The Cell, 2000.
Directed by Tarsem Singh.
Starring Jennifer Lopez, Vince Vaughn, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jake Weber, Dylan Baker and Marianne Jane-Baptiste.
SYNOPSIS:
A psychologist uses an experimental technology to delve into the subconscious of a serial killer in the hopes of finding the location of his latest would-be victim before it’s too late.
As I’ve likely said before, I have a worrying fascination with serial killers, and judging by the continued popularity of the various podcasts, documentaries and dramas concerning them, it seems all of you share that same fascination. I don’t know why others are so fascinated by them, but I’m specifically fascinated with trying to understand how their minds work and why they do what they do.
While many films have attempted to gaze into the twisted minds of murderers, today, we’re looking at one that offers an inventive and highly original take on this disturbing sub-genre, the visually stylish sci-fi horror The Cell.
The Cell starts off like a standard serial killer thriller in which detectives frantically try to find the latest would-be victim of a psychopath who treats murder as a demented art project. It’s a decent, well-told story, with the race against the clock lending proceedings a much-needed atmosphere of suspense and urgency.
However, what allows The Cell to stand out as one of the more original serial killer thrillers is the inclusion of sci-fi elements in which our protagonists quite literally go into the mind of a serial killer, turning the film into a surreal trip that is a nightmarish blending of The Silence of the Lambs and Inception, with a hint of The Matrix thrown in for good measure. Although, if anything, I found The Cell to play almost like a more ambitious, modernised take on underrated 80s dream-based sci-fi horror Dreamscape, complete with a weird scaly snake-man monster.
The story is engaging enough to warrant a curious watch, but what really makes The Cell a must-watch is how director Tarsem Singh and his crew bring it to life, creating a vibrant, stylish, disturbing, yet hauntingly beautiful cinematic nightmare.
The direction from Singh is stunning throughout, working with his crew to create a highly stylised visual and editing style that shines through every frame. For example, a scene of an FBI SWAT commander explaining a plan for a raid. It’s a sequence that could have been shown as a simple piece of exposition, but instead it is presented as a fast-paced sequence of whip pans and quick edits showing the various armed SWAT officers in place before they storm the killers’ home, the camera tracking them as they do so.
Another example is a scene of FBI agents arriving with their suspect at a facility by helicopter. Again, this could have been a simple establishing shot. However, Singh instead depicts it in a nearly silent, slow-motion sequence that renders it almost hypnotic. These scenes are all the more remarkable for their stylish presentation, given that they take place in the real world. An early scene set in a child’s dream offers just a hint of surrealism to come, with the image of protagonist Catherine (Jennifer Lopez) walking across the towering sand dunes of Namibia being a beautiful sight to behold.
Once we enter the mind of serial killer Stargher (Vincent D’Onofrio), the film grabs you and doesn’t let go. The imagery of Stargher’s mind is disturbed and filled with images of dead women posed in horrifying masochistic poses, often moving like clockwork dolls to entertain their killer’s twisted desires. The unsettling surrealism of the scene is only heightened by the image of a horse being sliced into pieces in a fashion akin to a Damien Hirst exhibit.
These early moments are shot with a grungy colour pallet and jittery editing style that emphasises the unnaturalness and darkness of this world. However, as we venture deeper into Stargher’s morbid mind, things begin to change as the sun seems to shine in the darkest recesses of this monster’s brain. The dark halls leading to a sprawling palatial sun-bathed throne room that looks like something from Dune, with the dreary and grimy visuals giving way to glorious, vibrant and bright colours that are ominous yet stunning.
The superb visuals are complimented by some inspired costume design that clad Jennifer Lopez and Vincent D’Onofrio in various strange outfits that I can only describe as nightmarish royalty. The image of Lopez trapped in a red collar with an intricately designed mouthguard stood out in my mind, looking like you’d see in a twisted version of the Met Gala. Or, just the regular Met Gala.
While the visuals, costumes and production design are some of the finest you’ll find in a horror film, they do overshadow the actors. However, the cast, led by Jennifer Lopez, does a solid job even if can’t quite compete with the overpowering style on display. However, one actor who manages to break through is Vincent D’Onofrio in a disturbing multi-faceted performance as serial killer Stargher. We have Stargher in the waking world, a creepy sick bastard who drowns women to create life-sized dolls, D’Onofrio playing him with an unsettling quiet intensity that creeps up your spine. Once we enter his mind, D’Onofrio takes on the crown of King Stargher, the killer’s idealised view of himself, a white-faced, horned, shape-shifting beast straight from Hell.
D’Onofrio fully embraces the surrealism of the role, projecting an air of psychotic grandiosity that is suitably frightening and hugely entertaining, even if he’s sometimes dressed in a ludicrous glittering garb that makes him look like a demonic Liberace. However, while Stargher is an unquestionably evil character, D’Onofrio takes every chance possible to humanise him. One such scene is a tragic monologue about his miserable abuse-filled childhood that allows us to feel the tiniest droplet of sympathy for this loathsome pathetic creature.
I must confess that, out of all these reviews this month, this has been one of the most difficult to write. The Cell is a highly visual experience, favouring style over substance in the most indulgent fashion possible. And, if I’m honest, my words simply do not do it justice. You have to see it for yourself. Suffice it to say The Cell is well worth a watch. A highly stylised, beautiful nightmare that offers an original sci-fi tinged take on the serial killer sub-genre and stands out as among the most visually stunning horror films I’ve ever seen.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Graeme Robertson
