The Box

Handling those conflicting nuances in believable form is the sign of good writing, even as it on occasion loses grasp of its subdued virtues and relies on blunt violence.

“The Box” weaves some of the greatest horrors of modern Mexican life into an unsettlingly cryptic thriller.

The film slides effortlessly from mystery to criminal story to quasi-Greek tragedy, changing registers with subtle alterations of tone.

As is the case with Navarrete’s straight-faced performance throughout, we are left wondering about the boy’s moral compass. Is his newfound love for a lost father stronger than the obviously sinister lifestyle that goes with it?