A double-feature review of BLACK BOX & THE LIE from “Welcome to the Blumhouse” coming to Prime Video October 6th!
BLACK BOX
After losing his wife and his memory in a car accident, a single father undergoes an agonizing experimental treatment that causes him to question who he really is.
Directed By: Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr.
Teleplay by: Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. and Stephen Herman
Story by: Stephen Herman
Starring: Mamoudou Athie, Phylicia Rashad, Amanda Christine, Tosin Morohunfola, Charmaine Bingwa, and Troy James
Mamoudou Athie as Nolan in BLACK BOX
Amanda Christine as Ava, Tosin Morohunfola as Gary, and Director Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour behind the scenes on the set of BLACK BOX
Amanda Christine as Ava and Tosin Morohunfola as Gary in BLACK BOX
Mamoudou Athie as Nolan in BLACK BOX
Mamoudou Athie as Nolan in BLACK BOX
Mamoudou Athie as Nolan in BLACK BOX
Mamoudou Athie as Nolan in BLACK BOX
Amanda Christine as Ava and Mamoudou Athie as Nolan in BLACK BOX
Director Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour and Mamoudou Athie as Nolan behind the scenes on the set of BLACK BOX
Troy James as Backwards Man in BLACK BOX
Amanda Christine as Ave and Mamoudou Athie as Nolan in BLACK BOX
Phylicia Rashad as Dr. Lillian Brooks and Mamoudou Athie as Nolan behind the scenes on the set of BLACK BOX
Phylicia Rashad as Dr. Lillian Brooks in BLACK BOX
THE LIE
When their teenaged daughter confesses to impulsively killing her best friend, two desperate parents attempt to cover up the horrific crime, leading them into a complicated web of lies and deception.
Written and Directed by: Veena Sud
Starring: Mireille Enos, Peter Sarsgaard, and Joey King.
Peter Sarsgaard as Jay and Joey King as Kayla in THE LIE
Peter Sarsgaard as Jay in THE LIE
Mireille Enos as Rebecca and Peter Sarsgaard as Jay in THE LIE
Joey King as Kayla in THE LIE
Mireille Enos as Rebecca and Peter Sarsgaard as Jay in THE LIE
Peter Sarsgaard as Jay and Mireille Enos as Rebecca in THE LIE
Joey King as Kayla in THE LIE
Peter Sarsgaard as Jay in THE LIE
Joey King as Kayla in THE LIE
Mireille Enos as Rebecca and Peter Sarsgaard as Jay in THE LIE
Mireille Enos as Rebecca in THE LIE
Mireille Enos as Rebecca behind the scenes on the set of THE LIE
Mireille Enos as Rebecca, Joey King as Kayla, and Peter Sarsgaard as Jay in THE LIE
Peter Sarsgaard as Jay, Joey King as Kayla, and Mireille Enos as Rebecca in THE LIE
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 witch i saw some scene on PortalulTauTV.net, descends into a heap of melodrama.
I didn’t find Black Box positioning itself in the horrror 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.