‘Creep Box’ Review: A Somber Sci-Fi Thriller About Talking to the Dead

Creep Box brings up fascinating questions about the nature of life and death, and when technology links the two.

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Creep Box was released digitally on January 24, 2025.

Table of Contents

What is Creep Box About?

Creep Box (2023)
When the box is working as intended, it glows with a blue light. When the personality simulation becomes corrupted, it glows red.

Creep Box uses science fiction as the foundation for a psychological thriller about grief.

Dr. Franklin Caul is the lead scientist for a company, HTDA, that has created a revolutionary device that allows people to converse with the dead. Sort of. The device, shaped like a box, actually contains a simulation of the deceased person’s consciousness which is copied from their brain. Then, under the right conditions, people can talk to the simulation as if they were conversing with the person before they died, complete with their personality and all of their memories. The technology is still in its early stages, and the simulations are prone to corruption after a short while. Regardless, HTDA is insistent on selling the tech to the Department of Justice which would take it out of Caul’s hands. But Caul has an obsessive personal stake in the box that threatens to take over his entire life.

Creep Box was written and directed by Patrick Biesemans, based on a short film of the same name he made in 2022. Geoffrey Cantor (Daredevil, Hail, Caesar) stars as Dr. Caul. Sean Mahon, Katie Kuang, Annie Young, and Ian Lithgow make up the main supporting cast.

Creep Box Review

Creep Box (2023)
The methods of extracting a person’s mind are grim.

The central idea of the device in Creep Box, and the moral and ethical questions that arise from it, is the film’s most intriguing feature. If you copy a person’s mind completely and put it into a machine, is it still that person? Is it “artificial” intelligence if it’s an exact copy of a person’s brain? Is it ethical to bring a person’s mind back against their will, or to turn them off and delete them like so much data? These questions come up repeatedly throughout the movie, as do much darker dilemmas regarding death, privacy, and grief.

Creep Box (2023)
The unpredictability of the box when it turns red is unnerving.

In many ways, using the box is like a séance. That would make Caul the medium who opens the pathway to speak to the dead and keeps the line of communication open. So, even though Creep Box is a psychological thriller based in science fiction, it also feels a lot like a supernatural drama in how it’s presented. When the box is used, most of the people come through as a cacophony of voices with one voice becoming louder when it “speaks” to whoever is conversing with it. I’ll let the movie explain what those layered voices are (it’s a fascinating idea that I don’t want to spoil), but I will say that the sound that emanates from the box adds a layer of creepiness that pushes the movie towards the spookier side of thrillers and science fiction.

Creep Box (2023)
Caul’s interactions with Sylvie (Katie Kuang), a woman whose husband passed away, are emotionally complex.

Though the movie can be spooky at times, the drama of the scenario is what is given the most focus. There is a central mystery that drives Caul to do what he does throughout the film, and his burden is heavy. Viewers will likely understand his motivation long before it is explicitly explained, and that makes it hit even harder when you see what he’s doing to other people. His pain, and the actions he performs because of that pain, hurts not just himself, but also the people around him. Creep Box is a strong examination of grief, and there is no relief given. This is a sad movie. It works great as a metaphor, but it can be rough on the viewer.

Creep Box (2023)
Devon (Sean Mahon) sometimes seems genuine in his attempts to reach out to Caul, but at his core he is a company man whose job overrides his empathy.

Some viewers might also be turned away by the finale. There is a lot of buildup, but the final scene might not be what you’d expect. It’s not really a twist ending, but it’s a final moment that fits with the somber tone of the film while sidestepping some of the plot implications that lead up to it. It’s not bad by any means. I enjoyed it for what it says (and made me feel) about the movie’s themes. But some viewers might want something more considering the scenes that directly precede it.

Creep Box Rating and Recommendation

Creep Box (2023)
Creep Box isn’t for everyone, but it’s very well made.

Star Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Creep Box might be one of those movies where you have to be in the right mood for it. It’s quiet and depressing, but it’s also very well made. If you like sad movies that make you think, check out Creep Box.

Creep Box is currently streaming on TVOD platforms including Amazon Prime Video.

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Meet The Author

Chris has a degree in film studies at Temple University’s campus in Tokyo, Japan. He is a renowned expert on horror cinema.