. The crowds remained small, even days later. However, one should not equate the brilliance of any movie with box office returns.
After sitting through the two hour period, I came to the conclusion that one must take out the time, to spend it on this light entertainment.
Rocket Singh is about a young graduate who chooses to try his luck at being a salesman. He gets chosen to work for a company, where sales and numbers are more important than the clients and customers. The movie shows his journey of trying to rise and shine in the world of sales, which seems to be filled with corruption and deceit. In this sticky situation, he seeks the assistance of a few trusted and faithful friends and manages to make his place with the one weapon everybody else fails to employ - honesty.
Rocket Singh has a central theme and message, much like Shimit Amin's other movies such as Ab Tak Chappan (2004) and Chak De India! (2007). In a simplistic and realistic manner, the director successfully breaks away from extravagant Bollywood masala, and look at everyday lives and the kind of issues we face.
The film's editing could've been tighter, at least in the beginning where the film is rather slow. It's a little hard to follow every scene and dialogue.
The crowd puller of this film and the most happening actor (on and off-screen) of this year, Ranbir Kapoor, seems like a natural sardar. It looks as if he has always supported the long beard and he carries off the turban magnificently. His acting skills are improving with time. Also, he is probably the best looking onscreen sardar to date (no offense, Akshay Kumar).
 Ranbir Kapoor is slowly becoming increasingly popular with films like Wake up Sid, and one believes this will be egged on further by Rocket Singh.
Apart from Ranbir, the other actors lend the film a more believable touch.
Amongst them is the rude and difficult boss, played by Nitin Rathore, and the attractive phone receptionist, Gauhar Khan. They manage to play their roles exceptionally well.
A small love story, rather a few scenes, of Rocket Singh with the adorable and fairly new member of the Bollywood industry, Shahzahn Padamsee, existed in the background, but wasn't really the main focus of the film.
All in all, Rocket Singh is low-budget, basic entertainment interspersed with mild humour.
Interestingly, other movies that were released around the same time included 2012 and Avatar, which seemed to have tempted large audiences, and been announced as hits of an enormous magnitude. People not just in India, but all over the world are going crazy about these sensational movies. Not just the foreign films, but local productions, such as Ajab Prem Ki Gazab Kahani, seem to be doing fairly well in the cinemas. So why doesn't a movie like Rocket Singh create excitement or interest in the Indian audience?
The answer to that simple question lies in the statistics; People live off the drama that Indian movies provide. The reason Bollywood culture is being drawn out everywhere in the world is because of the colour; the music and the excitement which they have to offer. The Indian audience has become so used to and dependent on the glitz and glamour, and the larger than life themes, that when a real story comes along, which is more or less like something we deal with everyday, people are genuinely not too enthused.
However one must take off the blindfold to appreciate the things in life that really matter. Also, if someone wishes to indulge in two hours of un-taxing fun with a message, then this movie is the perfect package.
– Manal Faheem Khan
*YUCK
**WHATEVER
***GOOD
****SUPER
*****AWESOM |
