I was maddened in 2013 by the harsh truth behind World War Z. It seemed that the producers, in trying to really do what they wanted to do, used nothing from the iconic Max Brooks novel but the title and then made it up as they went along.
Cell, based on the Stephen King novel, does the same to a great extent. It does attempt to recreate key scenes and it does feature key characters, but botches them instead where it bothers to try. Nothing about this movie does the novel justice, not even the poor choices in casting.
The writing is another level of bad, omitting essential storytelling and dialogue for a bit of running around in the woods and grumbling about life. King's novel had volumes of great work to take from and it's now completely lost in translation.
From the opening scene it's laughably executed. The "Phoners" are not the same zombie-like flocks. They're running zombies performed by amateur dramatics students who all have their own interpretations rather than following the right concept (like a flock).
John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson are too old to convince us of their characters. Jackson's (Tom McCourt) is reduced from a charming but sarcastic gay, white and balding Boston office worker with a weariness for organised religion, to an apathetic rail worker who was also handily in Vietnam and yet has the strength to outrun running zombies and walk without a hitch across an entire state.
Cell also replaces an overlying sense of building dread with formulated urgency and loses suspense as a result. And in ditching the chemistry established between characters - which is how we originally endeared to them - you can't even care about them.
Gone are the co-survivors learning to travel by night as the "Phoners" go to sleep. Gone are the several nights learning between Jordan and Professor Ardai about how the Pulse likely works and how they might stop it.
And gone is the original purpose of the Raggedy Man, the representative of the flock leading the remains of humanity to their doom in Kashwakamak. Now he's just a white kid in a hoodie and the Phoners aren't developing extra sensory powers as they reboot.
For what it is, this adaptation of Cell should have changed its name and come with the note: "loosely based..." In that it would be what it is, otherwise; a really poorly budgeted and executed zombie movie starring two old guys running around the woods a bit until the inevitable crap ending.
Samuel L. Jackson will recover with another Avengers movie. John Cusack has now entered the Wicker Man stage of Nicolas Cage's career.
Tod Williams was not experienced enough to direct Cell or to take on such a highly anticipated project. All drama is toned down and all action is poorly executed, with much of the suggested good stuff happening off-screen at the best of times. And before you know it, you don't know what's happening and the movie has ended.
And don't get me started on the ending. I loved the novel's ending. All because most readers couldn't grasp it, King rewrote it for the movie and it's devastatingly risible.
Do yourself a favour if you were interested in this. Just go and buy the book and save yourself!
Cell, based on the Stephen King novel, does the same to a great extent. It does attempt to recreate key scenes and it does feature key characters, but botches them instead where it bothers to try. Nothing about this movie does the novel justice, not even the poor choices in casting.
The writing is another level of bad, omitting essential storytelling and dialogue for a bit of running around in the woods and grumbling about life. King's novel had volumes of great work to take from and it's now completely lost in translation.
From the opening scene it's laughably executed. The "Phoners" are not the same zombie-like flocks. They're running zombies performed by amateur dramatics students who all have their own interpretations rather than following the right concept (like a flock).
John Cusack and Samuel L. Jackson are too old to convince us of their characters. Jackson's (Tom McCourt) is reduced from a charming but sarcastic gay, white and balding Boston office worker with a weariness for organised religion, to an apathetic rail worker who was also handily in Vietnam and yet has the strength to outrun running zombies and walk without a hitch across an entire state.
Cell also replaces an overlying sense of building dread with formulated urgency and loses suspense as a result. And in ditching the chemistry established between characters - which is how we originally endeared to them - you can't even care about them.
Gone are the co-survivors learning to travel by night as the "Phoners" go to sleep. Gone are the several nights learning between Jordan and Professor Ardai about how the Pulse likely works and how they might stop it.
And gone is the original purpose of the Raggedy Man, the representative of the flock leading the remains of humanity to their doom in Kashwakamak. Now he's just a white kid in a hoodie and the Phoners aren't developing extra sensory powers as they reboot.
For what it is, this adaptation of Cell should have changed its name and come with the note: "loosely based..." In that it would be what it is, otherwise; a really poorly budgeted and executed zombie movie starring two old guys running around the woods a bit until the inevitable crap ending.
Samuel L. Jackson will recover with another Avengers movie. John Cusack has now entered the Wicker Man stage of Nicolas Cage's career.
Tod Williams was not experienced enough to direct Cell or to take on such a highly anticipated project. All drama is toned down and all action is poorly executed, with much of the suggested good stuff happening off-screen at the best of times. And before you know it, you don't know what's happening and the movie has ended.
And don't get me started on the ending. I loved the novel's ending. All because most readers couldn't grasp it, King rewrote it for the movie and it's devastatingly risible.
Do yourself a favour if you were interested in this. Just go and buy the book and save yourself!