So the math took a backseat to the first movie. This one, however, is all about the completely ridiculous result of what happens when you build a hypercube. Where did the simplicity go? Where's the magical screen writing that made the first so excellent? Fans of the first one absolutely should see this movie, you'll be pleasantly surprised at the new things Hypercube throws at you. Literally throws at you, in fact. And throws at the seven new characters.
But where did it go wrong? The opening sequence is nothing short of the greatest moment the Cube series has ever seen. Draws you straight into the action, even if the first actor is bad at falling... up. From that point on, the characters take a seat and move along with a poor attempt at additional plot. We don't ever get any insight into character motive, as we did in the first movie. This person goes insane... wait, explain that one again? In addition to no character motive, the characters are completely static. Unless you had seen the first movie and were actually expecting focus on character archs, you would find yourself thinking how terribly predictable the characters are. Even more, the Cube's logical image has been destroyed, replaced by this machine gone horribly wrong in the fourth dimension.
The best part of the film is how it continually keeps you on your feet, long after you've seen it. What gave me hope for Lion's Gate was the frightening beginning and the fantastic ending. I'm still plagued by social, theoretical and mathematical problems posed in this second installment, and the ending will not disappoint. However, for those looking for intelligent theoretical sci-fi, I would look to the first, and watch it perhaps a second time.
