The Cell

Apparently, it’s not possible to create anything new in the crime genre, and thus it's up to the filmmaker's imagination and willingness to play with all the established clichés. Tarsem Singh, a young directorial debutant full of predatory Indian blood, conceived the film, for the most part, as a riveting dreamlike escapade in which almost anything is possible. Most filmmakers put the imprint of their soul in their films and frankly, if dream trips are the imprint of Singh's, I wouldn't want to be his psychiatrist. You don’t often see an obscure monstrosity, combining a child's fascination with simple toys (dolls) with a kitschy and exaggerated Bollywood-style set design (creative decorations, costumes), rendered with a few brilliantly executed camera twists and supported by a mesmerizing and maximally "off" soundtrack by Howard Shore. Maybe that's why it's possible to forget about the scriptwriting impotence and enjoy the form to the last drop, which wins overwhelmingly this time and for once it's actually not a bad thing. (06/11/2006)

For those who demand from a film eccentricity, visual impact, and mere deviance from the mainstream, Cela can hit the bull's-eye. The dreamlike scenes are visually provocative, sexually tantalizing, and appropriately imaginative. For those seeking a fully functional, elaborately crafted film with a quality script, Cela will be nothing but a waste of time. Above all, it lacks a captivating story, but also a notable hero. Lopez cannot even be considered an average actress, and she performs best in the film where she doesn't try at all and simply exists — with striking makeup and extravagant costumes. This combination of film experiment and crime genre did not succeed very well. Overall impression: 40%. (05/17/2007)

The American-German film The Cell is particularly impressive because of Tarsem Singh's amazing imagination. Jennifer Lopez is here in stunning costumes, but Vincent D'Onofrio also transforms into various demonic forms. The beauty and horror work well together, but only in the visually-elaborate scenes. Otherwise, it's a pretty ordinary thriller with only one extra aspect: Its breathtaking design. (05/30/2019)

A decade older predecessor to Inception with the dense atmosphere of The Silence of the Lambs or Seven. Fortunately, the rumors about Tarsem Singh being a visual magician were not just idle talk... The Cell is truly a feast for the eyes (definitely not for the soul, some of the scenes are really strong). I also give it an unconditional five stars (despite the lackluster Vince Vaughn) for Shore's wonderfully weird score. (03/01/2013)

Tarsem Singh tries to innovate the classic thriller motif of the hunt for a serial killer with the visual art of dreamlike excursions into the killer’s mind. Thanks to Howard Shore’s music, the thriller motive achieves the impressiveness of the best moments of Seven in places. The dreamlike visions are also amazing. However, combining these two elements doesn’t work, instead making The Cell just a chaotic film experiment. (04/11/2002)