The Box

I read the original Richard Matheson short story (Button, Button) that this movie is based on when it was first published in the June 1970 Playboy Magazine. The short story was a relatively simple morality tale. Usually I am not one to compare source material with movies. They are totally separate animals and frequently the movie version is a big improvement on the original material.

In this case, the two cannot even be compared - even the plot is barely recognizable in the movie version. That would be fine if the movie plot were an improvement. Instead we have a mush mash of hints, bloody noses and awkward special effects.

I guess it is still a morality tale, but an overly complicated one. The performers do the best they can.