hello to all!
this is my first review posted on this site. look for many more in the future.
this review is on the movie 'the cell'
click the link for the full review!
enjoy--

The Cell
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn and Vincent D'Onofrio
Genre: Crime/Horror/Sci-fi/Thriller
Rating: R - for bizarre violence and sexual images, nudity and language
Year Released: 2000

*BRIEF SPOLIERS*

This film, in a nutshell, is disturbing. It is about the minds of the criminally insane, and those insane enough to venture into the minds of the criminally insane...if that makes any sense to you. After my early-morning viewing of the film, I feel that this is a movie worthy of it's R rating.

This really is a tricky movie to review. Actually, it is a tricky movie any way you think about it. So perhaps I shall start with a lengthy plot line of the film.

'The Cell' starts off strangely enough, with Catherine Deane (Lopez) riding a horse, wearing a billowing white dress, through a vast stretch of desert land. All of a sudden, a gleam catches her eye - and she's off to follow it. She walks along the peak of a very large 'sand mountain'. The gleam catches her eye once more. She walks down the sand dune, into a valley, where she sees a small child. She approaches the child, as he puts his mirror away. He points out a shipwreck. Deane finds a model of a small ship lying in the sand. The child's face becomes deformed. And now, we're back to the real world.

This was all just an experiment - Deane just went into her patient Edward's mind, to try and make contact with the young child, who is in a coma. Deane is part of a team that has working on this experiment for six or seven years - trying to get into the heads of those who are disturbed or unable to contact others; in other words, people in a coma, and other assorted patients.

At this point, the movie switches over to a dark, and damp room, on a remote farmland location. A male, who is obviously our killer, stands infront of a large cell that is filled with water. Inside the cell, is a young woman - dead. As we see from other scenes in the film, Carl Stargher, the 'bad guy' (D'Onofrio) kidnaps young, beautiful women, put them in in 'the cell' for 48 hours, and showers water down on them periodically. This is his idea of torture - which it is. Then, after 48 hours, the water starts falling again, but never stops. Eventually, the victum drowns, and he then covers up what he did to make it look like a total different killing. It really is a complicated story line, if you think about it.

Now, FBI Agent Peter Novak (Vaughn) is profiling the case, and is determinded to catch him, and find out where his next victum is. However, his problem is that Stargher is found unconcious in his home - and only he knows where the next victum is. Now, Novak wants Deane's team to venture inside Stargher's mind to find out where his next victum is. The team agrees. And then it all starts.

I'm not going to give away/chop up any more of the plot for you. But be forwarned - some of the images that are shown inside Stargher's mind are as much disturbing and gruesome as they are fascinating. When I say 'fascinating', I mean that the cinematography, make-up, costuming and visual effects are all stunning. To tell the truth, there were a few parts where even I had to fast forward; and I've wanted to see this movie for a long while. 

This film is a big change from what we usually see Lopez in. When you think of the name 'Jennifer Lopez', you think 'cheesy romantic comedies, latino music and horrible 'Bennifer' movies'. But 'The Cell' has changed my view on Jennifer Lopez completely. I think that we all need to remember - that she started her acting career before she started her music career. Her real talent shines in the scenes that are set inside Stargher's mind. There is one particular scene where she's so captivating, that I felt like I wasn't even watching Lopez, but a haunting porcelean doll.

D'Onofrio was cast perfectly as the madman - he really is believeable. Some of his most powerful scenes is when he sees normal, everyday household objects, and is haunted by them from his childhood. In some of the early scenes of the movie, you can tell what his character is, and that he's really disturbed and creepy. Vaughn, however, is normally good in everything he does - that being said, he did quite a good job as the Agent / love interest. Also, look out for a very good performance from Jake Thomas, from 'A.I. Artificial Intelligence' and the Disney series 'Lizzie McGuire'.

Overall, 'The Cell' is a Science Ficton story. However, it also has the very obvious elements of a crime drama, a horror film and a thriller. It reminded me of three specific films all mixed together - 'The Silence of the Lambs', 'Hollow Man', and a pint of 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.' I wouldn't recommend to see 'The Cell' unless you have a strong stomach, and can tolerate many disturbing images. It really did keep me on the edge of my seat throughout, but it certianly is not your typical thriller.

Rating: (Out of 4)