Cell is a 2006 apocalyptic horror novel by American author Stephen King.The story follows a New England artist struggling to reunite with his young son after a mysterious signal broadcast over the global cell phone network turns the majority of his fellow humans into mindless vicious animals. [7] King stated that because fans did not like the ending of the book, he had changed it for the film. He is shot and killed, but a nearby flock chases the three to a nearby river. He got screamed at by his kid and living in a fantasy world (in where he blew up the antenna). The three decide to escape Boston. With a bigger budget and a longer runtime, “Cell” could easily have been elevated above … There, Riddell finds thousands of phoners walking in a large circle around a communications tower. The next morning, Sally, one of the survivors, is awoken and then infected by a group outside, who can now transmit the pulse through their mouths. Caught in the ensuing phoner carnage is Cusack’s Clay, whose cell phone battery goes kaput just before the pulse hits. The train's driver, Thomas "Tom" McCourt, suggests abandoning the train and travelling through the tunnels. Cusack and Jackson sell the scene so well that its squirm-inducing without having to resort to graphic gore. The visual metaphor might be considered a bit too "on the nose," but I didn’t mind. That is what i thought. It’s too bad “Cell” cuts the idea off at the knees. "[26] Bob Grimm of Coachella Valley Independent wrote that the movie "is easily one of the worst adaptations ever of a King story. You guys go ahead and I'm going to make my own films.' “Cell” appears to play fast and loose with its phone-based affliction, something that might have been cleared up had “Cell” gone the mini-series route like King’s prior novels “Under the Dome” and "11-22-63." The only real ending is him getting pulsed and joining the flock. Williams’ depiction is a decent action sequence, but it’s not scary. With Chris Dandridge. Ardai has a plan to use the stadium's gas pumps and a truck to douse the group and burn them, and the others agree to help. Anyone walking in blind may experience something akin to the temporary, frustrating loss of phone service when one drives through a tunnel. For a cautionary tale issued well past its prime, “Cell” isn’t bad. King’s graphic opening chapter of "Cell," which relocates the film’s airport attack to Boston Commons, gave me nightmares after I read it. As a result, their expected demises have the power to sting. The film was released on June 10, 2016 to video on demand, prior to a limited release scheduled for July 8, 2016. He reveals that hundreds of phoners are resting in the school's athletic field. Possum is a horror movie. I've also learned that I really am only interested in directing original stories that I write, that's another thing I learned through that whole process. That night, they are joined by Alice Maxwell, a teenage neighbor of Riddell's who confesses that she killed her mother in self-defense. [20], Jeannette Catsoulis of The New York Times criticized the film's "bare-bones screenplay" for being "wholly unable to deliver even a smidgen of nuance or depth", and called Cusack's performance "possibly the most detached" of his career. Cusack wears the weight of his character, Clay’s divorce on his shoulders in every frame; his emotional, desperate attempts to reunite with his ex-wife and son drive the narrative once all hell breaks loose. Couple this confusion with an unsatisfying, ambiguous ending, and one can see why, despite featuring A-list stars, “Cell” sat on the shelf for two years before getting a limited release. [5] Roth exited the project in 2009, saying: There was just sort of a difference in opinion on how to make the film and what the story should be, and there's a different direction the studio wants to go with it. Hell chooses Logan Airport for its coming out party. The film stars John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, and Isabelle Fuhrman. More a leisurely paced, character-driven drama with horror elements than an outright thriller, “Cell” wants to warn viewers that they have become too attached to their mobile devices. Bonded and Unbound: Sean Connery, 1930-2020, Disney+'s The Mandalorian Makes a Valiant Return in Season Two Opener, Amazon's Truth Seekers is Missing Jokes and Scares. Riddell, in fact, has been infected and is now walking in the circle around the tower. [18] On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 11% based on 54 reviews and an average score of 3.91/10. This isn’t to say that Williams is unaware he’s making a Stephen King movie; a scene featuring a truck filled with gasoline and a soccer field covered with teenagers ranks as one of the blackest depictions of morbid humor I’ve seen in years. One can’t squeeze 400 pages into 98 minutes. The group takes Alice outside to a tree to rest, where she succumbs to her head wound. ", "Stephen King 'Zombie' Film 'Cell' To Be Directed by 'Paranormal Activity 2' Helmer", "John Cusack to star in Cargo's Stephen King adaptation Cell", "AFM: Samuel L. Jackson Joins Cast of 'Cell, "Isabelle Fuhrman Joins Stephen King's 'The Cell, "Berlin: Isabelle Fuhrman, Stacy Keach Join Stephen King Adaptation 'Cell, "Cell is set to give a signal boost to a new kind of zombie movie", "Clarius Entertainment Acquires 'Cell,' Starring John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson", "Stephen King's Cell No Longer Has US Distribution", "PANDEMIC Added to Film4 FrightFest Glasgow", "Review: 'Cell' Offers Zombified Victims and an Unfocused Narrative", "Cell movie review & film summary (2016)", "Stephen King's 'Cell' Is Another Forgettable Adaptation", "A Stephen King adaptation that starts promising and devolves into nonsense", Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cell_(film)&oldid=985246667, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Frederick C. Johnson Jr as Rick's Partner, This page was last edited on 24 October 2020, at 20:52. Odie "Odienator" Henderson has spent over 33 