Rating summary

Movie		1.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.0
Overall		1.5

Cell Blu-ray Movie Review

Can you hear me? Ow!!

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 29, 2016

I swear to heaven there must be some kind of “Concept of the Month” club that Hollywood screenwriters can subscribe to which can help them come up with their next supposed blockbuster. I’m now up to three films I’ve had to personally review which feature the premise of cell phones being programmed to at least take over the minds of their users, if not to turn them into merciless killers. Kingsman: The Secret Service posited Samuel L. Jackson as a nefarious villain named Richmond Valentine whose new top secret SIM card is installed free of charge into countless cell phones, leading to calamitous results. Now You See Me 2 posited Ben Lamb as a nefarious villain named Owen Case whose top secret cell phone chip at the very least would seriously compromise personal privacy. And now comes Cell, which at least has the bragging rights of having been based on a Stephen King novel which predates those two other films, but which in virtually every other way dramatically fails to prove the maxim “three’s the charm”. Unfortunately, Cell gives way fairly early on to what plays like a B-movie version of The Walking Dead. The film’s narrative is also hampered by some wobbly writing and production approaches which continually undercut any supposed suspense, leaving star John Cusack to appear only slightly more animated than the zombie like creatures who surround him after a “pulse” transforms all cell phone users into shambling killers.

Kind of amazingly, King himself is credited with co-authoring the screenplay of Cell, something that on its face would seem to augur at least a decently written film. But something went seriously off the rails somewhere along the way with Cell, like an errant signal that can’t quite find its tower. The film is almost laughably inept at a number of junctures, but it at least has a pretty visceral opening sequence where Clay Riddell (John Cusack) is celebrating what seems to be a rare career victory by checking in via cell phone with his estranged wife and sweet little boy. Things are obviously not very happy on the home front, but Clay is additionally annoyed by a failing phone battery which forces him to utilize that now ancient technology, the pay phone. That decision turns out to be a life saver of sorts, for as he’s attempting to continue his conversation, he suddenly becomes aware that the rest of the airport denizens, most of whom were (of course) seemingly surgically attached to their cell phones all suddenly start frothing at the mouth and then begin randomly attacking each other (or even themselves, in one startling vignette).

King is the master of creating a scary context without ever really providing any ultimate answers as to why the frightening events are occurring or have occurred, and that’s once again the case with Cell. Some later lip service in the film attempts—fleetingly—to create a kind of metaphorical “rationale” that cell phones have replaced idle hands as the Devil’s toolbox, but like so much else in the film, nothing is ever developed very well. In fact, even the exciting first sequence is seemingly cut and pasted together in a haphazard manner, so that despite the accruing mayhem, there’s no sense of urgency. Why, for example, does Clay suddenly pull on a knit cap in the airport, as if that’s going to keep him safe? Is it the “zombie” equivalent to wearing tin foil to keep oneself from alien transmissions? The fact that this moment seems to be suggesting something important that is not detailed well enough to resonate in any meaningful way can be seen as the general problem afflicting the film as a whole, here in microcosm.

Clay of course gets out of the airport (big surprise) and ultimately finds refuge with a subway conductor named Tom (Samuel L. Jackson), and later another survivor named Alice (Isabelle Fuhrman). Clay wants to get back to his home to try to reunite with his wife and son, but others are more interested in finding a cell phone free zone in order to try some spot that’s safe. Once again there seems to be ample content to exploit with this particular plot point. Who, while surrounded by quasi-“zombies” attached to their cell phones in a public place, hasn’t wished for an “island” of sorts where they can be shorn of such isolating behaviors? But Cell simply treats this as another expository plot point, an item to be mentioned for its narrative thrust and then simply discarded.

There are the expected showdowns both with strangers and, ultimately, loved ones, but Cell lacks any sense of real tension, this despite numerous tracking shots of wary individuals entering rooms where they’re not sure if “phoners” lurk. The film is oddly edited, with some characters inadequately introduced and/or developed, and the writing seeming both undercooked and overwrought, often simultaneously. Jackson seems to be along largely for a paycheck, while Cusack’s involvement (he also co-produced) might be similarly motivated. Some of the best “performances” are by the multitude of extras who have to just stand there, leaning forward with their mouths agape, as if they’re wondering, “What am I doing this film for?”

Cell Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Cell is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Lionsgate Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.40:1. Technical data on the film is a bit hard to come by online, but it appears this was digitally shot, as evidenced by the smooth textures and generally high levels of detail, as well as the somewhat murky and ill defined ambience that informs many of the film's (ubiquitous) dark scenes. There's quite a bit of color grading going on throughout the film, sometimes in rather unique tones. One long sequence is kind of teal or greenish looking, while several others have a purplish tint. A recurring element finds some outdoor sequences looking strikingly desaturated, with only specific hues remaining in the image. Through all of this, detail levels are generally fairly commendable, but again they tend to give way in the darkest scenes. When not graded, the palette looks decently natural, at least within the stylistic confines of the film, which often tend to emphasize a cooler look.

Cell Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Cell achieves sporadic but at times quite effective immersion with its DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix. Standout moments include the opening maelstrom at the airport, where all hell breaks loose and the surrounds are filled with the cacophony of multitudes going berserk. A later element which sees hordes of "phoners" traipsing through the frame like lemmings on their way to some unseen cliff also has some cool immersive capabilities. Otherwise, the film has a lot of talky moments, interrupted occasionally but expected startle effects. Here, the track may not offer a wealth of depth or surround activity, but supports everything with excellent fidelity and wide dynamic range.

Cell Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Filmmaker Commentary features director Tod "Kip" Williams.


• To Cell and Back: Making the Film (1080p; 12:04) is standard EPK fare.

Cell Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Cell has a spooky enough premise, even if it's a by now derivative seeming premise (something ironic, given the fact that King's original novel predates some of the other films offering "killer" cell phones). But the film is haphazardly structured, inartfully directed and edited, and kind of nonchalantly performed by a cast that seems content to simply get through the madness to some better project awaiting down the line. Technical merits are generally fine for those considering a purchase.