“It is not the strongest or the most intelligent who will survive but those who can best manage change” – Leon C. Megginson.
Earth – Set 150 years in the future, where the mining of asteroids for their minerals and properties by private companies such as the film’s proponent: Tyco Corp, has become commonplace. Against the jet backdrop of space, the story begins with an escape pod containing Tyco Corp’s unconscious heir—the rich, calculating, pathetic and twisted playboy Marcus Tyco (Garry Graham-Smith). He reanimates in his damaged craft in an apparent state of amnesia due to the ship’s “air mix.” Or so he unquestionably and convincingly leads the audience to believe. What remains to be true, or not, at this point, is entirely discretionary to the audience. What remains to be clear, however, is that there has been an “accident” at Tyco Corp Headquarters, resulting in the consequential destruction of the shuttle.
“…the story begins with an escape pod containing…the rich calculating pathetic and twisted playboy Marcus Tyco…”
The narrative employed is that we, the audience, know “nothing,” akin to that of Marcus’s knowledge that he also knows “nothing.” Thus, we are drip-fed the information to piece together the puzzle of what actually happened and what part Marcus actually played in the subsequent chain of events…or did not, whilst his memory returns as the story transpires. The story itself is about courage in adverse circumstances, and also about so much more…because Marcus also has the Black Box from the station, which, like a human brain, contains memories, and stores imperative history and events which detail the “accident,” and more importantly the crucial and conclusive information which will tell us what really happened if it ever returns to earth.
In all areas, Black Box is extremely commendable. The special effects, editing, acting, set design, and props are all imperatively authentic and embedded in the film’s accuracy, its attention to detail, and its application to futuristic believability. Given that the project is set in one location, and comprises 70% green screen and animation, the potency of the remaining 30% derives from class acting and props—of which float around in an almost hyper-realistic state of zero gravity and is arguably the most satisfying and subtly supreme feature of the feature.
"…an almost hyper-realistic state of zero gravity and is arguably the most satisfying and subtly supreme feature of the feature."
