Cell (film) - Stephen King zombi'esque flick

[Cereval]

As much as I hated Cabin Fever and Hostel, I still trust Eli Roth (don't ask me why). The interviews I've seen with him show him to be a horror-smart kind of guy. Sadly, his output doesn't match his demeanor. But either way, Cell as a movie would kick an everloving amount of arse. Although I'm still in the last 1/4 of the (audio) book, I know enough to say it's rather badass.

http://www.cinemablend.com/new.php?id=2322

[erisi236]

heh, I have to ask, why DO you trust Eli Roth :D

I kindda liked Hostel and Cabin Fever, so I'm guessing I'll like the Cell movie, but then, I like alot of King movies, so what does that tell you? :D

[Cereval]

heh, I have to ask, why DO you trust Eli Roth :D

I think it was during the Romero doc that they showed at the Director's Cut screening of Land of the Dead. Or maybe some other doc. But Eli spoke with knowledge, not just of George but of the genre in general. If I met him at 3AM at Denny's and talked horror with him, I'd prolly ask him to make a movie with me. But like I said, although he talks a good game ...

[AssassinFromHell]

I didn't think Cabin Fever was bad, but it wasn't great either. Hostel was horrible. So I don't have much hope invested in this film adaption...considering it has happened so fast. I think it's absurd to jump into a film just after the novel's release.

[Cereval]

So I don't have much hope invested in this film adaption...considering it has happened so fast. I think it's absurd to jump into a film just after the novel's release.

I didn't really think about this ... you have a very good point. Smells like another cash-in ... specially considering its ties to the zombie genre ... :shifty:

[erisi236]

course another zombie-ish film in theaters isn't the WORST thing ever :cool:

[Cereval]

course another zombie-ish film in theaters isn't the WORST thing ever :cool:

Totally. And if you've read Cell, you know there's more to it than the zombie aspect ... King brings his flavor ... :skull:

[Adrenochrome]

Totally. And if you've read Cell, you know there's more to it than the zombie aspect ... King brings his flavor ... :skull:

yes, I love "what happens" with the cell phones (I have no idea who all here has read it or how far those of you reading it have gotten) - It's very "zombie-like" with that infamous King Twist!
I'm very curious as to what you guys think about the ending - I just can't do the spoiler thing - so, any of you that's finished, please send me a private msg with your thoughts on the ending. (or, the second half of the book)

[AssassinFromHell]

Totally. And if you've read Cell, you know there's more to it than the zombie aspect ... King brings his flavor ... :skull:

And you can bet that this film won't break the number one rule of remakes and adaptions: Forget the flavor, it's not what makes you the money.

This is exactly why I get queezy about the thought. Even more, they chose Eli Roth, who is nothing special and another one of those kiddie guys who can't doing anything beyond these cheap horror flicks. I wonder who will write this thing...James Gunn? The apparent "big fan" of something, but can't follow it. Here's my prediction into the comparison to Dawn of the Dead and its remake.

Dawn of the Dead was its own entity. It accidently slammed consumerism, and it had a deeper meaning than just "let's have a kill fest of zombies". The remake just stole the mall idea, and there wasn't much for meaning through the film. The meaning was left out. James Gunn was a bad writer. I hate to make comments like that, but he was. His original draft had undead birds and zombies who could climb. The development was even worse than it was in the film.

Now you've got a kiddie director tackling a Stephen King book, which is more than just the zombies, as Romero had. What happens when a veteran of the genre creates something with more of a meaning than just the zombies? But you know what will probably happen with the Cell movie? There will be no meaning. Eli Roth, through his directing which lacks any greater meaning besides lets boast gore, will leave out major tidbits. Sure he sounds like a horror buff. Well, that's not enough. James Gunn claimed to be a big fan. He massacred Dawn of the Dead with a cruddy remake, which was saved by a couple revisions and a director who wasn't bad considering his lacking experience. The boys at Taurus Entertainment claim to be devoted to sticking to Romero and claim to be big fans. Well, look at Day of the Dead: Contagium. It has NOTHING to do with Day of the Dead.

I have a bad feeling about the Cell movie. It's not going to be as great of the book. Not even close.

[MinionZombie]

I dug Cabin Fever, albeit a highly referrential film - the old "it's my first film so I have to reference as many greats as possible" - I did the same making my first proper fictional film, but on the second I laid off on all that shizzle.

As for Hostel - I was disappointed. Where was all the torture and violence? More than half the movie was horny teens lost in Europe boning hot chicks - that's it. I don't wanna get to know the characters THAT much, I want to get straight into the torture and gore as soon as possible (without just being too obvious), and make it a hefty amount of violence - for a film that's supposed to be really shocking it was intensely tame. Also - they could have made the 'point' of the torture place more obvious and could have really explored that world SO MUCH MORE.

