Parallels of the Alien and Cube franchise - A dark look at society

For those unfamiliar with the Cube franchise, the premise is basically about an enormous 3-dimensional rubix cube trap in which people are placed and forced to live or die in. Each cube has 6 openings on each face, all of which lead to other cubes. Each cube potentially contains deadly and gruesome traps like Acid showers, protruding spikes, razor wire etc. Periodically the cubes re-align their position within the greater cube. Each opening on the cube face contains a sequence of numbers allowing inhabitants to try and plot their position within the cube, and the position of the exiting bridge cube. 

The fictional Cube device in the film was conceived by David W. Pravica, a mathematician. It consists of an outer cubical shell (the sarcophagus) and the inner cube. The inner cube consists of 26³ = 17,576 cubical rooms (minus an unknown number of rooms to allow for movement, as shown in the film). Each room is labelled with three identification numbers, for example, 517 478 565. These numbers encode the starting coordinates of the room and the x, y, and z coordinates are the sums of the digits of the first, second, and third number respectively. The numbers also determine the movement of the room and the subsequent positions are obtained by cyclically subtracting the digits from one another. The resulting numbers are then successively added to the starting numbers.  

The Cube's true purpose and function is never revealed and wrapped in ambiguity, like the Xenomorph.

Much like the Alien Franchise the idea of who the hell would build this death machine is a fundamental theme.

The Xenomorph currently appears to be the product of a circle of creation and destruction led by the perils of Artificial Intelligence. In the case of the Alien Franchise the answer to who created the beast manifests in humanity's arrogance and pride. Elizabeth Shaw asked the question that started it all.

In Prometheus we arrogantly sought the meaning of life from our creators by travelling across the stars to knock on their door and strut around LV223 like we owned the place. In the same breath we refused to give the same answer to our creation - AI.      

The Cube on the other hand has a far personal answer for the same question. It is a frightening look into a society which doesn't ask questions. It is quite easy to see something the Cube happening!!! Everyone immersed in their smartphone screens, just there for the paycheck. Easy to look the other way etc!

Both incorporate themes of "Kafkaesque" in which bureaucracies overpower people, often in a surreal, nightmarish milieu which evokes feelings of senselessness, disorientation, and helplessness. Most notably Fincher's Alien 3.

The Cube on the other hand was ran by a secret government project whose construction and design was departmentalised and just continued to grow into this insidious machine with no real function. Much like the Alien, you have to ask who would make such a thing? In this case it is humanity's paranoid nature and greed. 

This is an accident, a forgotten, perpetual public works project. You think anybody wants to ask questions? All they want is a clear conscience and a fat paycheck.       

This may be hard for you to understand, but there is no conspiracy. Nobody is in charge. It, it's a headless blunder operating under the illusion of a master plan. Can you grasp that? Big Brother is not watching you.

Contrasting answers for a similar question in which the Xenomorph and the Cube construct are both insidious killers without any true agenda. Both are the product of Humanity's flaws and trappings. Both are creations built upon our failings as a society and individuals. A dark mirror of the parts of ourselves we refuse to acknowledge. Nihilistic themes of hopelessness and the absolute apathy of the universe are rife through both franchises.   

Interestingly, there was to be a direct link between the Alien and Cube franchise with Jon Spaihts, who penned both the original Prometheus script (Alien: Engineers) and a now stalled 4th instalment to the cube Franchise.

And overlapping similar themes again "Cubed" was to explore AI and Creation...

Cubed will build on the set up of the original film and is described as “a sci-fi survival thriller about artificial intelligence, humanity and the birth of a new ‘digital’ race.”

...sound familiar.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/lionsgate-remake-cult-sci-fi-792574

Cubed is/was to be directed by newcomer Saman Kesh who gained attention for his sci-fi short film Controller which also explored the dark depths of our society. Lionsgate is now producing a fulll-length film based on it.

Watch the short film here

For those that don't recognise my Avatar, it is Mr. Jaxx from Cube:Zero, an avatar I've used for about 95% of my time here. As a fan of both franchises this character and the Kafkaesque themes he represents is the perfect foil between the franchises, you could easily see Mr. Jaxx as a W-Y Rep for example.