''Cube'' is a 2021 Japanese

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

horror film Horror is a film genre that seeks to elicit fear or disgust in its audience for entertainment purposes. Horror films often explore dark subject matter and may deal with transgressive topics or themes. Broad elements include monsters, apoca ...

written by Koji Tokuo and directed by Yasuhiko Shimizu. It is a

remake A remake is a film, television series, video game, song or similar form of entertainment that is based upon and retells the story of an earlier production in the same medium—e.g., a "new version of an existing film". A remake tells the same ...

of the 1997 Canadian film of the same name, the first film in the ''Cube'' series. The film stars

Masaki Suda , known professionally as , is a Japanese actor and singer. He won the Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role. His debut song is "Mita Koto mo Nai Keshiki". Personal life Suda is a close junior to S ...

Anne Watanabe is a Japanese fashion model, actress, and singer. She is the daughter of film actor Ken Watanabe and his first wife Yumiko. In her modeling work, she is known by the mononym Anne.Kuhn, Anthony"For Japanese Women, The Past Is The Latest Fad"/ref> ...

Masaki Okada is a Japanese actor. He is best known for his roles as Sekime Kyogo in the drama ''Hanazakari no Kimitachi e'' and as Takuma Kakinouchi in the 2009 film '' I Give My First Love to You''. Filmography Films * ''The Foreign Duck, the Native Duck ...

, Hikaru Tashiro,

Takumi Saito is a Japanese actor and filmmaker. He directs films under his birthname, , spelled differently in Kanji but pronounced the same. Early life and work Saitoh was born on August 22, 1981, in Minato, Tokyo. Saitoh's father worked in the film in ...

and Kōtarō Yoshida. It was released in Japan on October 22, 2021.

Plot

A man wakes up in a mysterious and cold cube-shaped room. He finds hatches on each side, leading to different rooms. Upon entering a room, he is suddenly impaled by a large metal square, which retracts, taking out a square chunk from his body. Three people, Goto, Uno, and Ochi wake up in a mysterious room. None of them can seem to recall how or why they got here. A woman, Kai, enters the room, as well as a man named Ide. They all have no memory or recollection of how they got here. Ochi, out of fear tries to escape, but Ide warns him there are traps as he tosses a boot into the room, setting off flamethrowers.

Cast

as Yuichi Goto, a 29-year-old engineer. He is based on David Worth from the original film. *

as Asako Kai, a 37-year-old staff employee. She is based on Joan Leaven from the original film. *

as Shinji Ochi, a 31-year-old

freeter In Japan, a is a person who is unemployed or lacks full-time employment, excluding housewives and students. Freeters average 15 to 34 years of age. Freeters may also be described as '' underemployed''. These people do not start a career after ...

. He is based on Dr. Helen Holloway from the original film. * Hikaru Tashiro as Chiharu Uno, a 13-year-old middle school student. He is based on Kazan from the original film. *

Tokio Emoto is a Japanese actor who is represented by the talent agency Knockout. Biography Emoto's father is Akira Emoto, his mother is Kazue Tsunogae, and his brother is Tasuku Emoto. He is left-handed. In 2003, Emoto had his acting debut in the film, '' ...

as First Man, an unnamed prisoner. He is based on Alderson from the original film. *

as Hiroshi Ide, a 41-year-old mechanic. He is based on Rennes from the original film. * Kōtarō Yoshida as Kazumasa Ando, a 62-year-old company executive. He is based on Quentin McNeil from the original film.

Production

Filming took place in October and November 2019.

Critical response

James Marsh, writing for the ''

South China Morning Post The ''South China Morning Post'' (''SCMP''), with its Sunday edition, the ''Sunday Morning Post'', is a Hong Kong-based English-language newspaper owned by Alibaba Group. Founded in 1903 by Tse Tsan-tai and Alfred Cunningham, it has remained ...

'', gave the film 2 out of 5 stars, and summarized: "The movie is so repetitive and sluggish, and the characters so insufferable, that being stuck in the deadly cube might seem preferable to watching it"

References

External links

* 2021 films 2021 science fiction horror films 2020s Japanese films Aeon Entertainment films Cube (film series) Films scored by Yutaka Yamada Horror film remakes Japanese remakes of foreign films Japanese science fiction horror films Science fiction film remakes Shochiku films 2020s Canadian films {{2020s-Japan-film-stub