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The Cell

4.8

12,397

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Sequel:

The Cell 2

Original title

The Cell

Year

2000

Running time

115 min.

Country

United States

Director

Tarsem Singh

Screenwriter

Mark Protosevich

Cast

Music

Howard Shore

Cinematography

Paul Laufer

Producer

New Line Cinema

Genre

Fantasy. Thriller. Horror | Surrealism. Serial Killers. Kidnapping Film / Disappearance

Synopsis

The FBI track down Carl Stargher, a serial killer who abducts women and then drowns them and bleaches their bodies. But just as they arrive Stargher has a schizophrenic seizure and lapses into a coma. However Stargher has placed his latest victim in a tank in a remote location which is timed to flood and drown her within 40 hours. As time ticks away the FBI in desperation turns to a group of psychologists who have devised a unique procedural method which allows someone to enter the mental landscape of a patient. Therapist Catherine Deane has so far only used the process to communicate with autistic children but agrees to enter Stargher’s mind. But once there she finds herself in a disturbed surreal terrain where she is in danger of losing contact with her own perception of reality altogether and being taken over by Stargher.

Awards: 2000: Nominated for Oscar: Best Makeup

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Critics' reviews

"Though at times beautiful and always disturbing, this is strangely devoid of meaning (...) Rating: ★★ (out of 5)"

William Thomas: Empire
"'The Cell' ends up being nothing more than a good-looking, but nonetheless empty vessel."

Ben Falk: BBC
"A slender story that's not particularly suspenseful or involving, resulting in a movie that's a feast to the eye but not much for the intellect"

Emanuel Levy: Variety
"I know people who hate it, finding it pretentious or unrestrained; I think it's one of the best films of the year (...) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 4)"

Roger Ebert: Chicago Sun-Times
"Some movies make you sorry you've seen them, and The Cell is one of those. Creepy and horrific, it's a torture chamber film"

Kenneth Turan: Los Angeles Times
"The movie is riveting in its low way. It traffics in imagery profoundly disturbing. But D'Onofrio gives it heart--a black heart, to be sure, but a heart nevertheless."

Stephen Hunter: The Washington Post
"A decidedly non-mainstream serial killer thriller that has the sensibilities of an art film (...) For those who are up to the challenge, it's worth spending time in The Cell."

James Berardinelli: ReelViews

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User history

The Cell

2000

Tarsem Singh

4.8

(12,397)