The Cell
It’s a shame that The Cell‘s structural plot points are so weak because the nightmarish journeys into the serial killer’s mind are gorgeous and fairly compelling. Most annoyingly, if Vince Vaughn’s character bothered to be a decent detective around the 20 minute mark, the whole endeavor would have been over ten minutes later. Instead we get an hourlong attempt at convincing Vincent D’Onofrio’s killer’s repressed psyche into telling Jennifer Lopez where his last victim is awaiting her death, before Vaughn remembers to check out the clue that the camera carefully pointed out to viewers – and the detectives – in the film’s beginning. It’s that clue that wraps the whole thing up. The mindgames don’t contribute at all to solving the case, aside from eventually reminding Vaughn’s FBI detective to investigate the aforementioned clue. Still, as a thin framework for a whole lot of disturbing and magnificent imagery it gets the job done. That’s certainly where the film’s strengths lie, although they don’t really add up to anything more than imagery and atmosphere. Then again, that will be enough for some basic enjoyment.
