Cell

R

Released Jul 8, 2016

1 hr. 38 min.

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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for Cell: Trailer 1

List

11%

56 Reviews

Tomatometer

17%

2,500+ Ratings

Audience Score

A graphic novelist (John Cusack) begins a desperate search for his estranged wife (Clark Sarullo) and son (Ethan Andrew Casto) after a mysterious cellphone signal transforms New Englanders into savage killers.

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Critics Consensus

Shoddily crafted and devoid of suspense, Cell squanders a capable cast and Stephen King's once-prescient source material on a bland rehash of zombie cliches.

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Dan R

2016's 'Cell' is a Stephen King adaptation that somehow sneaked its way past me originally. SYNOPSIS: 'When a mysterious cell phone signal causes apocalyptic chaos, an artist is determined to reunite with his young son in New England.' You can tell this is a King adaptation because the story is so absurd. But absurd on the page can be very different to how it transfers into the big screen. I hope that is the case here. With it's two leading actors you should surely be able to create something coherent and watchable? Nope that's not the case. It's lifeless and sloppy and I'm sure King himself is very angry about this. Adaptations of this type not only tarnish his reputation but could easily go and halt the production of other adaptions of his works. It's not even so bad it's good. It's painful to watch. It's an all time low for King adaptations. 2/10

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/20/24

Full Review

Ashley M

This movie had a really good concept and at the beginning it was really well executed. Halfway through the movie it slowed down so much it got boring and the ending just didn't make any sense. There were so many ways they could have ended it that would have made sense and made it a really decent movie but instead they left too many unanswered questions. I wanted it to be a good movie so bad, but it was really disappointing.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/02/24

Full Review

Ben T

A violent start quickly gives way to a slow and disappointing film that ends up being just another zombie film with little to make it any different. Despite a screenplay by Stephen King, whose novel the film is based on, this is an extremely dull translation from book to screen. A great idea of wiping out the population by mobile phone is let down by a plodding script. A big let down.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

02/02/24

Full Review

Joe F

Although this movie had good production value, the plot was unimaginative and obdslla waste of time. It's hard to believe they a ingot Samuel L. Jackson and John Cusack to play in this .

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/16/24

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malcolm m

Ok yes this is a poorly produced movie and actors are not great but I found the story to be interesting.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/10/24

Full Review

Lind S

Wake Up! And read between the lines. Its 2023! So many movies tell you something but it's only those that are awake that see it. Watch and review it yourself.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

10/04/23

Full Review

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Tod Williams

Director

John Cusack

Clay Riddell

Samuel L. Jackson

Tom McCourt

Isabelle Fuhrman

Alice Maxwell

Owen Teague

Jordan

Clark Sarullo

Sharon Riddell

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88%

65%

He Never Died

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for He Never Died

56%

29%

Viral

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for Viral

88%

79%

Don't Breathe

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for Don't Breathe

36%

30%

The Other Side of the Door

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for The Other Side of the Door

15%

22%

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Cell: Trailer 1

2:30

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Steve Greene

indieWire

This is the undead equivalent of fast food. Some might find comfort in all these known quantities. Those looking for anything of substance would do better to wait for an upgrade.

Rated: C-

Jan 1, 2017

Full Review

Kevin Maher

Times (UK)

A deeply silly horror movie.

Rated: 1/5

Oct 10, 2016

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

The slapdash quality to the plotting is matched by the inept film-making - the dialogue is frequently inaudible, the night scenes murkily lit.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 28, 2016

Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The film's lifelessness and sloppiness represent an all-time-low for King adaptations, which is saying something.

Rated: 0.5/4

Apr 11, 2022

Full Review

Victoria Luxford

City AM

Cheap production values underline the suspicion that this started out as an earnest attempt to adapt the book, and devolved into a mediocre zombie film in a world overrun with mediocre zombie films.

Rated: 1/5

Feb 18, 2022

Full Review

Jason Adams

My New Plaid Pants

It feels like they had one day too few too shoot it, one dollar too little, one hot cappuccino two degrees too cold delivered to John Cusack's trailer just a minute too late to put him in the right mood on the first day of shooting

Jul 6, 2021

Full Review

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Synopsis

A graphic novelist (John Cusack) begins a desperate search for his estranged wife (Clark Sarullo) and son (Ethan Andrew Casto) after a mysterious cellphone signal transforms New Englanders into savage killers.

Director: Tod Williams
Executive Producer: John Cusack, Paddy Cullen, Laurence Freed, Xavier Gens
Screenwriter: Stephen King, Adam Alleca
Distributor: Saban Films
Production Co: Genre Company, Benaroya Pictures
Rating: R (Disturbing Violent Content|Brief Sexuality|Language|Terror)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 8, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 29, 2016

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