The Cell

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The Cell: Friday August 18, 2000

Jennifer Lopez stars as a child therapist involved in a breakthrough research program who is asked to journey inside the mind of a comatose serial killer in the hope of saving his latest victim.  © 2000 New Line Cinema

 

 

 

 

 

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Score:

Reviewers

Ebert UsaToday Mr Showbiz Herald Average
Points 100 37.5 60 50 61.8

 

Film-o-Meter

61.8 - Go See At Matinee

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Rating System:

0 - 40 points

Not Worth Seeing
40 - 65 points  Go See At Matinee
65- 85 points Worth Seeing
85-100 points Definitely worth seeing. "A must see!"
 

Director

Tarsem 

Writer

Mark Protosevich

Genre

Thriller 

Budget

 $60 Million

Starring:

Jennifer Lopez as
Vince Vaughn as
Vincent D'Onofrio as
Jake Weber as

Running Time

1hr  50mins

Rating

Rated R (for bizarre violence and sexual images, nudity and language)

Distributor

New Line Cinema

Trailer

 

Website

Official Site 

 

 The People's Review of The Cell

DanaSoft
score = 90
comments = I was totaly impressed by the movie, although there were some too rough parts, but at all it's so different and so great! A little bit of Anton Corbin and Bosch. I like it very much!
best regards,
danaSoft

Andrew
score = 100
D'Onofrio's performance was excellent. His character was layered and disturbing. He deserves major recognition for that performance.
The visuals were stunning and never boring. For those trashing the movie, try suspending your disbelief; you might enjoy the ride.

Lynn
score = 90
comments = This movie is a "MUST SEE" for anyone interested in the field of Psychology.  It takes you into the mind of a psychopathic, schizophrenic killer.  Anyone who likes really wierd stuff, shoul NOT miss out on this movie!

Crapper

score = 40
comments = Couldn't wait to see this movie. It was very thin on the plot. Special effects were great, but I kept my eyes on Jenifer Lopez and the effects. Besides that the movie has a lot to be desired.

Sabina
score = 100
comments = This film is incredible, a definite must for any who have a fancy toward surrealism and metaphor. Vincent D'Onofrio will give many to think about. He is a very talented, splendid, gifted actor but quite underrated. Hopefully this film will get more of him out there. Tarsem created a masterpiece with this. 'Tis true, as twisted as it sounds, I have always wanted a film to come out with this specific subject. It was quite tiring to see many films deal with a killer but leaving the viewer wondering why. For what purpose? I did not think anyone was going to get round to this. Thank you Tarsem. This is my opinion, not a review. Please go see and make your own opinion. =)

UMA 
score = 80 
I agree with most of the reviews when they pin-point the issue of thin plot lines and poor acting/ actors. HOWEVER, the movie was a fantastic head trip-- a postmodern pastiche of pop culture, gothic elements, Sumarian/ Babylonian epic, French mod (circa  late 1950s) cinematography, MTV camera choreography... I don't think Ive seen a film this visually imaginative in a LOOOOONG time.  Furthermore, if the acting, dialogue, script and plot structure were as manifiscent as the visual, people would be walking out of the theater demented. Go see it, but in an IMAX.

Pingu 
score = 70 
The Cell was not bad, and much better than I expected.  It kept my attention up for most of the time, but I felt that the plot line was quite thin, and I was pretty much waiting around for the actors to get back into each others' minds after awhile. I was a little turned off by the unneccesary gore in a couple of scenes, but it was an interpretation of the mind of a killer, so I can understand where that fits in. The special effects, as well as sound effects, were astounding, which created the dark and surrealistic environments of the inner depths of the mind.

Michael 
score = 100 
What took so long to make a movie like this. I think many strange and different people have been waiting for a film like this to come out. It's a must see again and again. One more thing "DO NOT FORGET TO GET WASTED BEFORE ATTENDING THE SHOW" Acid is a good choice.---TRUST ME---

Linda 
score = 90 
Intriguing, original.  Kept me glued to my sticky theater seat! Loved the special effects

jw 
score = 70 
The plot was a little far fetched, and many of the scenes were unnecessarily graphical.  It provided somewhat of an interesting insight into the mind of a psycho, but the route to this insight seemed a bit contrived. Also mixing this with Jennifer Lopez seemed a bit "chalk and cheese". I don't think acting is really her thing.  A great proportion of the movie is a therapy session in fantasy land.

paull 
score = 100 
This movie was great!! It scared pee out of me. I havent had that feeling from a movie since I was young, watching Friday the 13th! Superb special effect, excellant sound. Very creepy! You absolutley MUST see this film in a theater! Prefferably with THX. THe sound alone will frighten you!

dallas 
score = 50 
I give it a 50 because it wasn't half bad; just 49.99999% bad.  I read a review that it was like a 2 hour NIN video.  Agreed.  The plot was lame. They find the victim in such a way that you wonder why they had to "go into his mind" to get the clue that was staring them in the face.  The FBI in this movie is really dumb and the mind connect gizmos look hackneyed.

Brian 
score = 100 
I happened to see a sneak preview of this movie at a the New Line Cinema motion picture company, because my dad works there, and so we saw this movie a bit earlier before release.  I am kinda lucky! THIS MOVIE IS SCARRY AS HELL!  I mean, the entire theme to this movie is like a gothic/evil theme, and it really grossed me out as the movie went on, it was really scary in some parts.  I have to admit, them managed to keep a nice steady plot in such an idea for a movie.  Its impressive.  Though the actors were also the right choice for this movie, well done.  PERFECT SCORE!

NIKKI 

score = 90 

I saw some of the movie from the previews, and the movie looked good! The special effects looked good as well, but the movie plot didn't make sense. How can you use technology to get in a killer's mind? The nudity wasn't necessary, so that was a turn off for me.  The only thing that kept me going when I saw the previews was the special effects. If there weren't any special effects, it would have been another silence of the lambs, so it gets a 90.

 

RYAN

score = 20 

The concept of the cell was very good.  The story line is very respectable and what the makers were trying to pull off was very difficult. There was great potential but there are just far too many scenes that will leave the audience bored.  Much of this movie occurs inside the mind of a killer where his thoughts are like watching Marilyn Manson videos. Twister images such as a horse being sliced, and people being dead, alive, and mutilated locked in cells are disturbing and will give horror fans some thrills, but some of the acting just isn't fitting for the script.  Lopez looks lost, and Vince Vaughn, who is usually very good in his films, did not measure up to his past performances. Although the serial killer was convincing, he doesn't measure up to Hopkin's Hannibal Lecter.  The ending is also quite disappointing.  It is basically the nightmare on elm street concept of whoever kills who in their minds/dreams is the victor, while the other dies for real.  This made the final showdown between Lopez and D'Onofrio not as suspenseful as it would have been if it were in a live situation.  The one plus was how D'Onofrio's serial killer locked his victims in a cell that slowly filled with water. Very tense.  But as a hole, this is a wait for video.....and split the rental price with a friend on top of that!