Cube (1998)

Everything in Meander (2021) is dark and claustrophobic. Director Mathieu Turi is capable of creating an oppressive ambience by playing his cards right. Like other modern horror movies of this kind, such as Cube (1998), Buried (2010), the recent Spanish movie The Platform (2019), or the well-known saga Saw, Meander succeeds in causing an unpleasant effect upon the spectator. The characteristic feeling of carrying a burden, being under pressure, or having a knot in your stomach is magnificently achieved by Turi’s film.

The French director depicts a horrific situation where a young mother, Lisa (Gaia Weiss), who has lost her nine years old daughter, experiences a traumatic episode with Adam (Peter Franzén) and wakes up in a strange place full of tubes and pipelines. There, she will have to pass several tests in order to fight for her life.

Aesthetics also contribute to increasing the claustrophobic sensation. After Lisa is dropped into the tube scenario, the only source of light that she has is her bracelet. On this device she can also check how much time is left for her to pass different tests. When that countdown is over, she must take shelter if she wants to survive.

Gore plays an important role in creating this fearful environment. As the main character advances through the tubes, disgusting scenes happen one after another. Mutilations, decomposing corpses, and blood will fill the screen at certain moments. By doing that, the director makes us to put ourselves in Lisa’s place, sharing her desire to escape from that hideous place.