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Cellular

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Cellular (2004)

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Reviews Counted:147

Fresh:79

Rotten:68

Average Rating:5.7/10

Consensus: Contrived but energetic B-movie.

Runtime: 1 hr 35 mins

Genre: Dramas

US Box Office: $32,003,620

Synopsis: The very definition of a "taut" thriller, this suspense yarn scripted by Larry Cohen (PHONE BOOTH) aims straight for the adrenaline glands and never lets go. A lazy beach bum named Ryan (Chris... The very definition of a "taut" thriller, this suspense yarn scripted by Larry Cohen (PHONE BOOTH) aims straight for the adrenaline glands and never lets go. A lazy beach bum named Ryan (Chris Evans) finds himself getting focused in a real hurry when he receives a random cell phone call from kidnapped biology teacher (Kim Basinger). She's locked in an attic with a room full of killers below, and has only managed to contact him via crossing loose wires on a smashed phone; if they lose the connection, she may never get another one, and the kidnappers are going after her child next. What follows is a nonstop race all over Los Angeles as Ryan deals with connection-threatening problems like tunnels, low batteries, and crossed signals. William H. Macy is great as the weary cop who doggedly senses something's amiss, and British actor Jason Statham (SNATCH) is a really scary kidnapper with a convincing American accent. Hitchcock would likely smile in approval of director David R. Ellis borrowing many of his suspense building tricks, as it's all in the service of keeping the anxiety jacked up to maximum. This is fine b-movie entertainment, with believable, intelligent characters, no GGI effects, and everything happening in (almost) real time. Highlights include a cell phone store visit and Eddie Driscoll as an obnoxious lawyer. Basinger is amazing, as usual, in a difficult role. [More]

Starring: Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham, William H. Macy

Starring: Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham, William H. Macy

Director: David R. Ellis

Director: David R. Ellis
Story: Larry Cohen
Screenwriter: Christopher Morgan
Producer: Dean Devlin, Lauren Lloyd
Composer: John Ottman, James Henckle
Studio: New Line Cinema

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Reviews for Cellular

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1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
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N/R

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Full Review Source: Sydney Morning Herald | comment Comment
01/17/06
Sydney Morning Herald
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: In Film Australia | comment Comment
02/26/05
Luke Buckmaster
Luke Buckmaster
In Film Australia
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Cellular cleverly fleshes out the premise of a cell phone being the connection between two strangers, and takes it from there.

Full Review Source: Urban Cinefile | comment Comment
02/03/05
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile Critics
Urban Cinefile
Top Critic Icon Top Critic
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
08/07/08
Jim Lane
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
12/27/07
Joe Lozito
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

Neither Macy nor Basinger nor the intriguing setup nor the bursts of situational wit can rescue this thriller from joining the category of movies that are so bad they're good.

Full Review Source: Christianity Today | comment 1 Comment
11/01/06
CT Staff
CT Staff
Christianity Today
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
02/09/06
Time Out
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

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Full Review Source: Film Threat | comment Comment
12/06/05
Film Threat
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

...a great way to release some urban angst.

Full Review Source: www.kcactive.com | comment Comment
07/25/05
Uri Lessing
Uri Lessing
www.kcactive.com

Cellular utilizes remarkable efficiency and ingenious construction to realize an exciting and funny story that seems plausible enough under the circumstances.

Full Review Source: Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema | comment Comment
04/14/05
Mark Pfeiffer
Mark Pfeiffer
Reel Times: Reflections on Cinema

A typical chase picture, albeit a good one.

Full Review Source: Reno Gazette-Journal | comment Comment
02/07/05
Forrest Hartman
Forrest Hartman
Reno Gazette-Journal

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/24/05
Apollo Guide
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

... pure guilty-pleasure entertainment... a one-gimmick pony that amazingly holds your attention for ninety minutes...

Full Review Source: MovieCrypt.com | comment Comment
01/21/05
Kevin A. Ranson
Kevin A. Ranson
MovieCrypt.com

Not just a matter of falling short of fulfilling potential; this is a genuinely irritating, over-blown movie.

Full Review Source: Apollo Guide | comment Comment
01/20/05
Brian Webster
Brian Webster
Apollo Guide

O bom ritmo e as competentes seqüências de ação quase nos fazem ignorar os colossais furos do roteiro e a implausibilidade da trama de modo geral.

comment Comment
11/29/04
Pablo Villaca
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

It's a smart dumb movie made by people who are intent on approaching ridiculous proceedings with wit and imagination.

Full Review Source: Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia) | comment Comment
11/25/04
Mark Palermo
Mark Palermo
Coast (Halifax, Nova Scotia)

A crisp, efficient, waste-free thriller that keeps us riveted for a full ninety minutes.

Full Review Source: Metro Weekly (Washington, DC) | comment Comment
11/04/04
Randy Shulman
Randy Shulman
Metro Weekly (Washington, DC)

The movie has a primitive appeal, but you have to do a lot of forgiving and forgetting to let it work on you.

Full Review Source: Las Vegas Mercury | comment Comment
10/31/04
Anthony Del Valle
Anthony Del Valle
Las Vegas Mercury

The film bogs down too much and too often to be entertaining...

Full Review Source: Talking Pictures (U.S.) | comment Comment
10/24/04
Tony Toscano
Tony Toscano
Talking Pictures (U.S.)
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date; Australian critics are listed first)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 >> >|
all

Latest News for Cellular

July 20, 2007: Larry Cohen Plans Remakes of It's Alive, Black Caesar, and The Stuff
Long before he wrote movies like "Phone Booth," "Cellular," and (ugh) "Captivity," filmmaker Larry Cohen was making horror movies about killer babies. And (guess what?) he just... More...

February 14, 2007: This Can't Be the Plot Synopsis for "Jaws 5," Can It?
I'll advise you to take this whole story with a few grains of salt, but let's just dive right in: There just might be a direct-to-video "Jaws" sequel on the way -- and... More...

September 21, 2006: Critical Consensus: "Jackass" Kicks; "King" Is Dethroned; "Fearless" Is Action-Packed; "Flyboys" Is Grounded
This week at the movies, we've got antisocial behavior ("Jackass: Number Two," with Johnny Knoxville and the gang), hell-raising politicos ("All The King's... More...

June 27, 2006: Snakes on a TV Clip!
It's not exactly a full-blown trailer, but if you're down with the "Snakes on a Plane" thing, then this 30-second TV spot should be a fun way to spend ... 30 seconds. More...

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