Cell
Cell

Cell

2016Movie98 minEnglish

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.

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Insights

IMDb4.9/10
Rotten Tomatoes11%
Metacritic29/100
Google Users45%
Director: Tod "Kew" WilliamsGenres: Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Plot Summary

A mysterious pulse sweeps the globe through cellphone networks, turning most of humanity into mindless, violent zombies. Artist Clayton Riddell finds himself stranded in Boston and teams up with a train conductor and a young student to survive the escalating chaos. They must fight their way through the infected streets, seeking a safe haven and a way to reverse the horrific transformation.

Critical Reception

Cell received largely negative reviews from critics, who often cited its derivative plot, underdeveloped characters, and uninspired direction. While some acknowledged the potential of its premise, most found the execution to be lacking, leading to a disappointing adaptation of Stephen King's novel.

What Reviewers Say

  • Despite a compelling premise based on Stephen King's work, the film fails to deliver a fresh or engaging horror experience.
  • The acting is generally weak, and the direction lacks creativity, resulting in a forgettable zombie flick.
  • Viewers found the plot predictable and the scares uninspired, making it a disappointing entry in the genre.

Google audience: Audience reviews indicate a mixed to negative reception. Many viewers found the film to be slow-paced and unoriginal, comparing it unfavorably to other zombie movies. Some appreciated the performances of the lead actors but felt the story and execution were lacking.

Fun Fact

The film is an adaptation of Stephen King's 2006 novel of the same name, which he reportedly began writing on a computer and completed with a typewriter, inspired by his own experiences with cell phone usage.

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My Review

TMDB Reviews

5 reviews
gigoran

gigoran

After seeing the rotten tomatoes score I felt the need to come and rate this here. Is it the best movie in the world? No. Is it the worst? Heck no! For a movie straight to DVD and a low budget, it gets by well with 2 well known lead actors....
r96sk

r96sk

Very poor, despite the presence of John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson. <em>'Cell'</em> is basically <em>'<a href="https://letterboxd.com/film/land-of-the-dead/" rel="nofollow">Land of the Dead</a>'</em> without the proper zombies, at leas...
John Chard

John Chard

Brain Cell or Brain Drain? Well I haven't read the book but I like Stephen King, I like John Cusack and I like Samuel Jackson, so Cell seemed like a good choice for a late night cerebral chiller. How far off was I? As it happens, very! ...
Gimly

Gimly

I've never read _Cell_, so I'm not sure if this is an accurate adaptation of a bad Stephen King book, or just another inaccurate adaptation of a Stephen King book. But either way, it's bad. For a decent Cusack/Jackson team up in a King a...
iamnotapixel

iamnotapixel

This is another example of a Stephen King novel that has not translated well into film. It's the usual 'bogey man' from nowhere who gets inside you head and dreams, sent to create mayhem and destruction against the human race, who are bei...