I’m a sucker for a good serial killer movie. The Cell merges an elaborate fantasy world with a strong, reality-based narrative. One isn’t simply an excuse for the other, but most people are going to be drawn to the dream world so let me get that praise out of the way first. Tarsem’s visuals are exceedingly rich in texture, color and operatic movement. There’s a wonderful coordination between sets, wardrobe, makeup and lighting. These sequences are less indulgent than I expected, yet a lot of the beauty and camera trickery didn’t have a purposeful connection to the story in the real world, which had a strong sense of urgency.
What impressed me most about Tarsem’s direction is how he handled the real world, proving his talent many times over with careful compositions, stylish concepts and strong storytelling skills. (There’s a raid on a house as exciting as similar scenes in the genre get.) The best serial killer films combine thrilling police sequences with intense creepiness, and this film does both very well. Another technical quality in Tarsem films as strong as the visual ones is the editing.
Not every actor can pull off a Tarsem design. Important skills also include not looking uncomfortable or silly in the clothes. Jennifer Lopez not only pulls off the costumes, she brings a strong level of emotion and caring to the character. Vince Vaughn does a good job conveying the urgency of the situation. He has a quiet moment with Lopez in the middle that would’ve deadened the film if the two characters weren’t so strongly played. The most interesting performance is by Vincent D’Onofrio, who plays the evil in a grand style while also appearing like he’s not enjoying what he’s doing.
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