Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

The Cell Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 13, 2025

Even when he's playing an ostensible good guy, as in his long running stint as Detective Bobby Goren on Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Vincent D'Onofrio can be on the "quirky" side. And when he sinks his teeth into the sort of villainous character that Bobby Goren might have profiled on that Dick Wolf series, D'Onofrio can be one of the most viscerally disturbing screen presences of his general era. That proclivity is probably nowhere more (sorry for any Law and Order pun) in evidence than in D'Onofrio's absolutely chilling Portrait of a Serial Killer (so to speak) in The Cell, an extremely troubled man named Carl Rudolph Stargher. If D'Onofrio inarguably gives The Cell the bulk of its completely unsettling ambience, as director Tarsem Singh (The Fall) kind of hilariously jokes in a long form interview included as a supplement, if you can buy Jennifer Lopez as a psychiatrist, then does he have a film for you, D'Onofrio's presence notwithstanding.

The Cell received a 1080 Blu-ray release several years ago courtesy of its home studio Warner Brothers. Michael Reuben's The Cell Blu-ray review of that release provides ample plot information and Michael's reaction to the technical presentation, as well as a listing of that release's supplements, some of which have been ported over to this release.

The Cell Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Cell is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Arrow provides the same insert booklet for both its 4K UHD and 1080 releases of the film, with the following information about the presentation:

The Cell has been restored by Arrow FIlms and is presented in its original aspect ratio of 2.39:1 with 5.1 and stereo audio. Both the Theatrical and Director's Cut versions are presented in 4K resolution in HDR and Dolby Vision.

The original 35mm camera negative was scanned in 4K / 16 bit resolution at Warner Bros. Motion Picture Imaging. Additional film elements containing the sections unique to the Director's Cut Version were also scanned. The film was restored in 4K resolution and color graded at Duplitech.

The new restored master of The Cell has been approved by Director Tarsem Singh and Director of Photography Paul Laufer.

All material sourced for this new mater were made available by Warner Bros.

QC review was completed by Pixelogic.

Michael didn't have much to complain about with regard to Warner Brothers' own 1080 release from years ago, but I'd argue this new presentation of both versions (something the disc Michael reviewed didn't offer) has better contrast and overall suffusion, though the changes may admittedly be subtle. The difference is probably most noticeable in some of the "inner" material, where so much processing has been done to the image (I highly recommend the absolutely fascinating essay in the insert booklet about the efforts and techniques undertaken to get the very distinctive look of the "Mindscape" material. The palette is gorgeously suffused in these special effects moments, and detail levels are also surprisingly secure given the bells and whistles employed. I was somewhat less thrilled about the kind of brown look early in the film, though I'd probably argue that the kind of cool, almost sepia toned, look of some of this presentation is even more exaggerated in Arrow's 4K UHD presentation. Grain is generally very tightly resolved, something that's probably even more impressive given some of the techniques in the "interior" material in particular, where colors are so bold and contrast is pushed so strongly.

Note: A potential error of missing/repeated frames in the Director's Cut has been reported to Arrow and as any further information is forthcoming, the review will be updated.

The Cell Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Cell features an impressively immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. The "interior" scenes may have some of the showiest surround activity, as voices dart to and fro and ominous echoes pervade the "mental space", but there is regular and quite incisive engagement of the side and rear channels throughout any number of "external" moments, including predictable vignettes like the rush toward the end of the film as a helicopter searches for the location of Carl's cell. But even some of the relatively calm hubbub in the police station or even in the facility where Catherine works can clearly place ambient environmental effects in the surround channels. The "combo platter" score (see Michael's 1080 review for a bit more information) also careens through the surround channels with some surprisingly enveloping energy. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Cell Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc One

• Director's Cut (1:49:18) and Theatrical Version (1:47:19) are accessible under the Choose Version Menu.


• Audio Commentaries

  Critic Commentary is new to this release and features Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson.

  
  

  Screenwriter Commentary is new to this release and features Mark Protosevich with film critic Kay Lynch.

  
  

  Director Commentary is an archival piece with Tarsem Singh.

  
  

  Production Team Commentary is also archival and features director of photography Paul Laufer, production designer Tom Loden, makeup supervisor Michele Burke, costume designer April Napier, visual effects supervisor Kevin Tod Haug and Composer Howard Shore.

• Projection of the Mind's Eye (HD; 1:29:39) is a really captivating newly produced interview with Tarsem Singh, who is surprisingly funny.


• Between Two Worlds (HD; 43:16) is a newly produced interview with director of photography Paul Laufer.

Disc Two

• Alternative Graded Version (HD; 1:47:09) offers a rather interesting viewing experience courtesy of a version provided by director of photography Paul Laufer, sourced from a HD-D5 master. This is the theatrical version offered in 1.78:1. I've included a couple of screenshots starting at position 21 for those interested in what this supplement looks like.


• Paul Laufer Illuminates (HD; 10:47) is an overview of the background of the alternative version offered on this disc.


• Art is When You Find It (HD; 12:32) is a visual essay by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas, offering her thoughts on how Tarsem Singh alludes to art in the film.


• The Costuming Auteur (HD; 10:37) offers film critic Abbey Bender looking at the contributions to the film made by costume designer Eiko Eshoka.


• Style as Substance: Reflections on Tarsem (HD; 11:50) is an archival piece featuring interviews with the cast and crew.


• Deleted Scenes with Optional Audio Commentary by Tarsem Singh

  Trapped in the Cell (HD*; 1:00)

  
  

  Despair in the Cell (HD*; 00:39)

  
  

  Extended Raid (HD*; 3:26)

  
  

  Early Exit (HD*; 1:52)

  
  

  Novak and Ramsey (HD*; 1:29)

  
  

  Stargher's Room (HD*; 3;20)

  
  

  Extended Confrontation with Carl (HD*; 4:14)

  
  

  Extended Carl with Victim (HD*; 3:32)

• Special Effects - Six Multi Angle Vignettes

  The Hoist (HD*; 9:44)

  
  

  First Entry (HD*; 17:01)

  
  

  Second Entry (HD*; 18:48)

  
  

  Novak's Entry (HD*; 11:26)

  
  

  Catherine's World (HD*; 9:57)

  
  

  Edward's World (HD*; 1:58)

• Trailers

  US Trailer (HD; 2:25)

  
  

  International Trailer (HD; 1:24)

• Image Gallery (HD)

*720

The Cell Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's kind of funny to hear Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Josh Nelson joke about how The Cell was one of the first discs they purchased for their home collections back in the day, because I still remember buying my copy of the film and being gobsmacked by the visuals, as well as completely unsettled by some of the "damsel in distress" content, which I still find almost unbearable to watch. With that in mind, for anyone who hasn't yet seen The Cell, it's probably best to steel the nerves as forcefully as possible. This release offers secure technical merits and while this may sound like heresy for 4K UHD aficionados, I think I personally actually preferred the look of the grade on this 1080 presentation, though I'm sure others will probably prefer the 4K UHD presentations. One way or the other, along with a nice array of outstanding supplements, The Cell in 1080 comes Highly recommended.