MovieChat Forums > Cube (1997) Discussion > Why did Quentin behave like that? Becaus...

Why did Quentin behave like that? Because he survived 3 traps?!!!!

posted 10 years ago by al666940-3
13 replies | jump to latest

Everybody here keeps asking

SPOILER

why did Quentin, the apparent good guy/hero, become the villain.

And while some have provided good replies (personality, job, character flaws, tension, etc), everybody has missed an obvious one: the fact that he has survived 3 traps.

Think about it:
- The traps once triggered seem inescapable
- Nobody else (that we know) but him has managed to survive a trapped room (after tripping the trap)
- Since they are practically inescapable, being subjected to one and surviving is akin to being put through a mock execution.

See the point? There's a reason why mock executions are considered psychological torture.

After 3, is it really a surprise that the guy snapped (and turned against anyone whom he perceived as an obstacle)? A person's mind can take only so much.

[–] therefdotcom 10 years ago

the guy was unstable to begin with. typical wannabe-alpha male. it was just a matter of time until he cracked. those people just can't handle pressure.

[–] JonnyHbomb 10 years ago

Quentin knew something was wrong about Worth from the start, that didn't help slow down his alpha aggression. When the Doctor finally flat out confronted Worth about how long people had been placed here, Worth snapped '3 months'. I was only rooting for Levin and Kazaan at that point.

[–] al666940-3 10 years ago

"his alpha aggression"

WHAT aggression? Did he try to top Renn at some point when he sorta took the lead (just before dying)? I must've missed that scene.

The guy only became aggressive at Worth due to him clearly holding back something (and he was right), and Kazan after almost being killed by him tripping the spiked room. He clearly tried to motivate/persuade Worth at first, and became frustrated/suspicious of him when it became obvious he was hiding something. I don't see that as "alpha aggression", but as simple good judgement and assertive personality that law enforcement types (he's a cop, no reason to doubt him) always have.

[–] therefdotcom 8 years ago

(spoiler) you are talking about the guy that killed 2 people in cold blood, intended to kill a third, wanted to leave the mentally challenged for dead, sexually harrassed leven and beat worth to a pulp? that guy? yeah, totally relatable behavior when the reasoning is that someone withhold informations from him.

[–] al666940-3 10 years ago

"the guy was unstable to begin with. typical wannabe-alpha male. it was just a matter of time until he cracked. those people just can't handle pressure."

I disagree:
- EVERYONE despaired at some point in the movie, even Leaven (when Worth realizes the rooms are moving)
- Holloway was the ONLY one who didn't give Quentin any slack (everybody else stood out of the way and even agreed with him when saying Kazan was too much a liability, and he was sorta proven right when almost killed in the spiked room due to Kazan), and she clearly pushed his buttons all too well.
- You didn't address the 3 traps surviving. Nobody else endured such pressure so you can't say he was the only one who couldn't handle it. In the beginning in fact he's the one who keeps them moving along in fact, especially after Renn's death.

[–] Lolawoo 9 years ago

You're just making apologies and trying to rationalise Quentin's abusive behaviour.

[–] therefdotcom 8 years ago

exactly.

[–] surrealobsession 9 years ago

His calmness was a front, and under pressure began to crack. Holloway made three observations about him, all of which he proved to be true by hitting her, calling her a spy to Leavan, showing sexual attraction for Leavan, and dropping Holloway:

1) He beat his wife
2) He beat his children
3) He was attracted to teenage girls

He was a psychopath. He hid it well, but ultimately the Cube stripped everyone down to their bare nature, good and bad.

[–] MaximRecoil (4618) 5 years ago

"Holloway made three observations about him"

No, she made wild accusations. Baseless accusations are not "observations."

"all of which he proved to be true by hitting her"

Is that a joke? Not only do you not know what "observation" means, you don't know what "prove" means either. Based on your "logic," Buzz Aldrin proved that the moon landings were a hoax when he hit Bart Sibrel.

"1) He beat his wife
2) He beat his children"

Baseless accusations.

"3) He was attracted to teenage girls"

All normal adult males are, though in the case of Leavan, there was nothing in the movie to indicate that she was a teenager. The woman playing her was 26 years old, and she looked it too.

[–] mountaindewslave 8 years ago

Quentin didn't 'change' through the film, rather his real personality became exposed as things got more stressful and concerning

he was putting on an act. about his life, about his positivity, about his bravery- it becomes quickly obvious that he is the most selfish and scared of them all. He makes it sound like his only concern is his family and later it becomes quite clear that he has anger issues, is sexist, and probably beat his kids.

Quentin didn't change. His true colors just started to show.

she fell through a hole, and was never seen again

[–] Navaros 8 years ago

My theory is that all the technical film people who were standing around and setting the lighting and operating the cameras etc. kept making fun of Quentin and the others for their horrible acting, and all that mockery pushed Quentin over the edge.

[–] kingaliencracker 8 years ago

I don't think there's anything to Quentin other than the fact that he thought he saw weak individuals that he could take charge of. When those individuals demonstrated better personality traits than he had, he began to react violently and irrationally towards them and their situation, even though he was right in a technical sense about certain things that ultimately transpired.

I don't think Quentin was anything different outside the Cube than what was presented in the film. If push came to shove on the streets, he'd probably have violent reactions in those situations too - and likely did, as the film hinted at and/or indirectly stated.

[–] NigerGolden (67) a year ago

I've seen this film more times than I can count but I recently have ascribed to the Quentin-was-really-a-prisoner theory. He knew who Wren was and he was proud of his ability to size someone up in an instant which is skill that seasoned prisoners are supposed to have.