User reviews

A good thriller movie with new story. But there is nothing horror in this movie. Movie is bit slow but not boring. Climax was not that good and could have been improved.

A well acted and well cast movie with a good pace. Phylicia Rashad is a stand out and really helps the story along. It's difficult to write too much without giving away any spoilers and the minor mistakes in the plot consistency are easily overlooked as you want the story to continue.

Not enough of a thinking movie or a thriller/mystery to get an 8 or 9 but a good watch in any case.

Black Box begins intriguingly - a single father suffering from amnesia tries to regain his memories through a tech-backed experiment. The dynamic between father (Mamoudou Athie) and daughter (a terrific Amanda Christine, the true star of the film) is warmly established. It takes about an hour before the big (predictable) twist arrives, and thereafter, Black Box descends into a heap of melodrama. I didn't find Black Box positioning itself in the horror genre except for the first time the Backwards Man (played to astounding effect by actor-contortionist Troy James) pops up. It's very clearly a psychological sci-fi thriller that focuses less on the sci-fi and more on familial bonding.

The performances (from the all-black ensemble) are good enough to drive the film forward even during its melodramatic portions, with Amanda Christine being the standout performer, followed closely by Phylicia Rashad (as Dr. Brooks). The film has most elements of a Blumhouse production and blurry parallels to Jordan Peele's Get Out can be drawn. However, once the initial uneasiness recedes, Black Box is content being a little sappy in its proceedings. While I was never bored watching Black Box, I felt it could have been better.

Although the title proves to be rather forgettable, Black Box is anything but. It's a unique and peculiar twisted vision from the likes of Blumhouse, which has a great premise, but doesn't always execute it as well as it could have. I'll start with this films flaws, for a number of reasons, this film ends up feeling a bit uneven. I won't spoil the whole twist of this film, you know a 'twist' is coming though as you watch it, and once it is revealed you can't help but feel a bit cheated out of the whole premise it set up. This alone accounts for the film feeling uneven for the last 1/3 or so, and also leads to a rather predictable finale which I knew almost exactly how it was going to play out. However, despite these flaws, the film does manage to capture the viewer's attention all the way throughout- by never giving up on the wonderfully mysterious and unsettling atmosphere it sets up from the very beginning. The acting is quite good, most notably from lead actor Mamoudou Athie, who provides a nearly incredible performance all the way throughout. Other standouts would include rising star Amanda Christine, Tosin Morohunfola, and Charmaine Bingwa. Phylicia Rashad's character feels a bit played out at times, as her character really serves no purpose other than a plot device, and a generic one at that. I enjoyed the cinematography in this flick, as well as the ominous tone and music it kept threw out. It never feels like more than one film, but you can't help but feel there was a far better way to tie this story together, rather than focus on something you truly aren't invested in, or even given much of a reason to. In the end, at its worst Black Box can be a bit of a structural mess, but its ideas and potential- as well as its phenomenal lead performances- lead this film to be quite enjoyable. It's an experience unlike any other, one you won't forget, but one you wish they would have spent just a little bit more thought on.

My Rating: 6.6/10.

'Black Box (2020)' follows a man who, following a near-fatal car crash, undergoes an experimental procedure in an attempt to cure his amnesia. It's a bit of an unbalanced blend between sci-fi and horror, bouncing between its genres rather than embodying them simultaneously. Still, both aspects are pulled off pretty well and the overall result is an entertaining experience throughout. It's a bit of a puzzle-box piece. As it progresses, its layers slowly get peeled back; in fact, the entire thing gets turned on its head around halfway through. It's engaging and interesting, a relatively complex story that keeps you invested throughout. Though some of its pseudo science does come across as a tad silly, the flick has a solid emotional centre that keeps things grounded and resonant. Though it isn't all that memorable in the long run, it's a surprising and ever-evolving affair that's enjoyable throughout. 7/10

The actor playing Nolan does a fine job and demonstrates solid range. Rashad is more two dimensional but still decent. It's a very small cast and the scenes are very tight. Mostly psychological thriller with a science fiction premise.

The final scene is unnecessary to the film written I suppose to bring closure but looks more like cheap seeding for a sequel. Not really edge of seat and more drag it out trying to make a cliffhanger out of a bump.

The rating almost turned me off this movie. But with nothing better to do I have it a go. It was a solid phycological thriller, amazing acting and a good twist. Give it a go

"Black Box" could easily have been an episode of "Black Mirror," a compliment given the quality of that series.

It's a slow burn until the big twist arrives mid-film and then things get much more interesting. Like Black Mirror, it touches on some heady topics along the way including loss, abuse, and the "sense of self."

