Episode 101: Vincenzo Natali’s Cube (1997)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 61%

A single room, a tiny budget, and a terrifying idea. We take Cube (1997) apart panel by panel to see why this indie puzzle-box still grips, frustrates, and inspires. From the first “Wonder Bread” kill to that nerve-wracking silent room, the movie turns constraints into storytelling fuel—smart sound design, practical effects with real bite, and a set built to trick the eye into believing there are thousands of ways to die.

We share our first impressions and split ratings, then wrestle with the film’s sharp edges. Does the cop’s barely-contained rage work or wear thin? How do the math mechanics hold up under scrutiny, from quick prime checks to dizzying permutations? We talk dated language that stops the room cold, moments of grim humor that break the tension, and why the ending’s ambiguity either preserves the myth or shortchanges the payoff. Along the way, we highlight craft details that still shine: drying lips and grime that sell exhaustion, color-coded rooms that carry mood more than meaning, and the discipline of letting silence do the scaring.

Cube’s legacy is everywhere: Saw’s moral engines, Escape Room’s gamified dread, The Platform’s brutal system logic, and tight, one-location thrillers that turn limitation into invention. We dig into production nuggets—a 20-day shoot, VFX help that championed Toronto’s film scene, and a marketing misfire that hid a cult hit in North America while France went wild for it. If you love survival puzzles, ethical pressure-cookers, and films that make design a character, this conversation’s for you.

Sinister Sips

The Rubus Cube

From: Booze On The Rocks

Recipe:

• 4-6 Raspberries

• 1.5 oz Gin

• 1/2 oz Lemon Juice

• 3/4 oz Ginger Liqueur

1. Add raspberries and gin to your shaker tin and gently muddle

2. Add lemon juice and ginger liqueur

3. Add ice and shake for 10-15 seconds

4. Double strain into a chilled rocks glass with ice

Plot Summary:

A group of strangers awaken to find themselves placed in a giant cube. Each one of them is gifted with a special skill and they must work together to escape an endless maze of deadly traps. (taken from IMDb)

Watchability Scale

Sam gave the film a 6, while Mike and Chad gave it a 7. We place it at 6.5 on the Watchability Scale. It’s a unique concept and the start of a great horror sub-genre that stands strong to this day.

Links

IMDb page

Rotten Tomatoes page

Movie Facts (TV Tropes)

Movie Trivia (Fandom.com)