"CELLULAR" (2004) (Kim Basinger, Chris Evans) (PG-13) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Minor Heavy Extreme *Moderate Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate Minor Extreme None Heavy Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate None Heavy Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Suspense/Thriller: With a random and unstable cell phone call as their only connection, a young man tries to help a woman after a band of armed and desperate thugs kidnap her and her family. PLOT: Ryan (CHRIS EVANS) is a twenty-year-old who's just been dumped by his girlfriend Chloe (JESSICA BIEL) who sees him as going nowhere in his life. While strolling through Santa Monica with his friend Chad (ERIC CHRISTIAN OLSEN), Ryan runs into Chloe and tries to prove that he's changed by volunteering to help her with her environmental cause. On the way to the store, however, his cell phone rings and his day becomes severely sidetracked. On the other end is Jessica Martin (KIM BASINGER), a high school science teacher who's just been kidnapped by a bunch of armed thugs who've shot her housekeeper dead and taken Jessica to an unknown location. Their angry leader, Ethan (JASON STATHAM), wants something he claims that she or her husband Craig (RICHARD BURGI) possess, but she has no idea what he's talking about. In their absence, she's partially managed to reconnect a smashed telephone and the connection went through to Ryan. He, of course, thinks it's a crank call until he hears Jessica's next encounter with the kidnappers. Accordingly, Ryan races to the local police department to report the abduction and hands over his phone to Sgt. Bob Mooney (WILLIAM H. MACY). A 27-year veteran, he's about to retire and open a day spa with his wife, much to the amusement of his boss Jack Tanner(NOAH EMMERICH). A small riot in the station results in Mooney handing the phone back to Ryan. But when the signal starts to fade in the building -- and with both parties knowing the connection might not ever be reestablished if broken -- Ryan races off to try to beat the kidnappers to Jessica's son, Ricky (ADAM TAYLOR GORDON), who's just getting out of school. As things become more perilous for Jessica on the other end of the line, and Mooney begins to become suspicious of what previously occurred, Ryan does what he can to help her and her family, all while dealing with increasingly frustrating and dangerous developments and trying to keep that phone line live. WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? If they're fans of anyone in the cast or action-based suspense/thrillers they might, but this one just doesn't seem to have the buzz to indicate a lot of kids will be interested in it. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13 For violence, terror situations, language and some sexual references. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: To avoid giving away any surprises, some of the late in the game character developments are not listed below. KIM BASINGER plays a high school science teacher who's kidnapped by armed thugs, and must deal with her and her family's life being put in danger. She ends up killing one abductor while trying to figure out how to survive, escape and save her family. She uses some profanity. CHRIS EVANS plays a 20-year-old slacker who's trying to get back with his ex-girlfriend when the luck of the draw has Jessica's frantic call reaching him. He tries to do what he can to help her and ends up endangering his life while dealing with the thugs. He uses profanity. WILLIAM H. MACY plays a long-time police veteran who's about to retire but becomes increasingly caught up in what turns out to be a volatile situation. He uses profanity, some of it briefly strong. NOAH EMMERICH plays his boss who chides him for his plans of opening a day spa and becomes involved in the kidnapping developments. He uses some profanity. JASON STATHAM plays the leader of the kidnappers who kills or tries to kill others and roughs up Jessica and others in hopes of getting what he wants from them. RICHARD BURGI plays Jessica's real estate agent husband who's also kidnapped for something he has that the thugs want. ADAM TAYLOR GORDON plays Jessica's young son who's scared after being kidnapped. JESSICA BIEL plays Ryan's ex-girlfriend who isn't happy with him and uses some profanity. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this suspense/thriller that's been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 2 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. Some sexually related dialogue is present, while young and shapely women are seen in various styles of revealing bikinis and other related attire. Violence consists of several murders by gunfire, attempts on others' lives, fighting, roughing up others (sometimes quite severely) and several kidnappings. The perpetrators have extremely bad attitudes (while others are present), and those scenes and others may be unsettling or suspenseful to some younger and more sensitive viewers, but perhaps not others. Some of that violence also has bloody results. Tense family material involves a mother worrying about the safety of her husband and son (who's kidnapped outside his school), while some imitative behavior (including with the use of guns) is present. