Cube

"Don't look for a reason... Look for a way out."

1998 1h 30m EN

👍

6.8

SOLID

🍅

61%

FRESH

👌

METACRITIC

⭐

7.1

IMDB

★6.8TMDB · 5,414🍅61%Rotten Tomatoes●61Metacritic★7.1IMDB · 260,280

ThrillerScience FictionMystery

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A group of strangers find themselves trapped in a maze-like prison. It soon becomes clear that each of them possesses the peculiar skills necessary to escape, if they don't wind up dead first.

“Don't look for a reason... Look for a way out.”

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Cast

Nicole De Boer
Leaven
Nicky Guadagni
Holloway
Maurice Dean Wint
Quentin
David Hewlett
Worth
Andrew Miller
Kazan
Wayne Robson
Rennes
Julian Richings
Alderson

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Vincenzo Natali
Writers: André Bijelic, Vincenzo Natali, Graeme Manson
Languages: German, English
Countries: Canada

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

RUNTIME

Did you know

90 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $0.3M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Grossed $9M — a 34.8× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

28 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CINEMA

Did you know

Part of the "Cube Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Vincenzo Natali, shot by Derek Rogers. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Mark Korven. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Vincenzo Natali directs. Derek Rogers behind the camera. Mark Korven scores. John Sanders cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in Canada. Dialogue in German, English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

190 minutes exactly — the "classic feature" runtime most directors aim for.
2Shot for just $0.3M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
3Grossed $9M — a 34.8× return. The kind of profit studios chase for a decade.
428 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
5Dialogue crosses 2 languages: German, English.
6Part of the "Cube Collection" — so the characters or world continue elsewhere.
7Directed by Vincenzo Natali, shot by Derek Rogers. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
8Original score by Mark Korven. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
9Editor John Sanders shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
10Nicole De Boer and Nicky Guadagni and Maurice Dean Wint carry the top of the cast.
11Marketing tagline: "Don't look for a reason... Look for a way out.".
12IMDB entry: tt0123755 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
13Classified under 22 themes, including "escape", "entrapment", "riddle", "autism".
14Released under 10 different titles around the world.

The technical file

Cinematography: Derek Rogers
Original score: Mark Korven
Editing: John Sanders
Production design: Jasna Stefanovic
Costume design: Wendy May Moore
Makeup / hair: Louise Mackintosh
Sound: Peter Kelly
Stunt coordinator: John Stoneham Jr.
Runtime: 90 min · 1h 30m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $257,899
Box office: $8,969,065
Return: 3478% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Cube (1998)
Rotten Tomatoes: 61% 🍅 Fresh
Metacritic: 61/100
IMDB rating: 7.1/10 · 260,280 votes
MPAA: R

Awards

13 wins & 9 nominations total

Sitges Film Festival Best Feature-Length Film award

Individual records documented via Wikidata; the summary above may count more.

Part of

Cube Collection

Cube is a 1997 Canadian science fiction psychological horror extremely low budgeted independent film, directed and co-written by Vincenzo Natali. The film was a successful product of the Canadian Film Centre's First Feature Project. Plots are people stuck inside a giant seemingly endless and deadly cube maze. They must find out why they are there and how they can get out. After Cube achieved cult status, a sequel was produced, Cube 2: Hypercube, released in 2002. In 2004, a prequel, Cube Zero, was released. There are rumors of a remake called Cubed.

Also by

Vincenzo Natali

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

frmfm2024-10-23
Spoiler Alert While Cube presents an intriguing premise of individuals trapped in a deadly maze, the execution leaves much to be desired. The film attempts to blend horror with existential themes, however it's lackluster the result is more confusing than thought-provoking. The lack of clarity regarding the Cube's purpose and the characters' motivations creates a narrative void that fails to engage the audience meaningfully. Instead of offering insightful commentary, it often feels like a series of contrived scenarios designed solely for shock value and being gory. The performances are generally subpar, with characters portrayed in exaggerated manners that detract from their believability. For instance, Quentin's descent into madness is depicted through over-the-top acting rather than nuanced character development. This makes it difficult for viewers to empathize with any of the characters, as they come across as unlikable or poorly developed archetypes rather than fully realized individuals which results in unstickable mediocre act. The film's reliance on mathematical concepts as a means of escape is both its unique selling point and its downfall. While the idea of using advanced mathematics to navigate the Cube is intriguing, it ultimately feels forced and unrealistic. The plot hinges on the assumption that a specific character possesses unique skills necessary for survival, which raises questions about fairness and logic within the narrative. This reliance on improbable scenarios leads to significant plot holes that undermine the overall tension and coherence of the story and popping more questions than giving answers to the ones that are already there. Perhaps most frustrating is the film's ending, which resolves the intricate buildup with a lackluster conclusion that feels like a betrayal of its earlier promise. After building tension through complex character dynamics and deadly traps, the resolution appears rushed and unsatisfying. The film ends without providing any real answers or closure, leaving viewers feeling cheated after investing their time in a convoluted journey of nothingness. In summary, Cube offers a fascinating concept but falters in execution, character development, and narrative coherence. Its potential as a thought-provoking horror film is squandered by poor acting and an unsatisfactory conclusion, making it difficult to recommend despite its cult status (Other ones are spectacular disasters in their own right, so it's best to just steer clear of them altogether).
RalphRahal2025-01-18
★ 6/10
Cube is a fascinating, low-budget sci-fi thriller that makes the most of its minimalist setup. The concept is simple but incredibly effective, a group of strangers trapped in a deadly maze of cube-shaped rooms. The movie thrives on its tension and psychological undertones, diving into how humans react under extreme pressure. It’s a smart, inventive film that doesn’t spoon-feed answers, leaving you to wrestle with its deeper themes about survival, human nature, and systems of control. While the traps and puzzles are memorable, the true focus is on the characters and how they clash as their desperation grows. That said, the film isn’t without its flaws. The constant use of tight close-ups and high focal lengths creates an almost unbearable sense of claustrophobia, but not always in a good way. At times, the cinematography feels disorienting and can pull you out of the moment. Combined with some uneven performances and occasionally stiff dialogue, these elements might not work for everyone. Still, Cube is a must-watch if you enjoy tense, thought-provoking thrillers that make you question everything by the time the credits roll. It’s the kind of movie that sticks with you, even if it leaves you a little shaken.

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