So Hostel was indeed a disappointment, but the dude certainly does know his horror flicks and has a good philosophy on the whole genre - he just needs to work on his execution.

Which reminds me of Rob Zombie - when you watch the 30 Days In Hell doc on the Devils Rejects DVD, you really get a very clear sense he's knows exactly what he's doing and that he too is a major horror film 'geek' and his outlook on film violence is good too - it's supposed to shock.

[livingdeadboy]

I also trust Eli Roth, I have more than enjoyed his last two movies. I just don't trust CELL, I didn't think it was that great of a story myself. It had a lot of good parts but I feel it lost a lot of spunk about half way into the story.

[DrSiN]

I have a bad feeling because while Cabin Fever was fair to ok.. Hostel was crap!

[DjfunkmasterG]

I have to say "thumbs down" to Eli Roth helming CELL. No one has yet to make a good adaption of Stephen's work other than Frank Darabont, whom is helming "The Mist" why not give the reigns to him. ****, give it to anyone besides Eli... PLEASE GOD I BEG OF YOU!


I dug Cabin Fever, albeit a highly referrential film - the old "it's my first film so I have to reference as many greats as possible" - I did the same making my first proper fictional film, but on the second I laid off on all that shizzle.

As for Hostel - I was disappointed. Where was all the torture and violence? More than half the movie was horny teens lost in Europe boning hot chicks - that's it. I don't wanna get to know the characters THAT much, I want to get straight into the torture and gore as soon as possible (without just being too obvious), and make it a hefty amount of violence - for a film that's supposed to be really shocking it was intensely tame. Also - they could have made the 'point' of the torture place more obvious and could have really explored that world SO MUCH MORE.

So Hostel was indeed a disappointment, but the dude certainly does know his horror flicks and has a good philosophy on the whole genre - he just needs to work on his execution.

Which reminds me of Rob Zombie - when you watch the 30 Days In Hell doc on the Devils Rejects DVD, you really get a very clear sense he's knows exactly what he's doing and that he too is a major horror film 'geek' and his outlook on film violence is good too - it's supposed to shock.


Kudo's on the ROB ZOMBIE geekdom. While House of 1K corpses sucks major balls, The Devil's Rejects kicks much ass.

[Neil]

So John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson are now joined by Isamelle Fuhrman - http://www.deadline.com/2014/02/isabelle-fuhrman-joins-stephen-kings-the-cell/

[kidgloves]

Oh dear.

http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/cell-review-john-cusack-samuel-l-jackson-1201810770/

[Neil]

Oh dear.

http://variety.com/2016/film/reviews/cell-review-john-cusack-samuel-l-jackson-1201810770/

Yeh :( More of the same - http://uk.ign.com/articles/2016/07/05/cell-review


Cell does a wonderful job with its opening – it instills more than just a sense of unease and questioning, rather offering one of utter confusion and terror. As Clay and Tom struggle to work out what is happening, we in the audience do as well. The answers that do come though are not satisfying. In short, the movie that follows the beginning moments never returns to those heights making it that much more disappointing.

Guess I'll catch it at some point for that "opening" :)

[shootemindehead]

Yeh, "oh dear" indeed. It's pretty bland and that's me being nice about it.

There's really nothing in 'Cell' to recommend it. Not even the opening which is rather beige.

It's the kind of film that just trundles along. Very by-the-numbers like far, far too many films these days. There was a time when low budget shockers made up for their lack of shillings by being gory, odd, outrageous or just genuinely creepy in some way. But today, there is simply just too much content out there and a huge percentage of it follows a mapped out set of sequences that merely constitute a beginning, middle and an end.

But like so many films produced in modern times, 'Cell' is a film you watch, patiently waiting for that end to happen.

[Neil]

^^ You've seen it?

[shootemindehead]

Yes.

shfksjhfkshf <- I have to make to post longer.

[Trin]

Cell was a pretty lousy book overall. It had a great start, admittedly. But it had a ridiculous nonsense ending.

[EvilNed]

Cell was a pretty lousy book overall. It had a great start, admittedly. But it had a ridiculous nonsense ending.

That's my King!

https://d.thumbs.redditmedia.com/pC8jf5t4eWCDKcMu.jpg

[shootemindehead]

Cell was a pretty lousy book overall. It had a great start, admittedly. But it had a ridiculous nonsense ending.

'Cell' was the first King book I've read in decades. Probably the first fiction I've read in an age too. I enjoyed the book well enough and it had some great passages, but yeh, it's like he didn't know how to finish the thing.

[Trencher]

Finishing his books have always been Kings greatest weakness.
Thats (one of the reasons) why Kubrik's Shining is supieriour to the book and Kings miniseries. He gave it an ending.
I read Cell too. It was allright but again the ending sucked.