Bill Watterson boxes clever with quirky comedy horror Dave Made A Maze

Relentlessly charming, funny and constantly surprising, Dave Made A Maze mixes comedy, horror and fantasy for a richly rewarding, stylistic treat.

Dave, an artist who has yet to complete anything significant in his career, builds a cardboard box fort in his living room while his girlfriend is out and finds himself trapped within it. Despite his pleas, his friends set out to rescue him and find an unfathomably vast complex of pitfalls, booby-traps and dangers inside the cardboard construction.

The directorial debut of actor Bill Watterson, Dave Made A Maze is an impressively ambitious fantasy which speaks to the introspective nature of the creative process and the frustrations of feeling trapped inside your own ideas. It’s a startlingly original idea, realised through astonishing technical achievement. There’s a uniqueness to the production design as they adhere to their cardboard world and yet the film is dazzlingly beautiful to look at. While it may play out as something of an existential horror, it’s often lighthearted and darkly whimsical rather than ever actually scary. Even its ‘blood and gore’ ends up being yet another delightful manifestation of its stationery environment.

Along the way, there’s heroism, heartbreak, surreal puppetry, a ferocious minotaur and even paper-based erotica if that’s your thing. Nick Thune, embodying Dave, exudes a relatable everyman quality, grounding the film’s surreal, fantastical elements in a performance that feels both earnest and endearing. Meera Rohit Kumbhani, portraying Annie, balances exasperation and affection with finesse, anchoring the narrative amidst the chaos of cardboard and imagination. Her presence is a steadying force, much like the eye in a whimsical storm. Adam Busch as Gordon brings humour and loyal camaraderie, his character a beacon of steadfast friendship. James Urbaniak, the documentarian Harry, injects an intriguing layer of meta-commentary, adding a cerebral twist to the already rich tapestry of interactions.

The maze itself, a marvel of production design, unfurls like a labyrinthine dream, each room and corridor a visual feast, showcasing the boundless creativity and meticulous craftsmanship of its creators. Trisha Gum and John Sumner’s intricate designs, coupled with Jeff White’s art direction, transform everyday materials into a wonderland of adventure and peril. The cardboard labyrinth is not merely a set but a character in its own right, breathing life into the narrative and inviting the audience to lose themselves in its beguiling intricacies. Dave Made A Maze taps into a childlike sense of wonder and adventure, reminiscent of The Goonies yet infused with a unique adult twist, a kaleidoscope of nostalgic inspiration and innovation.

If you’re looking for something quirky, wildly creative, funny and gently inscrutable then I there’s nothing more worthy of you unboxing than “Dave Made A Maze”. It has to be seen to be believed.