**THE UGLY: ‘BLACK BOX’**

WRITING: 60
ACTING: 80
LOOK: 85
SOUND: 50
FEEL: 75
NOVELTY: 20
ENJOYMENT: 80
RE-WATCHABILITY: 65
INTRIGUE: 85
EXPECTATIONS: 85

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**THE GOOD:**

I like the kid, who is unusually on-point and natural and has a lovely rapport with Mamoudou Athie.

Athie gives a grounded, but firm performance, capturing the small emotional subtleties needed to bring forward two different personalities in one body.

I love the combination of the seemingly realistic medical science and the bizarre, tense and slightly creepy that is the hypnosis treatment at the heart of the story.

This is a visually clean, simplistic but still effective experience. The experiences inside the Black Box have been realized very well, allowing the viewers to immerse themselves in the experience together with Nolan. Direction and editing keep the Black Box sequences tight, interesting and heart-pumping, while the other scenes uphold a calm atmosphere to allow for some breathing space.

We are finding out more and kore about Nolan, his past and his true self simultaneously with Nolan himself, which allows us to become a part of the experience and remain on the edge of our seats at all times.

What I genuinely like is the almost tongue-in-cheek nod to Christopher Nolan and his filmography in terms of hos this story has been constructed and presented to the audience. It’s a stripped-down and simplified Nolan-esque thriller, but an enjoyable one.

There’s a stark contrast between the tense and sometimes creepy sequences inside the box and the more grounded, calm and emotional character moments between Noland and his daughter. Both storylines are important in Nolan’s attempts to find himself.

While the basic plot idea and structure aren’t completely new, the film still somehow manages to squeeze the ball in new ways and bring in a fresh angle. There are a few great twists as well, that I didn’t see coming.

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**THE BAD:**

The script doesn’t deal with the ethical implications of the treatment presented here very well and the fallout of the big reveal just kind of falls flat during the film’s final act.

The film loses some of its momentum and tension as it moves away from the Black Box sequences into the final act.

The ending left me a little bit cold, to be honest. Don’t know what I should think about it.

This is considered horror, but it doesn’t feel like that to me. When a film fails to be what it’s supposed to be, it should be considered a fault.

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**THE UGLY:**

When I die, could you upload my mind into the body of whoever is the president of the US at the time?

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**VERDICT:**

_A straightforward Nolan-esque thriller, with a few good twists and a disappointing ending, largely held up by fine performances._

**69% = :heavy_minus_sign: = UGLY**