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Movies / On DVD / The Cell
The Cell

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The Cell (2000)

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Reviews Counted:139

Fresh:63

Rotten:76

Average Rating:5.2/10

Consensus: The Cell offers disturbing, stunning eye candy, but it is undermined by a weak and shallow plotline that offers nothing new.

Runtime: 1 hr 47 mins

Genre: Science-Fiction/Fantasy

Synopsis: A wild ride inside the mind of a serial killer, THE CELL is a movie that leads viewers on a strange visual and psychological journey. Catherine Deane (Jennifer Lopez) is a child therapist working... A wild ride inside the mind of a serial killer, THE CELL is a movie that leads viewers on a strange visual and psychological journey. Catherine Deane (Jennifer Lopez) is a child therapist working on an experimental new technology that allows for direct access into someone else's mind. However, the benefits of the technology are still unproven. Meanwhile FBI Agent Peter Novak (Vince Vaughn) is hard at work tracking down a serial killer who encloses women in a small glass cell and drowns them. Novak is able to identify the killer as Carl Stargher (Vincent D'Onofrio), but before he can be arrested, he goes into a coma. The only way to rescue his most recent victim is for Catherine to enter his mind using the experimental technology. However, Stargher's mind is so warped and frightening, there's no way to know what Deane will encounter inside of it. THE CELL is the feature film debut of Tarsem Singh, a renowned commercial and video director who overloads his film with visual splendor and horror, while sticking to a simple story of innocence lost and innocent victims saved. A must-see for fans of dark psychological thrillers, THE CELL features some controversial violence and sexual content along with amazing special effects. A chilling yet strangely elegant thriller, THE CELL is a stunning cinematic experience. [More]

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D'Onofrio, Marianne Jean-Baptiste

Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D'Onofrio, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Dylan Baker, Pruitt Taylor Vince, Jake Weber, Patrick Bauchau, James Gammon, Tara Subkoff, Jake Thomas

Director: Tarsem Singh

Director: Tarsem Singh
Screenwriter: Mark Protosevich
Producer: Julio Caro, Eric McLeod
Composer: Howard Shore

[See More Credits]

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Reviews for The Cell

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21 - 40 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
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The movie looks so good that its dazzling appearance hides some shortcomings.

Full Review Source: Cincinnati Enquirer | comment Comment
10/15/02
Margaret A. McGurk
Margaret A. McGurk
Cincinnati Enquirer

In the end, maybe The Cell isn't about much, and it could have been deeper and all but as it stands, it's still a must-see.

Full Review Source: Montreal Film Journal | comment Comment
09/10/02
Kevin N. Laforest
Kevin N. Laforest
Montreal Film Journal

The plot is a formulaic ditty where the cop uses a beautiful woman as bait to trap the killer. It has very little to do with surrealism or desert photography.

Full Review Source: Movie Habit | comment Comment
08/21/02
Marty Mapes
Marty Mapes
Movie Habit

The Cell is not just another serial killer flick. Despite its horrific theme and graphic violence, it’s a stunning work of art.

Full Review Source: ReelTalk Movie Reviews | comment Comment
08/02/02
Betty Jo Tucker
Betty Jo Tucker
ReelTalk Movie Reviews

Starting off as a lurid rip-off of "Silence of the Lambs," the movie eventually ...becomes a sometimes startling parade of nightmare sequences, most of which involve Lopez sashaying around in costumes designed to show off her well-toned physique.

Full Review Source: Kalamazoo Gazette | comment Comment
06/15/02
James Sanford
James Sanford
Kalamazoo Gazette

Gives imaginative and visual shape to as it were the very soul of misogynism, perversion, depravity, sadism, and the supreme nihilism and egotism of the damned.

Full Review Source: Decent Films Guide | comment Comment
05/08/02
Steven D. Greydanus
Steven D. Greydanus
Decent Films Guide

The film's visuals are stunning, even lovely at times, as long as you can ignore their depravity.

Full Review Source: Boston Phoenix | comment Comment
03/24/02
Gary Susman
Gary Susman
Boston Phoenix

No review available.

comment Comment
03/22/02
Globe and Mail

One of the most visually stunning films I have ever seen.

Full Review Source: Goatdog's Movies | comment Comment
02/28/02
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Michael W. Phillips, Jr.
Goatdog's Movies

No review available.

comment Comment
01/27/02
Jeremiah Kipp
Jeremiah Kipp
ToxicUniverse.com

There are those who will hate it, but hating it is a reaction to its subject matter -- not its accomplishment as a step into an adventurous movie landscape.

Full Review Source: Cinema Signals | comment Comment
11/27/01
Jules Brenner
Jules Brenner
Cinema Signals

No review available.

comment Comment
10/30/01
Garth Franklin
Garth Franklin
Dark Horizons

…it reminds one of the works of Clive Barker: strange, horrible and utterly unnerving.

Full Review Source: Flipside Movie Emporium | comment Comment
10/24/01
Rob Vaux
Rob Vaux
Flipside Movie Emporium

OK, class...again. 'Visually cool, but a really weak script.' Very good!

Full Review Source: eFilmCritic.com | comment Comment
10/10/01
Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
eFilmCritic.com

This was on my top ten list for the year, but it's not for everyone.

Full Review Source: Needcoffee.com | comment Comment
09/26/01
Widgett Walls
Widgett Walls
Needcoffee.com

There's much to criticize, even despise, about this movie. But there's no disputing the mesmerizing power of the images.

Full Review Source: Movieline | comment Comment
04/17/01
Stephen Farber
Stephen Farber
Movieline

as flashy and visually inventive as the film is, its greater importance lies in the way it explores the duality of serial killers in a way most films won't dare.

Full Review Source: Q Network Film Desk | comment Comment
02/27/01
James Kendrick
James Kendrick
Q Network Film Desk

I can't remember the last time I was so impressed by a film as seriously flawed as The Cell.

Full Review Source: Sci-Fi Movie Page | comment Comment
02/14/01
James O'Ehley
James O'Ehley
Sci-Fi Movie Page

Once in a while a movie comes along that is so visually stunning it tends to carry you away with it, even if the story and the acting don't measure up to those amazing pictures. The Cell is just such a movie.

Full Review Source: Laramie Movie Scope | comment Comment
01/01/01
Robert Roten
Robert Roten
Laramie Movie Scope

A kind of Vulcan mind-meld, but 100-times cooler.

Full Review Source: E! Online | comment Comment
01/01/00
E! Online
 
 
21 - 40 (sorted by date; UK critics are listed first)
Text View | |< << 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 >> >|
all

Latest News for The Cell

October 03, 2008: Exclusive: The Fall - Tarsem's Visual Companion - Part 1
Its otherworldly story split critics down the middle, but none can argue with the power of its imagery. Opening in the UK this week, Tarsem's The Fall is one of the year's most... More...

June 14, 2007: Another Superhero Movie! "Thor" is Coming!
He's a Norse god with a giant hammer. Bring on the bad guys! More...

December 01, 2006: The Weekly Ketchup: A Third "Starship Troopers," Jack Black Collaborates With Michel Gondry, Tension Between Fox And Marvel Over "X-Men," And More!
In this week's Ketchup, the campy classic "Starship Troopers" may finally get a proper successor with Casper Van Dien returning for "Starship Troopers 3"... More...

September 25, 2006: Toronto Wrapup: Senh, Jen And Tim's Raves And Rants From The Festival
We saw some great movies, some of them big ("Babel") and some tiny ("The Patterns Trilogy"). We saw some interesting failures ("The Banquet") and... More...

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