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE There's brief mention of an illegal street drug trade. We briefly see a container of liquor on a table. BLOOD/GORE We briefly see two bodies on the street on a TV news report (no blood) about the gang war and a street drug trade. Jessica has a few minor bloody scratches on her face, arms and legs following her abduction. Ethan smacks Craig across the face with the back of his hand, leaving a bit of blood on the man's face. A person suddenly shoots at Mooney, grazing him on the neck (with some bloody results). He then repeatedly shoots the shooter, mortally wounding her (with blood on her shirt). As an EMT tends to Mooney, we see blood on the cop's neck and shirt collar. Jessica ends up cutting the artery in a kidnapper's armpit, causing him to bleed to death (with some bloody results). We see more blood from Mooney's earlier neck wound. Mooney shoots a villain several times, killing him (with blood on the bad guy's shirt). A villain has some blood on his face after Ryan beats him up. Jessica has a little blood on her head. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE The various kidnappers and those working with them obviously have extreme cases of bad attitudes. Chad replies to an Asian man as if he's Hispanic. After Mooney opens a package of sea sponges for his upcoming day spa, another cop jokingly asks him if his husband likes that kind of stuff. Ryan steals a private school's security car to chase after the kidnappers. He later takes a man's car at gunpoint. A lawyer is a jerk to both Jessica and Ryan when their call somehow gets tangled into his. Ryan steals a person's boarding pass from their pocket so that he can go through airport security and follow the kidnappers/save Jessica's husband. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. Others might only find some or none of the material that way. Ryan tries to find and save Ricky as school lets out, all before the kidnappers get him. The kidnappers grab young Ricky and pull him into a car before speeding off. While chasing after the kidnappers down the highway, Ryan is forced onto the other side of the road and must drive through oncoming traffic. Ethan menacingly asks Jessica, "Do you want to die here?" Loud music (from a car next to Ryan) suddenly can be heard over Jessica's phone connection. Ethan partially hears it and she and Ryan do what they can on their respective ends to muffle the sound. Ryan tries to back through oncoming traffic when he realizes he can't go through a tunnel and still keep his phone connection with Jessica. Ryan races to warn Jessica's husband that the bad guys are coming for him. Ryan tries to hide on a roof as Ethan slowly looks for him, gun drawn. Ryan then races to jump into and slide down a trash chute, all while Ethan shoots at him. Mooney slows makes his way outside a house until he finds a broken glass door. He slowly enters, announcing his presence and leading with his gun. A kidnapper notices a lit phone extension light on a phone, indicating that Jessica is on it. He then goes to her room, grabs and throws her to the floor through something that breaks upon impact, and then slams her against the floor. She then ends up cutting the artery in his armpit, causing him to bleed to death (with some bloody results). As Jessica escapes, she spots the kidnappers' van returning and thus hides. GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound or kill others. See "Violence" for details. Ryan also uses a found handgun to get his way in helping Jessica (getting a cell phone charger, taking a man's car for transportation, etc.). IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "It's a day spa, you f*ck," "That's bullsh*t," "Let's cut the bullsh*t, pal," "Sh*tload," "Holy sh*t," "Ah/Oh sh*t," "I think this is bullsh*t," "Doesn't know sh*t," "You cocky little piece of sh*t," "That's kind of the idea, d*ckhead," "Hot chicks," "That sucks," "Shut up," "Out my ass," "(You little) punk," "Jerks," "Idiot," "Yo, grandma. Get off the road" (said to a slow driver), "Jeez," "Screw this," "You bastard," "What the hell are we doing?" "You gotta chill out," "What the hell's your problem?" "Oh hell no," "I'm in deep sh*t," "You G*ddamn animals," "Jack-off" (noun, for person), "Lady who sucks" (how an irate lawyer refers to a repo cashier), "You little bitch," "You lying bitch," "Your sorry ass" and "You idiot." All of the fighting and stunts, etc. may be enticing for some kids to imitate. Various young women, including Chloe, wear midriff-revealing tops. Ryan has a tattoo on his shoulder. When no sales associates will help him as fast as he wants (he needs a cell phone charger immediately or he'll lose Jessica's call forever), Ryan goes out to his stolen car, retrieves the handgun from the glove compartment and returns, firing a shot into a display to get everyone's attention (we hear, however, that he paid for the charger). Ryan takes a man's car at gunpoint (in his quest to help Jessica and her family). A man gives Ryan "the finger" after the latter takes