Looks and sounds great, but the script doesn't make a lot of sense. MINOR SPOILER - One of the characters makes a comment that effectively says that JLo's character is irrelevant to the solution of the serial killer hunt. In which case, why are we even watching her story? Overall, a bit too silly to take seriously.

For a movie such as this, it's all about the imageries. The images here are very nightmarish, horrifying and creative. However it's a movie that tries to be artistic but lack true artistic elements. So the plot is about diving into the mind of a mentally disturbed culprit by using a machine that allows people to dive into the mind of a patient. It sort of reminded me of the Animus machine from Assassin's Creed. Anyways the process is to find the location of the killers latest victim. So you as an audience witnesses what is going down within the mind of a serial killer. And the demons and abusive past the killer dealt with in the past. However the drawbacks to this film is how it doesn't really delve into connecting the imagery to the story. What I mean is, you just don't get how some crazy images in this connects with why the killer is the way he is. Which in a way makes the journey lack substance and can become pretentious from time to time. However the crazy, bizarre and yet stunning imageries made this movie a somewhat worthwhile watch. Even if it lacks any real substance.6/10

Let's just get this out of the way: I absolutely loved The Cell. I loved it in my first viewing and have continued to love it in subsequent viewings. Why? Well, visually speaking, it was ahead of its time, and by today's standards, its imagery has remained unmatched. A film like this would have never been able to get made today, one in which a studio would put millions of dollars into an R rated film that could turn the audience off due to its perverse visuals. Only Tarsem Singh could have created such beauty and disturbing imagery in a directorial debut. But what about the story, you might ask. Yes, I have to admit the story may be secondary, reminding one of The Silence of the Lambs, but remember, this film did dream heists before Inception did.With all this talk about the film's visual execution, some may say that The Cell is merely style over substance. However, I'd argue the style *is* the substance. The film is like an empty canvas where we can witness Tarsem's crazy and absolutely beautiful imagination. Still 15 years later, the visuals hold up incredibly well, provided without some dated CGI, but those are easily forgiven with the many things the film gets right with visual storytelling. Even scenes that take place outside the dream world are shot meticulously, every frame a painting (thanks Tony Zhou for the phrase). The film's cinematographer, Paul Laufer, should be given some recognition as well, providing some of the film's unconventional camera movements. It's a surprise to learn Laufer hasn't shot a film since The Cell, only working on music videos. Sadly, he's a talent untapped by Hollywood.The soundtrack by Howard Shore nicely complements the look of the film, providing a necessary momentum that slowly builds towards an explosive finale that is emotionally compelling as much as it is visually stunning. Despite the flack she gets, Jennifer Lopez is quite good in the film, who gives her character enough layers to be engaging. A young Vince Vaughn is also very good in his role as the FBI agent with an intriguing past the film doesn't delve too deep into. Lastly, Vincent D'Onofrio is outstanding as the film's complex antagonist, effectively playing the different facets of what could have been a forgettable, two dimensional villain. Overall, The Cell is an incredible film, unforgettable in its visual execution. Although the story is familiar, it is nonetheless involving with good performances from the actors who carry it. One wonders whether the film would work better today due to the vast progress of technology, but for now, The Cell is irreplaceable, with no other films that can rival it. At least, visually speaking.

Tarsem Singh is certainly a photographer at heart and the surreal imagery of this movie is definitely gallery worthy.This is a suspense/ thriller that delves into the mind of a serial killer that seemingly euthanized his victims not out of spite, but out of pity. This is illustrated when as a child, he drowns a small bird before his abusive father can defile it. It was more humane to kill the bird than to let it live in such an ugly world filled with pain, and this was emphasized with Carl (the killer) even at a young age.Much of the movie is shot from the perspective of Carl as a child, no doubt to gain sympathy from the viewer while he sets in an animated reversion of sorts while communicating synaptically with Lopez's psychotherapist character. It was interesting to see him speaking of his first messy inexperienced endeavor with misty reminiscence, and also to view the symbolism of the white dog, or of how he hung himself from the chains. Better than the story, though, was the cinematography. It was stunning.I was taken back to this film when I viewed the "Bodies" display at the Tropicana, which I believe is now showing at the Luxor in Las Vegas. (For those of you haven't been, these are actual humans preserved in silicone on display actively posed for easy viewing of vascularization, musculature, organ systems, etc…) In the film it was a horse with transverse cross sections between plated glass. The attention to detail with regard to the succinct slices showing the yet operational organs made my twisted little heart soar.It's interesting to me that Singh hasn't released much since "The Cell," but he does have "Immortals" and "The Brothers Grim: Snow White" in the works. If you haven't seen this movie, see it, especially if you dug "Se7en" or "Red Dragon". It has a similar "cop hot on the trail" feel to it, and much like the others, the villain is a shining enigma with a troubled past and a demented message of sorts. While "Se7en" gets kudos for creativity and "Red Dragon" has Fiennes, "The Cell" still has the unmatched scenery that makes me consider it to be ever so slightly better than the aforementioned.If you love gore, such as an excruciating spooling of Vince Vaughn's intestines slowly onto a wheel, and you want to be visually dazzled, this is your flick.