Cell, The (UK)
Click to read:
This summer... enter the mind of a killer
Certificate: 18
Running Time: 109 mins
Retail Price: £19.99
Release Date:
Content Type: Movie
Synopsis:
Jennifer Lopez (Out Of Sight, Selena) takes a terrifying journey into the mind of a killer in this chilling, critically acclaimed psychological thriller.
When a serial killer, Vincent D`Onofrio, (The Thirteenth Floor, Men In Black) falls into a coma before his last victim can be found, a child therapist (Lopez) must use an experimental treatment to enter his mind and learn his secrets before it is too late. The visually haunting world threatens her very existence when she becomes trapped by the terror inside.
Now, an FBI agent, Vince Vaughn (Swingers, Jurassic Park: The Lost World) must rescue her from the killer`s nightmare mind before he too is lost to the twisted world forever.
Special Features:
Interactive Menus
Scene Access
Audio Commentary
Trailers
Filmographies
Video Tracks:
Widescreen Anamorphic 2.35:1
Audio Tracks:
Dolby Digital 5.1 English
Dolby Digital Surround 2.0 English
Directed By:
Tarsem Singh
Written By:
Mark Protosevich
Starring:
Dylan Baker
Jake Weber
Marianne Jean-Baptiste
Vince Vaughn
Jennifer Lopez
Casting By:
Ronna Kress
Soundtrack By:
Howard Shore
Director of Photography:
Paul Laufer
Editor:
Paul Rubell
Robert Duffy
Costume Designer:
April Napier
Eiko Ishioka
Production Designer:
Tom Foden
Producer:
Nico Soultanakis
Stephen J. Ross
Mark Protosevich
Eric McLeod
Julio Caro
Executive Producer:
Carolyn Manetti
Donna Langley
Distributor:
New Line Productions
Your Opinions and Comments
So what`s wrong with The Cell? (where to start!). I guess the main problem is the incredibly formulaic plotting and overly pompous script. These are both down to a lack of conviction from the director/producers. They`ve really not applied any character to the project and evidently let the studio call the shots, as is proven in the director`s commentaries on the DVD. He speaks of having to cut things out he wanted to keep and of altering the tone to suit simpler tastes (reading between the lines). Although he doesn`t hold back when describing another fault (bad acting) as he says Vaughn sounded stilted all the way through and was only natural when improvising (which was also cut!).
To be fair, it is visually impressive in places and some of the effects/locations are positively inspired. So if a few "trippy" sets and bizzare occurences are enough to keep you happy, then maybe The Cell will be right up your alley. I can`t think of any other way to justify its existence though because it fails on virtually every other level. It`s a by-numbers studio picture plain and simple...
Jennifer Lopez is typically un-impressive and this is another one-note performance from her. She is one of those actresses who keeps getting work based solely on her appearance. As people are prepared to pay for the privelege (the eye-candy syndrome), this cycle will perpetuate. I could ramble on all day about the laziness of this whole project, but why bother?.
Instead I`ll commend the quality of the disc, because it`s a solidly competent effort with ample additional features. Not ample enough to compensate for the duff film though...
This film was made purely to ring cash registers, so don`t give them the satisfaction.
I didn't understand this film, which is pretty bad, but by the end I didn't want to understand it, which is worse. I really think this is where DVD extra features should shine, with a "What the hell did I just watch?!?!?" featurette… unfortunately, despite searching for some time, I could find no evidence of such an extra!
One to avoid.