Debut feature film director Tarsem Singh comes from a background of directing rock videos and Coke & Levis commercials. On this project, he's not just here to tickle the eyeballs and make adolescent kids desire consumer goods; he's here to disturb you.
The Cell borrows much from Silence Of The Lambs, with the sure-fire race against clock to save woman from serial killer formula. (Something about watching someone getting abducted, isolated, drowned and disected creeps me out every time...) The killer has a pretty complex personality (to put it mildly) and actor Vincent D'Onofrio covers all of his various aspects to a tee.
Vince Vaughn gives an interesting performance as the highly driven FBI agent in hot pursuit of the killer. (Isn't he supposed to be young or something? His vibe in this film is very "late 30s".) Alas, the killer goes into a coma just before the FBI corners him. His last victim is still alive somewhere, but no one knows where, and her time is running out. And they can't question their guy because he's comatose.
Enter child psychologist Jennifer Lopez and her high tech mind merge therapy. When we first meet her, she's trying to revive a 6-year-old boy who is similarly trapped inside his own mind. The boy's virtual world is surreal and fascinating, but when his defenses went up, I got caught off guard and got my first good scare of the film. Well, that was just a kid's mind; you ain't seen nothing yet!!
From the opening credits to the very end, Tarsem kept me captivated with his exciting visual choreography. There's more than just style, though. The story was interesting and well-told, and the characters were all reasonably believable. At times, you even feel empathy for the serial killer! It all unfolds very quickly and smoothly, and along the way there are a few images that will put a pretty good chill up your spine.
The Cell is pretty fun. See it in the theater if you can for full effect.