At first I was turned off by lead actor Mamoudou Athie's performance which was so wooden to be a turn-off. But when you view his character from the perspective of the entire story, it makes sense.

Blumhouse is clearly looking to branch out from its horror roots. Science fiction looks like a promising genre given the excellent "Upgrade" and "The Invisible Man."

"Black Box" is the one of a first batch of movies made in partnership between Amazon Prime and Blumhouse productions, famed budget studio that specialises in making horror movies. Though by no means a bad film, I do wonder if that Blumhouse name might give people incorrect expectations about "Black Box" that may lead to disappointment.

Six months after losing his wife in a car accident, Nolan (Mamoudou Athie) is struggling with memory issues related to the severe head trauma he received. This is impacting his ability to care for his daughter Ava (Amanda Christine), so he agrees to undertake an experimental therapy from leading specialist, Doctor Lillian Moore (Phylicia Rashad), which combines element of hypnosis and virtual reality. Exploring his own memories, Nolan comes under threat from an unrecognisable and barely human form.

When I mention expectations, even in that synopsis it sounds like the movie is a horror film - and the character of backwards man, played by Troy James, who I've seen perform on "The Flash", is certainly a creepy element. But beyond him, the film is more of a science fiction thriller, than it is a horror film - and that may disappoint some brought by the Blumhouse name. Away from that aspect, the film has the good sense to use its rather obvious twist well before the end, and then use that as an exploration point for the finale, rather than as the ending itself. That said, I thought overall the film was a little dull and struggled to full maintain my attention for the duration.

However, it is the first feature for Writer/Director Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour and for screenwriter Stephen Herman and though, as I say, I thought the plotting was a little pedestrian, from a technical standpoint the film is pretty good. It often interesting to look at, and what visual effects the film has are nicely done. Mamoudou Athie is decent as the lead, a little bland at the start but that does begin to make sense as the film goes on.

I have no massive regrets about watching it, but it was all just a little too mediocre to consider recommending it.

I put an * because I was wide awake at 2:00am and I needed something to watch. I saw Blumhouse and I saw Phylicia Rashad and I thought ok, lets do.

I was pulled in from the beginning and was interested in trying to figure out what was wrong with this guy. By the time the "twist" happened, I had figured out most of it, but I still couldn't turn away and wanted to see how it ended. I thought overall the movie was satisfying. If you're a perfectionist, I probably wouldn't bother with this because the writing was a little choppy and you might have to suspend disbelief to suspend disbelief, but it's really not a bad flick.

The acting by the lead was somewhat boxey and bland whereas the daughter (Amanda Christine) was excellent. It was predictable yet you needed to keep watching to see what would happen next. It was entertaing to watch some of the characters but script/storyline needed a bit more of a punch.

I put it on last night on my phone while in bed, the tags of Sci-Fi, Mystery and Horror giving me hope that it will be something mind-boggling and a bit scary that will keep me on my toes.

I was wrong, though. The movie started out OK, but later on became quite predictable and around the middle or right before, I already had figured out the mystery and the second half of the movie was rather boring.

It doesn't help that at around 60% of the movie, I started falling asleep and left it to finish it the next day and it actually managed to feel even cheesier in some parts.

The acting was for the most part OK, except for the protagonist's daughter that seemed way too mentally and emotionally mature for her age to the point where I started questioning is this a Horror or a Comedy/Parody.

The rest of the movie was almost spot on, except that it was too predictable and not scary at all, if I started falling asleep while watching it alone in the dead of the night, it says how "scary" it is.

Overall, I don't regret watching it, but I could've definitely watched some better and more rewarding Sci-Fi Mystery that I was originally looking for.

Didn't know what to watch and gave it a chance. Goes into a category for me as films like fractured with Sam Worthington. Can be good. Sometimes better as the critics say. Here it's the opposite. I loved the cast. Phylicia Rashad is awesome in general. To me the plot was too flat. The acting didn't make any sense at the end at the "showdown". Also I missed knowing more about what happened to the main character and what happened to his wife. The last scene with rashad working on that brain machine was also pointless. It was very predictable. Could work as a black mirror episode but for me not as a feature ! But a nice cast and well acted in the range of its plot.

I never write reviews, but I felt something has to be done here. This movie might not win an Oscar, but the 1- and 2- star reviewers are just ridiculous. Not sure why a few of them seem to have an issue with the title - sure, a "black box" is a common term for an aircraft data logger, but come on? I guess the same people expected "Silence of the lambs" to be about sheep...

