Plot: What’s it about?
No matter what we think of cell phones (once called “mobile” phones), odds are that they’re here to stay. There’s even a very informative documentary on the DVD that provides the origin and history of the cellular phone. Nevertheless, as annoying as they are (to some) – they’re a veritable presence all around the globe. Screenwriter Larry Cohen tends to borrow a bit from “Speed” and from his own “Phone Booth” to re-create “Cellular”. Before the plot is divulged, I have to remark that it’s good to see Kim Basinger in films again. While she took a three year hiatus after her Oscar win for “LA Confidential”, she resurfaced in a few duds (“Bless The Child” and “I Dreamed of Africa”) before appearing in Curtis Hanson’s “8 Mile”. It seems that when an actress gets in her 40’s or 50’s – there’s just not that many parts for them anymore. The movie got generally good reviews, something that should be applauded with some of the crap that comes out these days. Whether you’re a cell phone user or not, “Cellular” recreates a drama that we hope doesn’t happen but somehow we know it has.
Ryan (Chris Evans) and his friend are hanging out at Venice Beach when Ryan spies his ex-girlfriend (Jessica Biel). In a last effort to get her back, he does some chores for her only to get sidetracked by a call on his cell phone. However, this is no ordinary call and it’s been made by Jessica Martin (Kim Basinger) who has been kidnapped for an unknown reason. Ryan quickly dismisses the call, but something about the person on the other end makes him keep talking. He believes the call to be real and heads to a police station to let the authorities handle the matter. After running into a dead end, he must face the roadblocks that will allow him to stay on the line with Jessica (her call to him was by random chance). We learn that the kidnappers are in fact LAPD and we also learn why they’re doing what they’re doing, but that won’t be divulged in this review. The subplot focuses on Mooney (William H. Macy), a 27 year veteran of the police force who is retiring to open a day spa with his wife. Mooney realizes that when Ryan came in, his problem was never solved and thus does some investigating on his own. As fate would have it, all of the roads intersect and there’s quite a dilemma as to who to trust and what’s what. I have to admit that I found “Cellular” pretty entertaining, though somewhat far-fetched.
Video: How does it look?
New Line continues to impress when it comes to video (and audio and supplements for that matter) and “Cellular” is certainly no exception. The 2.35:1 anamorphic image looks crystal clear on the screen with a level of detail that’s almost unimaginable. New Line’s new to DVD movies are among the best-looking out there and while the movie takes place during the day (one day at that), we don’t get many shots at night that might otherwise compromise the picture. Fleshtones are natural and very vibrant – the streets of LA have never looked so clear. I really can’t say enough things that could compliment the picture enough. Suffice it to say a score of “5” will have to do.
Audio: How does it sound?
“Cellular” has a very active Dolby Digital 5.1 track that comes to life in more than one scene. While the majority of the sound takes place in the front stage (front speakers and center speaker), I found that the surrounds were surprisingly active. There are plenty of squeals from tires and gunshots that will have your head turning every direction. Dialogue is clear throughout, even the voice on the other end of the cell phone is clear (most likely better than the real thing). At any rate, the sound is above average just not as outstanding as the video.
Supplements: What are the extras?
Not to be outdone by its technical scores, the disc also contains a pretty robust amount of supplements. First is the commentary by Director David Ellis. Ellis also directed “Final Destination 2” for New Line and his commentary track is just as engaging here as it was then. He talks of the problems of shooting in traffic, the theme of the movie and various production issues. It seems to be a pretty well-paced commentary track and one that I’d recommend. There are some deleted scenes that were removed from the final cut due to timing issues and a theatrical trailer. Three featurettes are also included, the first I found very interesting. “Celling Out” is more along the lines of “The History of Cellular Telephones”. In it, we get an overview of how the cell phone has progressed throughout the years and its impact on the culture of the world. “Dialing Up Cellular” and “Code of Silence” are more along the lines of “Making OF…” documentaries – but aren’t to be missed. All in all, “Cellular” is a very intense movie that reminded me of “Speed”, “Sorry, Wrong Number” and “Phone Booth” all (pardon the pun) dialed into one. Recommended.
