This is a very...unusual...movie.
In tone, it reminded me very much of Solaris: mysterious, solemn and to some extent ambiguous. But it would not have worked so well had it been otherwise. "Creep Box" continues to ponder the question of consciousness man has contemplated for thousands of years with a technological twist. It provides no answers, and I don't believe it is meant to do more than keep an existential question in the forefront of our minds.
Where do we go when we die? Is it an afterlife as taught by organized religions? Is it to the ether where it can be accessed again; recycled even into another corporeal form? Or does our consciousness cease to exist altogether? Further, where does consciousness originate.
"Creep Box" speculates consciousness is the product of the id, ego and superego, three separate voices speaking together as one, and upon this premise, it builds a thought-provoking film.
I was captivated from the opening moments and Geoffrey Cantor's compelling, subtle and powerful performance as his character wrestles with the central question of the movie.
The other standout is Adam David Thompson, who's quiet, nuanced performance of the voice-only Adam, reminded me in many ways of Hugo Weaving's masterful work in V for Vendetta.
And while there are many other actors listed in the credits, their roles are not substantial enough to be of consequence. Which is not to say they were in any way bad or inadequate; rather, they were all there as peripheral points. Even Sean Mahon's character, Devon, who in any other film would play a pivotal plot role, is quickly left behind, leaving yet another central and ethical question unanswered.
You will not find closure here, not for anything raised in the film. I also do not believe that's what writer/director Patrick Biesemans intended; and to his credit, any attempt at resolving the central question would have ended in the same nonsensical trip through the monolith in 2001 that left many moviegoers scratching their heads.
Creep Box is well worth your time if you like a movie that will leave you thinking at a deeper level.
