About.com Rating

The Bottom Line

A cheap, clichéd, artless shadow of the original.



Pros

• At least they spelled "Cell" right.

Cons

• Low budget
• Mediocre acting
• Cliched, predictable plot
• Dull characters

Description

• Starring Tessie Santiago, Chris Bruno, Frank Whaley, Bart Johnson
• Directed by Tim Iacofano
• Rated R
• DVD Release Date: June 16, 2009

Guide Review - 'The Cell 2' DVD Review

The 2000 Jennifer Lopez vehicle The Cell was no classic, but it had an undeniable visual artistry that carried the Silence of the Lambs-knockoff plot.

The direct-to-video sequel The Cell 2 has none of that magic and is one of those sequels that's so bad that it almost brings down the original with it.

Only tangentially related to The Cell, the sequel picks up an unspecified time after the first film, with another civilian, Maya Castenada, helping the FBI find a girl kidnapped by a serial killer by entering the killer's mind. Unlike the original movie's Catherine Dean, Maya can enter people's minds without the help of a machine -- thanks to her own near-death experience with the killer.

She uses her ability to track the Cusp Killer -- so named because he likes to killer his captives and then bring them back to life with CPR or defibrillators -- but is surprised to find out that the killer seems to have mental abilities of his own.

The Cell 2 replaces the cutting-edge effects and artistic flair of the original with dime store electrodes and fog machines straight out of a 1982 music video. It plays less like The Cell than like a low-rent episode of Medium.

The story manages to be utterly predictable and yet absurd, using the worst in Hollywood pseudo-science to put forth a ridiculous scenario propelled by lame action clichés like cops who refuse to call for backup and heroes who nonchalantly jump onto moving helicopters. The only joys that can be culled from this dimwitted sequel full of flat characters and even flatter performances are ironic at best.

The DVD

Special features include a behind-the-scenes featurette.

Movie: F
DVD: D