Cellular

"If the signal dies so does she."

2004 1h 34m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 2,180

ActionThrillerDramaCrime

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A young man receives an emergency phone call on his cell phone from an older woman. She claims to have been kidnapped – and the kidnappers have targeted her husband and child next.

“If the signal dies so does she.”

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Cast

Kim Basinger
Jessica Martin
Chris Evans
Ryan Hewitt
Jason Statham
Ethan
William H. Macy
Sgt. Bob Mooney
Noah Emmerich
Jack Tanner
Valerie Cruz
Dana Bayback
Richard Burgi
Craig Martin
Eric Christian Olsen
Chad

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: David R. Ellis
Writers: Chris Morgan, Larry Cohen
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America, Germany

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 22 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Germany.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by David R. Ellis, shot by Gary Capo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by John Ottman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Eric A. Sears shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Kim Basinger and Chris Evans and Jason Statham carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "If the signal dies so does she.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0337921 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

David R. Ellis directs. Gary Capo behind the camera. John Ottman scores. Eric A. Sears cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Profitable at the box office. Produced in United States of America, Germany. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 22 years ago.
2International production across 2 countries: United States of America, Germany.
3Directed by David R. Ellis, shot by Gary Capo. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by John Ottman. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Eric A. Sears shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Kim Basinger and Chris Evans and Jason Statham carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "If the signal dies so does she.".
8IMDB entry: tt0337921 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
9Classified under 8 themes, including "police", "psychopath", "bank", "telephone".

The technical file

Cinematography: Gary Capo
Original score: John Ottman
Editing: Eric A. Sears
Production design: Jaymes Hinkle
Costume design: Christopher Lawrence
Sound: Michael Keller
Stunt coordinator: Freddie Hice
Runtime: 94 min · 1h 34m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $25,000,000
Box office: $57,678,321
Return: 231% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Cellular (2004)

Also by

David R. Ellis

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Community reviews

What people are saying

CinemaSerf2023-09-04
★ 6/10
This could have been so very much better if only the story had not built the entire sense of jeopardy on three or four implausibly stupid strokes of misfortune. Chris Evans is the recipient of a strange phone call from a woman (Kim Basinger) who has been kidnapped and as she is locked in an attic, she must rely on this random young man to try stop the baddies (Jason Statham etc.) from now reaching her young son and her husband on their quest for we know not what... yet! He goes to the police station but a fracas in the lobby means he cannot discuss with a detective and so must now do it all by himself... There is plenty of action, Evans has some fun in a Porsche (borrowed from Rick Hoffmann - does he ever not play a pompous ass?!) before we are on the run from a load of don't know who to trust cops of all shapes and sizes (and loyalties). Evans is good value, and William H. Macy isn't afraid to get in tough with his inner vanity; but otherwise it is a bit of a wasted opportunity for all...
kendallgibson2026-08-18
★ 8/10
This one really put cellphone technology on the map (the kind you buy at a gas station, or print out at home). Captain America teams up with the guy from Fargo to rescue a mysterious cold-calling blonde woman, and her son/husband, from the most evil LAPD since the LAPD. Hooray! Two thumbs up with prints intact... I didn't know security officers kept little revolvers in their glovebox, and lawyers don't know how to talk their way out of impound fees, and a housewife can resurrect a telephone using no solder! The best place to view this masterpiece would be the local drive-in, because then at the end you get to see everybody forget, remember, then forget how to use the technology their lives have depended on for the last fifteen years and counting -- just like in the film!