Imagine a cellphone pulse that could send information to the human brain the way fax machines communicate. Then imagine that this pulse has an evil intent. Turning people who receive the signal into rabid killers. That is the premise of Stephen King's Cell. I read the book many years ago. It was actually written in 2006 before cell phones became as ubiquitous as they are now. I liked the book a lot more than the film. The book did not translate well.
Clay Riddell (John Cusack) wants to see his son. Things haven't been going great. Shortly after speaking to his son from the airport, a strange pulse is sent out across the cell phone network, turning anyone listening into maniacs. We soon learn it is worse than just madness. There is a flocking pattern to the movement of the phone zombies. There is a collective intelligence lurking, creating incredible danger. Riddell finds himself teamed up with a train conductor, Tom McCourt (Samuel L. Jackson). The pair end up teaming with other humans as they attempt to make sense of the madness. When Riddell sets off on his own to find his son, his only salvation may be a doomsday switch in the form of a cellphone. In uncharted waters, it is hard to know which direction things will turn.
Based loosely on the story of Orpheus, this film had some potential. The characters never really came alive for me. The casting was horrible, as well. Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson? Some people might consider that a powerhouse combination. I don't care for either one. Jackson is one-dimensional and Cusack always seems a bit subdued to me. They didn't have much to work with anyway. Even though Stephen King helped create the screenplay based on his book, the story did not translate well to the screen. The characters ended up a bit flat and the story felt choppy. As much as I hoped I would like this film, I couldn't get into it. It was too superficial.
The cinematography was as weak as the screenplay. The film had a throwback look (not a compliment) that felt a bit grainy. The shots were not evenly centered, keeping the film a bit off kilter. The special effects looked ten years old (or worse). There wasn't a lot of action, but the action we did get felt more like television than film. Whoever story-boarded this film whiffed bad. I'm not familiar with Director Tod Williams' other work (his biggest film appears to have been Door in the Floor) but I don't think I will be seeking out any of his future project. This film just felt sloppy in all aspects.
Cell has a run time of 98 minutes. This is a film that might have benefited from using a full two hours to develop the story. At least a bit more character development if nothing else. The story has plenty of violence, which includes numerous violent attacks. For example, in one scene, a TSA dog handler is seen eating his dog alive. The violent content, some sexuality and strong language (but primarily the violence) earned this film an R rating from the MPAA.
Cell is not all that original. It is typical Stephen King. Part a commentary on society, but mostly mundane turned macabre. The concept works, but the film didn't fully seize this opportunity. The flat characters, choppy editing, poor cinematic quality and average special effects made this film forgettable. I would like to offer a recommendation, but this is one I would suggest avoiding. 4.5/10.
