The Box

A mysterious box shows up on the doorstep of a couple (Cameron Diaz and James Marsden), and then a strange man (Frank Langella) shows up and makes an interesting proposition: If they press the button, somebody in the world will die, but the couple will get a million dollars. This near-miss from director Richard Kelly has a decent amount of suspense, but it comes apart in the end, as it leaves too many questions unanswered. It doesn’t help that Diaz’s performance is a little too much on the somber side, with she and Marsden failing to engage as a couple. Langella is creepy as the mystery man (aided by some interesting CGI that puts a significant hole in his face). Kelly still hasn’t managed a decent follow-up to his brilliant Donnie Darko, but this film isn’t a total loss, and Kelly may still have some good films in him.