Modern film audiences will no doubt be familiar with the idea and concept of Pandora’s Box. The term originates from an ancient Greek myth by Hesiod. According to sources, Zeus sent Epimetheus (who was Prometheus’s brother) a jar in response to Prometheus defying the will of the gods and giving man the gift of fire. Epimetheus’ wife, Pandora, became mad with curiosity and opened the box unleashing an endless torrent of maladies and plagues upon the world. As she hastened to close the jar, Pandora left a single item within - thought to be hope, which would eventually be the one thing to balance out all the horrible things released.
Nowadays, the term refers to the standard and infamous idiom “to open Pandora’s Box” which means to pursue or begin something that will lead to unforeseen negative consequences. Avid movie (especially horror) fans will relate to ‘Pandora’s Box’ being used as some sort of plot device, which usually leads to condemning the characters to a grisly end. Some outcomes are of course, more terrifying that viewers wouldn’t even want to wish such an end on their worst adversaries. Warning, spoilers ahead.
5 Annihilation (2018)
Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. That’s usually the core theme of cosmic horror, popularized by H P Lovecraft’s stories. Get too involved and caught up in whatever eldritch or strange phenomenon happening and that character is doomed to madness or death. Ignore or leave it be and prepare to perish eventually. Such was the fate of the scientists and personnel in 2018's Annihilation that entered the Shimmer, a mysterious zone that was caused by a meteor that began expanding in size.
Wanting to unravel the mysteries of the zone and resolve some of their agendas, the group realizes that everything inside the area has mutated. By entering Pandora’s Box itself, the team eventually loses track of time and a sense of themselves. Knowing that they may already be doomed, the group presses on only to be murdered by the eldritch denizens residing in the zone or decide to become part of it. In the end, nobody gets out unscathed leading to the conclusion that sometimes, certain forces shouldn’t be meddled with.
4 Under The Skin (2013)
Based on the novel of the same name, this 2013 science fiction film set in Scotland follows the exploits of an alien femme fatale (Scarlett Johansson) who lures men to a grisly and disturbing death. Subverting the idea of kidnappers prowling about in search of young girls in a suspicious-looking van, the alien in the guise of a woman successfully lures or kidnaps victim after victim.
Being a deadly Pandora’s Box herself, viewers are treated to seeing how victims are ‘processed’ once ensnared by the alien in some of the film’s most fascinating and disturbing horror sequences. Despite that, the film also presents themes of self-discovery and identity as the alien slowly tries to understand herself and her place in the world - a Pandora’s Box that evolves as a character. Regardless, the moral here is that one should have a healthy dose of suspicion if a beauty happens to take an interest in them, especially if it’s Scarlett Johansson.
3 The Thing (1982)
If it looks alien and monstrous, burn it. That’s the takeaway from John Carpenter’siconic horror film,The Thing. Based on the novel from the 1930s aptly titled Who Goes There? By John W Campell Jr, the film follows a group of researchers in Antarctica who through a series of strange events come in contact with a malformed alien corpse that appears to also be human.
Transporting it back to their base, the crew then experiences a harrowing ordeal as the disfigured remains (and the sled dog they retrieved) begin to perfectly consume and assimilate all life within the base. Fearing the worst, the surviving crew attempts to contain the threat by isolating themselves and deducing who amongst them has been assimilated. Showcasing cosmic horror at its best, the 1982 classic perfectly demonstrates masterful suspense and storytelling whilst advising viewers why certain alien artifacts should be left alone (or burned away into oblivion).
2 Event Horizon (1997)
An underrated classic,Event Horizon is a great film that explores the unexplainable mysteries and horrors of space. After vanishing without a trace seven years earlier, the ship known as the Event Horizon finally reappears prompting a group of astronauts to investigate the anomaly. After boarding the craft, the crew quickly uncovers scenes from a nightmare - blood on the bulkheads, missing people, and cryptic messages left behind.
Eventually deducing that the ship has taken some sort of sentience that’s been corrupted and warped by another dimension, the surviving crew attempt to destroy the vessel. However, this proves to be a nearly impossible feat as the astronauts slowly succumb to the influence of the ship and lose their minds. Deeply disturbing, thrilling, and exploring concepts of horror that present-day films don’t even come close to, Event Horizon is a brilliant film every film buff should catch.
1 Raiders Of The Lost Ark (1981)
Departing from the horror genre and cast of doomed characters is the first film from the beloved Indiana Jones series, Raiders of the Lost Ark which premiered back in the 1980s. Viewers will remember Indiana Jones racing against the Nazis to find the coveted and powerful artifact known as the Ark of the Covenant, a relic that was believed to make armies invincible.
Whilst the film is wholesome and filled with classic adventure, the Ark of the Covenant itself is terrifying. At the film’s conclusion, Dr. Jones and his love interest, Marion look away in time as the Nazis under the command of Dr. Belloq open the powerful artifact. The artifact releases eldritch spirits, bolts of energy, and other horrifying things which condemn the Nazis to a grisly fate. Dr. Belloq and his fellow cohorts even burn and melt in the presence of the relic, illustrating the point that old boxes from antiquity are sometimes best left alone.