Cellular

At the beginning it was a crazy trip. In the introduction I thought that Chris Evans was making fun of me when he deliberately walked around shirtless and tried to seduce Jessica Biel with cheesy pick-up lines. She wasn’t buying it, so I felt like I was going to watch something similar to Beverly Hills 90210. Then we get to see Kim Basinger who has a problem, and at that moment the movie becomes a Nokia commercial. It was probably good at the time but today it’s pretty laughable considering where Nokia is today and what it could do in 2004 according to the movie. I had no idea about many of these functions until watching the movie but okay. Over time, the flick turns into a pretty good action movie with the best the genre has to offer. In the end I was surprisingly satisfied – which is something I didn’t really expect. (20/03/2019)

The screenwriter of Phone Booth somewhat recycled his previous idea and routineer Ellis directed it. Loads of horrendous clichés, unimpressive acting performances and an unlikeable main protagonist make this picture really boring. Unfortunately not even the typically outstanding Macy or the usually cool Statham don’t have the change to rescue the picture from drowning in waters of mediocrity. An uninteresting picture that comes up with nothing new and even what we have seen a hundred times over is delivered in a form that is even worse than the competition. (14/11/2004)

Yeah, this film has the right drive; it keeps you on edge and doesn't let you breathe, which is exactly what it aimed to do. To keep you riding the wave of adrenaline. In the end, I wouldn't expect much else from Ellis. He succeeded in making a film that's properly claustrophobic and fast-paced. Evans fits into the role quite well, occasionally delivering humor, while Kim Basinger is excellent in her role as well. Even though she doesn't act much, it looks like she's giving it her all. William H. Macy is perfectly cast and surprisingly gets some action scenes, which I wouldn't expect from him. It's not the 2004 film of the year, but as popcorn entertainment, it might be better than drawn-out blockbusters. (15/02/2014)

Do you remember the action films from the 80s and 90s that were so fun when you took them lightly and didn’t treat them as serious works? That’s exactly the category Cellular falls into, offering 94 minutes of entertainment. It’s a film full of moments overflowing with illogicalities, some of the actors’ performances are more laughable than praiseworthy, and it’s honestly full of clichés. But if you turn your brain off, you’ve struck gold. The story is quite ordinary, though the idea of a phone call running throughout the entire film isn’t the most common concept. Kim Basinger didn’t do badly, but I might have chosen someone else. Chris Evans shined in the role of a carefree young man, and I enjoyed how he turned into a would-be action hero by the end. Since I’ve already touched on the topic of heroes, William H. Macy in the role of a cop who’s been on duty for 27 years really topped it off. To be fair, the role was tailor-made for him. Statham played the villain, and if I were a Hollywood director, I’d call him immediately to ask if he’d be interested in playing an assassin. The ending was more amusing than anything, but I eventually accepted it. I give it 74%. P.S. The Finns must have been thrilled because such advertising for Nokia surely multiplied the sales of these unforgettable phones. (09/07/2017)

It is rare to find such a textbook example of product placement in the film industry as in this little movie. However, I must admit that I wasn't bored at all by this bloated advertisement for NOKIA. The film's advantages are its fast pace and reasonable runtime. Although I am sensitive to poorly written scripts and plot inconsistencies, in this case, these shortcomings didn't bother me. Kim Basinger, as the main star, attracts attention about as much as my grandmother in a nightgown, but even that is not a hindrance. If you don't have high expectations, the film offers a decent chance for entertainment and represents a light genre above average. Overall impression: 65%. (17/05/2007)