I'm not an easy to please movie watcher, and I have no problem walking out on a movie half way if it seems to be pointless to finish it. But Black Box was actually pretty suspenseful and had a decent twist, which is more than can be said of many movies.

Don't expect a masterpiece, and don't overthink the technology - it's not a documentary.

Those into sci-fi dramas and mysteries, gather 'round, we have a good one here! "Black Box" is nor the first, nor the best 'Who am I?' piece, but it takes the concept, virtual reality, our reprogrammable subconscious, and makes an intriguing, engaging and very well acted mystery thriller. Barely a horror, I must agree to that.

After losing his wife and his memory in a car accident, a single father, Nolan (Mamoudou Athie) looks for all the possible options to restore his memories, and finds hope in the hands of Lillian (Phylicia Rashad) and her new, experimental virtual reality treatment.

It's really much more of a sci-fi drama than horror, where the only true element of horror is the entity that haunts Nolan in his dreams. I felt like the premise promises and builds up some visceral horror, but it never reached that peak, the third act is not the most climatic. Besides sci-fi themes, the story and flow is that of a melodrama, where there is warmth in the dynamic between father and daughter, or Mamoudou and Amanda Christine, care and worry between brothers, love and hurt between mother and son, husband and wife. Not going to talk about the twists, other than the fact that they come late, and can be figured out. Overall, "Black Box" feels fresher despite using many familiar tropes.

The all-black ensemble of actors provide terrific performances, my personal favorite being Phylicia Rashad, with Mamoudou Athie and Amanda Christie right beside. While the movie looks and sounds good, in my opinion it lacks additional visual panache, some aesthetical sauce and creativity, to compliment the fantastic concept at play. Instead, "Black Box" appears rather grey and almost drab.

Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour, to whom "Black Box" is directional feature debut, is definitely a promising filmmaker, as he has gifted us a flawed, but content and serious story, including plenty of social commentary, some of it on the virtual reality too. My rating: 6/10

What can be salvaged and how far along has technology come? Are we able to help people with mind issues? And is this what the movie is about? Not so spoil anything, so I won't go into that. The thriller aspect of the movie works quite well. I don't think anyone can entirely guess where the movie will go, though I reckon many will at least smell something funny.

Having said that, it still is a thrilling and surprising journey one can take with the movie. And one that is suspensful enough to work overall. Good acting, good shocks and a really decent movie we get. Nothing spectacular but more than stellar!

I like this movie but I'm in LOVE with the Blumhouse business model; make high production value films with relatively unknown but fantastic actors and filmmakers and choose stories that are human dramas that can be made CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP. This movie like most of Blumhouse flicks was made for $5 million but you'd never know it by watching.

Good film, really for everyone, a human story with sci-fi and horror elements. Not my fave movie this year by far, but very watchable and well made. Worth watching.

It's a pretty creepy movie, not a horror, but a chilling thriller. Liked Phylicia Rashads performance. She was great but her script limited her to a shallow character. The other players were not that good. They acted like they were 'doing a scene for a movie' in almost every scene. Very stilted and unconvincing. Really didn't like the ending and felt it was a lame grasp for a sequel. The concept behind the movie is interesting and the doctor plays her part well and this saves the film from being complete trash.

I won't get heavily into the plot of Black Box, but suffice to say that if you are patient and stay engaged, you will be pleasantly entertained at the film's conclusion. Warning- this is NOT a horror movie. There are no monsters in this movie. It's, at best, a drama, with a touch of thriller to it. Limited as to what it can do, but not limited to where you will dislike it.

6/10- good story that takes time to develop.

2.5 out of 5 stars.

Black Box plays like a boring episode of a Black Mirror episode. A father is suffering from an amnesia. After recovering from a car accident. That killed his wife. Now a widowed father with his daughter who tries to help with his memories. He visits a neuroscientist doctor who tries to put him in a machine to revisit his memories. Except he is unaware of these memories.

It was a boring plot that was done before with the concept idea. The script and direction does not do anything new. The music score is tedious. The characters are forgettable. It lacks suspense and scares for a psychological horror film. There is a couple of twists which did not disappoint with the direction it goes. But it has been done before and better than this film.

If you like Black Mirror you'll probably enjoy this. Wouldn't classify this as horror but more sci-fi, drama. The acting is superb.

Good performances and an interesting story. Never really soars and feels a little low-budget and amateurish in places but was engaging throughout. Is not unlike a Twilight Zone/Outer Limits episode.

Movie started out pretty good but by the end it just wasn't. The acting was pretty solid and the story was pretty good but the end just seemed forced somewhat.