Cell (2016)

When a mysterious cell phone signal causes apocalyptic chaos, an artist is determined to reunite with his young son in New England.

Director:

Tod Williams

Writers:

Stephen King (based on the novel by), Stephen King (screenplay by)

Stars:

John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Isabelle Fuhrman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
John Cusack	...	Clay Riddell
Samuel L. Jackson	...	Tom McCourt
Isabelle Fuhrman	...	Alice Waxman
Clark Sarullo	...	Sharon Riddell
Ethan Andrew Casto	...	Johnny Riddell
Owen Teague	...	Jordan
Stacy Keach	...	Charles Ardai
Joshua Mikel	...	Raggedy
Anthony Reynolds	...	Ray Huizenga
Erin Elizabeth Burns	...	Denise Link
Jeff Hallman	...	Hog-Tied Man (as Jeffrey Hallman)
Mark Ashworth	...	Bartender
Wilbur Fitzgerald	...	Geoff
Catherine Dyer	...	Sally
E. Roger Mitchell	...	Roscoe

Storyline

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.

---

Plot Keywords:

cell phone | signal | zombie apocalypse | survivor | artist | 

---

Taglines:

When everyone is connected no one is safe

---

Genres:

Action | Drama | Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for disturbing violent content, terror, brief sexuality and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the scene where Clay Riddell (John Cusack) sits on his son's bed, he faces a painting of a ship on stormy waters hanging on the wall. It is the same infamous painting which hung on the wall of Cusack's hotel room in Stephen King's 1408 (2007).

---

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.

---

Quotes

Johnny Riddell: What's the name of the place we're going?
Clay Riddell: Canada.

---

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.

---

Connections

Referenced in Sean Bradley Reviews: The Dark Tower (2017)

---

Soundtracks

To Be Loved (Forever)
Performed by The Pentagons
Written by Kenneth D. Goodloe, Ted Goodloe, Joe C. Jones, Carl Rudolph McGinnis, Willie Otis Munson

User Reviews

A bizarre horror/thriller destined for cult status

Over the many year's movies have existed there's been a large number of questions raised by movies with answers non-forthcoming. These are questions that have been at the forefront of many a coffee date discussion, movie club forum or family dinner. Questions like who exactly is/was the "thing" (The Thing), is it a dream or reality (Inception), what was in the briefcase (Pulp Fiction) and now with this long completed and finally just released Stephen King adaptation we can add why exactly was John Cusack's in danger graphic novelist Clay Riddell so keen to pop on his beanie in the midst of a do or die cell phone lead apocalypse?

It's a question we may sadly never have answered and probably the only thing that will stick with you once Tod William's (where has the director who made The Door in the Floor gone?) film reaches its credit sequence, as this adaptation of one of King's least regarded books is one of those films just waiting to join the likes of The Wicker Man remake as a film that's just so bizarre and random it's hard to know who did and why they decided this was a film the public wanted.

In all its random glory however, if I was being totally honest, after all the negative press and jokes being made at its expense, Cell is not nearly as bad as it could've been when watched with the right mindset.

A seriously daft idea that induces a large amount of unintended laughter, Cell has its fair share of "what the" moments and it's a little sad seeing the likes of John Cusack (although he seems to have sold his movie soul some time ago now) and Samuel L. Jackson act through some insanely bizarre situations; I truly can't even begin to explain a scene involving a field of sleeping cell phone zombies, the film actually has some decent scenes and ideas that make this a B grade experience you can sit back and laugh at or with and an experience best watched with a room full of friends all up to witness a film that should never have made it to the cold light of day.

Through the history of movies we've been treated to King adaptation gold, from experiences like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Shining and The Mist, Cell is certainly not one of those and is certainly not a film of cinematic virtue but it's an experience that deserves to be seen as even if you hate every minute of this oddball ride its likely you've never seen anything like it before and if you solve the beanie mystery, please let me know.

2 troll lol lol's out of 5

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [Japan]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 June 2016 (USA)

Also Known As:

Cell

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,323,012

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Genre Co., Benaroya Pictures, 120dB Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color