Product Details

• Actors: Kim Basinger, Chris Evans, Jason Statham, William H. Macy, Caroline Aaron
• Directors: David R. Ellis
• Writers: Chris Morgan, Larry Cohen
• Producers: Caroline Rault, Dean Devlin, Douglas Curtis, Keith Goldberg, Lauren Lloyd
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: New Line Home Video
• VHS Release Date: January 18, 2005
• Run Time: 94 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (174 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0006FO5L4
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,003 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Just when you think it's getting silly, Cellular serves up another tantalizing twist. In the time-honored tradition of Sorry, Wrong Number and Wait Until Dark, Kim Basinger is well-cast as a resourceful damsel-in-distress who thwarts her kidnappers by connecting with a n'er-do-well cell-phone user (Chris Evans, later seen in The Fantastic Four) who races against time to rescue her from afar. One good cop (William H. Macy) assembles clues to uncover conspiracy, while first-time writer Chris Morgan and pulp-movie master Larry Cohen (who conceived the plot, similar to his own Phone Booth screenplay) serve up a consistently satisfying string of high-tension surprises. Jason Statham continues to prove his rising-star status as the film's tenacious villain, and director David Ellis (Final Destination 2) takes advantage of his experience as a veteran stunt coordinator and second-unit director, making good use of locations in his native Santa Monica, and wringing credible suspense from a deliriously far-fetched premise. --Jeff Shannon

From The New Yorker

A decent Hollywood thriller, lacking any sense, but entertaining just the same. The veteran screenwriter Larry Cohen, who wrote "Phone Booth," uses the same communication-breakdown gimmick here: a kidnapped woman (Kim Basinger) finds a phone and dials a random number, reaching a mellow surfer (Chris Evans) who becomes hellbent on saving her. The director, David R. Ellis, has fun juggling the two characters (he styles their scenes so that they seem to be in different films), and a cool tension develops between Evans's brightly lit outside world and Basinger's tremulous inside one. -Bruce Diones
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 73 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hope he had the 1000-minute calling plan, September 27, 2004

By 

Joseph Haschka (Glendale, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

I've yet to succumb to the temptation to own a cell phone. CELLULAR has me thinking that perhaps life is passing me by.

Jessica Martin (Kim Bassinger) lives the good life in the SoCal suburb of Brentwood - you know, where OJ lived - with her realtor husband Craig (Richard Burgi) and 11-year old son Ricky (Adam Taylor Gordon). One day, after waving Ricky off on the school bus, Jessica's home is invaded by three thugs led by Greer (Jason Statham). After shooting the housekeeper - perhaps one of the shortest bit parts in history, the intruders carry Martin off to a house in the hills (with a million $ view of the San Fernando Valley), where she's locked in the attic with a smashed phone until Craig hands over an item about which she knows nothing. Being a high school science teacher, Jessica coaxes the phone back to life and dials out by touching two wires together. Calling blindly, she manages to reach the young and irresponsible Ryan (Chris Evans) cruising the coast down by Venice Beach. After much tearful pleading, Martin convinces Ryan that her plight is real, and this launches the latter off on a day-long odyssey of chases and violence as he tries to rescue Jessica and her soon-to-be-abducted son, all the while maintaining that tenuous phone connection to the near-hysterical woman. Obviously, Ryan has never heard the old adage, "No good deed goes unpunished."

CELLULAR has everything necessary for a vicarious, nail-biting thrill ride at the movies. There's the truly vicious villain (Greer), the gorgeous damsel in distress (Jessica), and the completely engaging knight-errant (Ryan), all perfectly played by their respective actors in an ingenious plot. Then there's the delicious supporting role of William H. Macy as Mooney, the police desk sergeant who reluctantly gets involved in the mayhem when all he really wants is to retire and run a day spa with his girlfriend. And to top it off, the film's creators bedevil Ryan with those little daily annoyances that the viewers will personally know so well: a patronizing sales clerk, having to "take a number" in a crowded store, an obnoxious lawyer, bad cellular reception in tunnels and stairwells, an officious security guard, a driver in the next car playing the stereo too loud, slowpokes in the fast lane, and street delays caused by inopportune construction.

CELLULAR isn't one of the year's greatest cinematic achievements, but, for pure entertainment value and fun, it rates 5 stars if you're not too discriminating and willing to overlook a few credibility gaps. I mean, you can't actually park your car curbside in front of the terminal at LAX.

Finally, Jessica's knowledge of human anatomy, when combined with a sharp object, gives fair warning that you probably don't want to p.o. your high school science teacher.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars terrific movie!, July 29, 2006

By 

Matt Kratz "c&w and books lover" (Richardson, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cellular (New Line Platinum Series) (DVD)

This is one of my favorite movies in recent years. In the film, Jessica (Kim Basinger) is kidnapped and manages to click the wires on a smashed phone to place a call. She reaches beach slacker Ryan (Chris Evans) and manages to convince him that she's telling the truth and to get help. What ensues is a mad rush through downtown Los Angeles as Ryan tries desperately to assist her. The DVD has some good features on it (interviews, scene selection, etc.), and the movie overall was well made. If you are into this sort of movie, I recommend it. You will not be disappointed in the least bit.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Thriller for the Cellular Age, July 22, 2006

By 

L. Mintah "Author of the Heart" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cellular (New Line Platinum Series) (DVD)

Cellular is a sleeper hit. A long overdue example of a real edge-of-your-seat thriller that is well-written and well-acted. Great driving and action scenes are complemented by humor.

The story is about a carefree California youth who becomes embroiled in a conspiracy involving dirty LA cops and a kidnapped family. Kim Basinger turns in a great performance as the wife and mother fighting for her life against Ethan, the leader of the corrupt cops. Played by Jason Statham (The Transporter), Ethan is a competent bad guy.

My husband and I loved this movie. It has the wake-up equivalent of black coffee.