When a strange signal pulsates through all cell phone networks worldwide, it starts a murderous epidemic of epic proportions when users become bloodthirsty creatures, and a group of people in New England are among the survivors to deal with the ensuing chaos after.Written by
mystic80
Distribution for the film was doomed from the start. Back in 2013, Benaroya Pictures and Miscellaneous Entertainment formed an international sales company, International Film Trust, and took the as-of-yet unfilmed Cell (2016) to Cannes to sell off distribution rights. No U.S. distributor signed on to the project. In February 2015, new start-up distributor, Clarius Entertainment, picked up U.S. distribution rights for Cell (2016), and planned on a late 2015 wide release. The extent of their marketing efforts was uploading a still image with their acquisition press release, no trailers were cut. Clarius released their first three pictures in 2014 and all three were box-office flops, Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return (2013), And So It Goes (2014), and Before I Go to Sleep (2014). Their other films weren't better off: She's Funny That Way (2014) went through a bidding war, which Clarius won. If any of the studios bidding on the film had won the rights, it would have had a theatrical roll-out, but after Clarius left the film in limbo, the producers were only able to sell the film to Lionsgate for a video-on-demand release, and small token theatrical release. My All-American (2015), now as Aviron Pictures, flopped hard, grossing a mere two million dollars in theaters, and The Outcasts (2017) saw itself in a similar bind as Cell (2016). Unable to provide payment for She's Funny That Way (2014) and its pending litigation, it is more than likely Cell (2016) and The Outskirts (2017) would go down a similar path. Enter Saban Films, the same company who swooped in to save Rob Zombie's 31 (2016) and now did the same for Cell (2016) on March 31st. Saban's marketing campaign revved up in April 2016, revealing the first official poster and trailer on April 26th, as well as U.S. theatrical release date: July 8, 2016. See more »
Goofs
At about 31 minutes one of the phone crazies runs into a clearly identifiable Ponderosa Pine tree. There are no Ponderosa Pine trees within a thousand miles of Boston. See more »
Quotes
Tom McCourt:
Clay, I'm really sorry about your family.
Clay Riddell:
Don't be sorry because there is nothing to be sorry about yet.
See more »
Crazy Credits
After the closing credits have finished, the catalyst signal from the movie plays for approximately 5-10 seconds, with no image, as if attempting to convert the audience. See more »
I remember reading this book and thinking what an amazing Movie it would make. With the right cast and script I knew this could be a winner. I waited for someone to make it and finally they did.
We were getting John Cusack and Samuel L Jackson. How could they not make an amazing movie.
I waited eagerly to view this long anticipated adventure and thought the day would never arrive when I could get the chance to see it.
Then I did.
Firstly it has very little in common with the book I read. the book is very clever and draws you into the story. The movie is not clever and the story is thrown at us.
In The book we care about all the characters. In the movie we don't.
I have to admit I walked out before the end. I just couldn't take anymore.
Why oh why did they not just stick to the books narrative.
I know you have to cut corners but they didn't cut corners, they invented new corners that had nothing to do with the story.
I love Stephen King and have read all of his books but I'm tired of seeing them butchered by Movie makers who just don't understand the story.
Save your money. Don't even bother renting this movie.
Watch TV instead.
200 of 277 people found this review helpful.
Was this review helpful to you?
| Report this
I remember reading this book and thinking what an amazing Movie it would make. With the right cast and script I knew this could be a winner. I waited for someone to make it and finally they did.
We were getting John Cusack and Samuel L Jackson. How could they not make an amazing movie.
I waited eagerly to view this long anticipated adventure and thought the day would never arrive when I could get the chance to see it.
Then I did.
Firstly it has very little in common with the book I read. the book is very clever and draws you into the story. The movie is not clever and the story is thrown at us.
In The book we care about all the characters. In the movie we don't.
I have to admit I walked out before the end. I just couldn't take anymore.
Why oh why did they not just stick to the books narrative.
I know you have to cut corners but they didn't cut corners, they invented new corners that had nothing to do with the story.
I love Stephen King and have read all of his books but I'm tired of seeing them butchered by Movie makers who just don't understand the story.
Save your money. Don't even bother renting this movie.
Watch TV instead.