The Cell: Trapped Without a Story

The Cell Dir: Tarsem Singh Starring Jennifer Lopez Vincent D'Onofrio Vince Vaughn 2000 R, 107 m RATING: 6 out of 10

"I need coffee, and you need to go back to your Selena Shtick." Vince Vaughn gives some much needed advice to a confused Jennifer Lopez.

When the end of this movie finally comes, the audience couldn't care less about the actors.  Apparently, not even the director did.  Jennifer Lopez shows her acting skills are minimal, and Vince Vaughn, whom I had confidence might become better in his craft, here looks hung-over, disinterested, and generally tired and bored. The visuals are very disturbing and well-executed.  One that is sure to become an instant classic is the cut-up horse, in which we see the still pumping and working guts.  Original, shocking, and memorable. All in all, however, the film doesn't really make you care about any one of the characters, including Lopez as a dope-smoking child psychologist; Vince Vaughn as a tired FBI agent in a bad suit and tie, and Vincent D'Onofrio as the sick, sadistic, yet somehow generic killer. Don't go see this film expercting a fantastic thrill ride, a beautifully written script, or well-acted characters.  See it for what it is: a dark, disturbing, visceral, and purely visual film whose only sign of being Hollywood-ized is its three "major" stars.

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