The Cell

Details

Carl Stargher is a loner and, to put it mildly, more than a little disturbed, with some very obvious childhood issues. He gets his kicks by kidnapping women and videotaping them drowning in a specially constructed glass cell. Once the victim has drowned, he proceeds to disfigure the body so that it resembles a doll before suspending himself above it on chains attached to hooks in his back. As the kidnappings become more frequent, FBI agent Peter Novak closes in as the pieces of the jigsaw slowly begin to fall into place. The FBI eventually identify Carl and swoop on his house, only to find him collapsed on the kitchen floor. After examination, doctors conclude that he has suffered a seizure which has left him in a coma with no hope of recovery.

Unfortunately Carl had already kidnapped another woman, and the FBI had been hoping to find her at the house. As they search the property they uncover a gruesome workshop where he carries out the mutilations, along with a videotape of his previous victim trapped in the cell. By studying the tape the FBI realise they have only forty hours to find the latest woman before the chamber fills with water. The problem is obvious: with Carl in a coma there is no way to ask him where she is.

The FBI soon learn of an experimental programme that allows a psychologist to enter the minds of coma patients in the hope of helping them recover. Deciding it is worth the risk, they turn to Catharine Deane, a child psychologist experienced in the treatment, and ask her to venture into Carl's nightmarish mind in the desperate hope of locating the missing woman before time runs out.

Picture & Sound

The picture is truly stunning, with a bright and beautifully colourful image throughout. It maintains a high bit-rate and shows no obvious signs of artifacting. There are a few moments during some of the indoor scenes where slight outlining around the characters is visible, but that criticism aside this film is a visual masterpiece with some gorgeous costumes, remarkable set design and excellent special effects.

The sound is equally impressive. Not only is the animated menu scored in 5.1, but even the surround channels are used during the menu selections. It is within the film itself, however, that the soundtrack really excels. The surround channels are hardly ever idle, with some fantastic ambient effects during the journeys into and through Carl's mind. Dialogue in the centre channel is crystal clear and, together with some superb sound steerage, this makes for one of the best sounding discs of the year.

Menu & Extras

As is usually the case with the New Line Platinum Series, there are extras galore. There is a host of commentary tracks along with the usual trailers and filmographies. There is also an interesting empathy test which asks a series of questions to determine whether you are compassionate or a complete psycho. Also included is an interactive map of the human brain explaining the functions of its various parts.

Overall

Although it can become rather warped and gruesome, and the plot itself is not exactly overflowing with depth, the clever camerawork, striking visuals and the ever-watchable Jennifer Lopez keep the film thoroughly engrossing. Vincent D'Onofrio also deserves a mention for creating a genuinely unsettling screen presence, even when much of his performance takes place inside such an outlandish concept.

I found the film to be something of a cross between Seven and The Silence of the Lambs, only dressed up with much more extravagant visuals and a far more surreal edge. If you enjoy dark murder mysteries with a strong visual identity and don't mind the odd grotesque moment, then this may well be right up your street.

Special features

• Feature Length Commentary: Director
• Feature Length Commentary: Production Team
• Deleted Scenes with Director Commentary
• Original Documentary: Style as Substance
• Visual Effects Vignettes
• Interactive Brain Map and Empathy Test
• Theatrical Trailer
• International Teaser Trailer
• Cast and Crew Filmographies
• DVD-ROM Enhanced with Playable Demo of Cataclysm