This movie is confirming what we thought about Vincenzo Natali: he prefers to ask "How?" than "Why?". Although there are more explanations in "Cypher" than in "Cube" or "Elevated", the movie is more focused on the way the character is trying to get rid of his problems. Of course the heroes of Natali's movies are always trying to find the causes of what occurs to them but they realise step by step that explanations would not help them. Therefore Natali's movies seem to have a more philosophical meaning than expected. If fantasy/sci-fi components are almost permanent in his movies they are only excuses to show the craziness of human beings and to display the fact that humans are dangers for humans themselves! The danger never comes from where you expect it to come in Natali's films and that's why it doesn't matter to try to find the source of Evil: it can be anywhere! And you cannot go backward to resolve problems so reasons of problems appear to be useless. Natali is also confirming that he's trying to get rid of his own claustrophobia by making 'shock therapy' movies, even though the claustrophobic angle in "Cypher" is less obvious than in "Cube" or "Elevated". Is he actually saying that Evil can only be beaten by itself? Well his characters are also generally trying to use Evil against itself. But against all expectations, Natali's films are not that Manichean. Every character has something bad and something good in himself. To finish with the subject of "Cypher" and its meanings, I have to say that it's less good than "Cube" but it couldn't have been better. Let me explain: at the end there are some few explanations that first seem to be a bit disappointing. Indeed the "Cube" mysterious end was not repeated here but on the other hand a lack of explanations would have been weirder in "Cypher" and quite unpleasant. The end was harder to build in "Cypher" than in "Cube" and the kind of funny twist at the end of "Cypher" seems to be the best compromise that they could find. (Natali is probably experiencing the difficulty to overcome the hard task to make a second movie after a welcomed first movie as "Cube".)
And now, let's speak about the stylish beauty of the movie! Again, Natali is making a very good sci-fi movie with few special effects. Wouldn't it be the best way to make a sci-fi movie? Far better than some meaningless and dull use of special effects in movies as the latest episodes of "Star Wars"? As in "Cube", Natali worked with cinematographer Derek Rogers, production designer Jasna Stefanovic and visual effects supervisor Bob Munroe, who created a quite simple but very beautiful atmosphere. As for the music, it seems that Michael Andrews is a twin of Mark Korven because their respective musics for "Cypher" and "Cube" are both perfect for the claustrophobic and mysterious ambience of Vincenzo Natali's movies. The performance of Jeremy Northam is just fabulous in a sort of schizophrenic role, and the short appearance of David Hewlett (who was already in "Elevated" and "Cube") is a major moment of the movie. As for Lucy Liu, it seems that she's here more to make the movie a bit more commercial but her presence is quite appreciable and her performance is good. As a conclusion, I have to say that I was also delighted to see a kind of homage to Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" and Hithcock's "North by Northwest". A very good moment. (7.5/10)
And now, let's speak about the stylish beauty of the movie! Again, Natali is making a very good sci-fi movie with few special effects. Wouldn't it be the best way to make a sci-fi movie? Far better than some meaningless and dull use of special effects in movies as the latest episodes of "Star Wars"? As in "Cube", Natali worked with cinematographer Derek Rogers, production designer Jasna Stefanovic and visual effects supervisor Bob Munroe, who created a quite simple but very beautiful atmosphere. As for the music, it seems that Michael Andrews is a twin of Mark Korven because their respective musics for "Cypher" and "Cube" are both perfect for the claustrophobic and mysterious ambience of Vincenzo Natali's movies. The performance of Jeremy Northam is just fabulous in a sort of schizophrenic role, and the short appearance of David Hewlett (who was already in "Elevated" and "Cube") is a major moment of the movie. As for Lucy Liu, it seems that she's here more to make the movie a bit more commercial but her presence is quite appreciable and her performance is good. As a conclusion, I have to say that I was also delighted to see a kind of homage to Kubrick's "A Clockwork Orange" and Hithcock's "North by Northwest". A very good moment. (7.5/10)