years working in Information Technology. “Cell” reunites John Cusack with Samuel L. Jackson for their second King feature together (after the superb “1408”), and both turn in good performances. These people aren’t zombies, as they’re not dead, but they have all the familiar cinematic characteristics of fast-moving zombies. "[19] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 38 out of 100, based on 15 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". "[24] Patrick Cooper of Bloody Disgusting called it a "forgettable adaptation" and further stated that "the story packs absolutely no punch and the solid stable of actors look bored for most of the film. I thought that too. "[27], "Cell Trailer and Poster: John Cusack & Samuel L. Jackson & Zombies", "The 'CELL' Trailer Rings in a Zombie-esque Apocalypse! The group attacks Tom and Jordan. A movie focused on pedophilia, murder, molestation, and a human-headed spider puppet is a horror movie. Unfortunately, Clay was speaking to his wife, Sharon (Clark Sarullo) on her cell phone. Days later, they encounter a group of survivors in a roadside bar. Directed by Chris Dandridge. [6], Following Roth's departure, Screen Rant noted that the film "faded into the background";[7] however, in 2013 Tod Williams was announced as the director, which brought the film back on track. Moving on, the group encounter Ray Huizenga and Denise, who say that Kashwak is a trap set by the Raggedy Man. Clayton "Clay" Riddell is a disillusioned artist, who a year earlier abandoned his wife Sharon and son Johnny in hopes of living his dream of publishing a graphic novel. Rounding out this motley crew is Jordan’s headmaster, played by Stacy Keach. After sundown, the three arrive at a private school, where they meet two survivors: former headmaster Charles Ardai and scholarship student Jordan. This message was timely back in 2006, when the Stephen King bestseller this film is based on hit bookstores, but it bears some repeating. The film was panned by critics upon its release; most criticized the film's acting and plot. They all decide to travel there, and spend the night in the bar. They tell Riddell and the others about Kashwak, a state park in Maine where there is said to be no cell service. It's more than JUST a horror movie, mixing multiple genres, but horror is certainly one of those genres. "[22] Steve Greene of IndieWire gave the film a grade of "C-", calling it "a character study with a dearth of character", and concluding that the film has "no greater message [...] except that using a Bluetooth headset to call someone from an airport bathroom stall should be punishable by zombification". [14] The company, now called Aviron Pictures, later dropped the film. At Boston International Airport, Riddell tries to board a flight in hopes of reconciling with his family. It’s cursed with some really cheap CGI, but blessed with actors who are game for, and respect, the material. He probably got pulsed immediately after he … The Cell movie ending, however, made many viewers question what happened. I haven't read the book but I read he changed the ending after many people complained about it. Ah thanks. The remaining group, now including Jordan, continue traveling north. Riddell hugs him as he detonates the explosives in the truck, destroying the tower and killing himself and the phoners. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The group make it to Sharon's house, and find that Sharon has turned into a phoner. [8], John Cusack was the first actor announced to have joined the film in October 2012. I’ve got a big nose, so it fit just fine. The explanation of the Cell movie ending can be found at about 8:45 of this video. Ray confides in Riddell that he has planted explosives in his truck, and kills himself to stop the Raggedy Man from reading his mind. [1], Cell was panned by most critics. He runs the blogs Big Media Vandalism and Tales of Odienary Madness. This ending is confusing, so join me as I try to figure out what it's all supposed to mean. Hardcore horror fans will probably be disappointed with "Cell." Discussing the turn of events, Ardai posits that the phoners have developed a hive mind and are telepathic. Riddell escapes the chaos in the terminal, and meets a group of survivors in a subway car. Besides, there’s mild amusement to be had watching people shuffle around like violent zombies as a result of cell phone usage. [16] It was to receive its world premiere at FrightFest as part of the Glasgow Film Festival but was replaced at the last minute by Pandemic. Riddell sees the Raggedy Man and runs him over, and hears his son calling to him amongst the flock of phoners. Riddell agrees and, joined by a third man, attempts to escape the airport. Read his answers to our Movie Love Questionnaire here. Jackson is particularly effective, going the subdued route when larger-than-life Jackson would have been, in this case, completely understandable. [12], The film was shot over 25 days in January 2014 in Atlanta, Georgia. There are other notable moments that make “Cell” better than expected, sly little bits meant for maximum effect. Director Tod Williams (“The Door in the Floor”) seems more comfortable highlighting the underlying macabre elements in the film’s dramatic scenes than in depicting gory violence. [23], Odie Henderson of RogerEbert.com gave the film two-and-a-half stars out of four, commending the performances of Cusack, Jackson, and Keach but criticizing the film's "occasional lack of storytelling clarity", calling it "rushed and unclear in its details about the pulse and its aftermath. Dimension Films announced in March 2006 that Eli Roth would direct the project after finishing Hostel: Part II. I just watched the Steven King movie Cell and I'm confused about the end. Riddell learns that Johnny has headed for Kashwak. Keach’s screen-time is short, but he dominates every scene. A fantasy world ( in where he blew up the antenna ) the four sleep and all dream about raggedy-looking. 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