"And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." Nietzsche

A serial killer is on the prowl. After kidnapping his victims he leaves them in a waterproof cell designed to fill with water forty hours after the victim enters. The FBI tracks the killer down only to find him in a coma he will never awaken from and he's the only one who knows where his latest victim is hidden. With the minutes counting down the FBI turns to a research team that has developed a device through which a person's mind, even someone autistic or comatose; can psychically be entered by another person. They convince the researchers to use the device on their prisoner in hopes of finding his last victim is in time. Only how can someone keep their own sanity while dwelling in the mind of a madman?

First I have to admit that soon after it began The Cell hit a personal note with me that left me extremely turned off so this may not be the most unbiased of reviews. In an early scene in the film, during which the killer's next to last victim is about to drown in the cell, the young lady is crying hysterically and tells herself, "Daddy. Daddy will save me. I'm Daddy's best girl." Or words to that effect only, of course, she is not saved and becomes the killer's latest drowning victim. Like many Dads I've always referred to my daughter as "My best girl." and that particular scene dredged up in me every father's worst nightmare of my child being hurt and alone and needing me when I wasn't there. I found this to be so depressing that I almost left the movie at that point and, while I did stay until the end, I can't say it left me unprejudiced toward this film.

Still, even trying to be as unbiased as possible, and despite the fact that from a cinematic point of view The Cell is extremely well made I cannot recommend it to anyone. The visual effects during the heroine's foray into the mind of the killer as she sees how he, in his madness, views the world are extremely impressive. I mean **really** impressive presenting some of the most outstanding makeup and costume designs I've ever seen in a film. As for the work by the actual performers, no one is going to win any academy awards for the jobs they did in The Cell, but the acting ranged from fair to good throughout the film. The story itself, though a bit predictable in places, was well thought out. I was especially impressed with The Cell's showing us how the killer saw the world as an abused child and the horrifying process through which innocence was lost and a killer was formed. However, all of this cannot overcome the simple truth that this film was so grotesque and repulsive that it was a completely unpleasant experience. I've been an avid moviegoer for roughly thirty years and out of all that time I can only recall one film, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, that contained such revolting imagery. It bothers me to condemn a film for accomplishing exactly what it set out to do, which was to push the boundaries of film horror, but while I can admire the individual work that went into The Cell the finished product was in no way enjoyable. It's something of a "The operation was a success, but the patient died." type of deal. Ultimately, The Cell went way beyond the realm of cinematic horror spilling over into the stuff of real nightmares.

Grade: A+ for quality, but E- for enjoyability

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