Cell

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2:30

Cell

R

2016

1h 38m

Horror

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

11%

Tomatometer

56 Reviews

17%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

A graphic novelist (John Cusack) begins a desperate search for his estranged wife (Clark Sarullo) and son (Ethan Andrew Casto) after a mysterious cellphone signal transforms New Englanders into savage killers.

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Critics Consensus

Shoddily crafted and devoid of suspense, Cell squanders a capable cast and Stephen King's once-prescient source material on a bland rehash of zombie cliches.

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Steve Greene

IndieWire

This is the undead equivalent of fast food. Some might find comfort in all these known quantities. Those looking for anything of substance would do better to wait for an upgrade.

Rated: C-

Jan 1, 2017

Full Review

Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

A deeply silly horror movie.

Rated: 1/5

Oct 10, 2016

Full Review

Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

The slapdash quality to the plotting is matched by the inept film-making - the dialogue is frequently inaudible, the night scenes murkily lit.

Rated: 2/5

Aug 28, 2016

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

The film's lifelessness and sloppiness represent an all-time-low for King adaptations, which is saying something.

Rated: 0.5/4

Apr 11, 2022

Full Review

Victoria Luxford

City AM

Cheap production values underline the suspicion that this started out as an earnest attempt to adapt the book, and devolved into a mediocre zombie film in a world overrun with mediocre zombie films.

Rated: 1/5

Feb 18, 2022

Full Review

Jason Adams

My New Plaid Pants

It feels like they had one day too few too shoot it, one dollar too little, one hot cappuccino two degrees too cold delivered to John Cusack's trailer just a minute too late to put him in the right mood on the first day of shooting

Jul 6, 2021

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Tom C

I was so looking forward to this movie coming out. Other than the movies name it has nothing to do with the book. Worst adaption since World War Z. Even as a stand alone movie it was on par with Plan 9 from outspace. Half star because even Samual L Jackson & John Cusack can have a bad day.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/27/25

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Hughe J

Cell had a limited theatrical release but was also released on streaming in 2016. It somehow stars John Cusack and Samuel Jackson in what may be the worst Stephen King movie adaption ever. The movie is based on the 2006 novel where a mysterious pulse is sent across all cell phones that turns anyone that hears it into a vicious mindless killer. As someone who at the time was reading every King novel I thought Cell was average at best. I watched this on streaming and laughed all the way through it. The acting was terrible, the special effects were worse, but the plot stayed true to the book for the most part so there's that. This is just hysterically bad and should never be watched by anyone, ever.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

07/16/25

Full Review

Dacat C

The start was decent, but the rest of the movie was horrible. The ending was the worst I ever seen recently, not even giving the viewers the satisfaction of a realistic actions and decisions. Like all the other critics, no suspense or even good horror.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

07/13/25

Full Review

Shawn R

Spare yourself the headache

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

03/14/25

Full Review

Kaspian O

I was excited to find this movie it looked promising but man was i wrong

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/19/25

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Chris S

If not for John and Sam wouldn't have given it a moment of time.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

02/12/25

Full Review

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Tod Williams

Director

John Cusack

Clay Riddell

Samuel L. Jackson

Tom McCourt

Isabelle Fuhrman

Alice Maxwell

Owen Teague

Jordan

Clark Sarullo

Sharon Riddell

He Never Died

88%

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Cell: Trailer 1

2:30

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Synopsis

A graphic novelist (John Cusack) begins a desperate search for his estranged wife (Clark Sarullo) and son (Ethan Andrew Casto) after a mysterious cellphone signal transforms New Englanders into savage killers.

Director: Tod Williams
Producer: Richard Saperstein, Michael Benaroya, Brian Witten, Shara Kay
Screenwriter: Stephen King, Adam Alleca
Distributor: Saban Films
Production Co: Benaroya Pictures, Genre Company
Rating: R (Disturbing Violent Content|Brief Sexuality|Language|Terror)
Genre: Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jul 8, 2016, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 29, 2016
Runtime: 1h 38m

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