his car at gunpoint. JUMP SCENES Glass suddenly breaks and kidnappers rush into Jessica's home. A person suddenly shoots at another person. MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of ominous and suspenseful music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 2 "f" words, 39 "s" words, 1 slang term each using male and female genitals ("d*ck" and "p*ssy"), 6 hells, 3 asses (1 used with "hole"), 2 damns, 1 crap, 1 S.O.B., 7 uses of "Oh God," 5 each of "G-damn," "God" and "Oh my God" and 1 use each of "Jesus" and "Jesus Christ." SEX/NUDITY We see miscellaneous young women in various styles and sizes of bikinis on the beach (showing cleavage and various amounts of butt cheeks). Chad refers to a young woman with Chloe as her "friend with nipples" (the erect shape of which are visible through her top). Chad then makes small talk with her, commenting on it being cold. When she says it isn't, he says that he begs to differ (referring to her nipples). Other nipple related comments are made. Chad tries to impress some girls (while dressed in a whale costume) by asking if they know that a blue whale has an eleven foot long penis. Jack makes some sort of joking comment about "p*ssy" and Mooney. A lawyer talks on his phone about his new Porsche, commenting on its stats such as that it will "take the girls' panties down in 3.5 seconds." We see more scantly clad women (some in small bikinis) at a beach pier. SMOKING None. TENSE FAMILY SCENES For most of the film, Jessica worries about her son and husband who are targeted to be kidnapped as well (and then are). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Kidnappings and the possibility of being kidnapped at school as occurs here. Bad cops. Cell phones and how people use and misuse them. VIOLENCE Glass suddenly breaks and kidnappers rush into Jessica's home. One then shoots and kills her housekeeper (who falls to the floor without blood), with Ethan holding a gun on Jessica and then throwing her to the floor before abducting her. Evan approaches Jessica and appears to swing a large mallet at her. She ducks, but then sees that he was aiming at the phone hanging behind her that he smashes. Cops struggle with some people in a police station when the latter suddenly riot. Ethan wraps a strap around Jessica's neck and the post behind her, trying to get her to talk. Several cars crash into each other. Ryan drives through a construction zone and blasts through a closed fence. When no sales associates will help him as fast as he wants (he needs a cell phone charger immediately or he'll lose Jessica's call forever), Ryan goes out to his stolen car, retrieves the handgun from the glove compartment and returns, firing a shot into a display to get everyone's attention. Jessica flails at Ethan for a moment until he grabs and throws her to the floor. A cement truck smashes into an empty car in the middle of an intersection, causing the latter to explode. Ryan takes a man's car at gunpoint (in his quest to help Jessica and her family). Airport security personnel grab and aim their guns at Ethan and his minion after Ryan placed a handgun with the latter's jacket to get him into trouble at the security checkpoint. A kidnapper bashes Craig's head against a car before putting him inside it. Craig is then later thrown to the floor. Ethan smacks Craig across the face with the back of his hand, leaving a bit of blood on the man's face. He then grabs Jessica by the hair, holds a gun to her head and threatens to shoot her. In a bank, Ryan bashes a bad guy with a large metal post, but Ethan tackles Craig when he tries to escape, and shoots at Ryan who does just that. Ryan tries to hide on a roof as Ethan slowly looks for him, gun drawn. Ryan then races to jump into and slide down a trash chute, all while Ethan shoots at him. Ryan watches a video tape playback that shows a man kicking another on the ground and then shooting him and another man dead (no blood and taped from a distance). A person suddenly shoots at Mooney, grazing him on the neck (with some bloody results). He then purposefully knocks over a fish bowl as a distraction (the shooter shoots at it) and he then repeatedly shoots the shooter, mortally wounding her (with blood on her shirt -- we later see that the fish is okay). A kidnapper notices a lit phone extension light on a phone, indicating that Jessica is on it. He then goes to her room, grabs and throws her to the floor through something that breaks upon impact, and then slams her against the floor. She then ends up cutting the artery in his armpit, causing him to bleed to death (with some bloody results). Jessica drives her SUV through the corner of a garage (it breaks away and partially collapses) to save her son. As she tries to drive off, a thug shoots at her and Ethan holds a gun to her husband's head to make her stop. He then bashes the husband. A man holds a gun on Ryan, and Ethan then head butts Ryan, knocking him to the ground. Mooney and a bad guy struggle and fight over control of a handgun with punching, hitting and bashing the other into things, such as when Mooney drives the guy backwards through a glass window. A bad guy spits on Mooney who then cracks the guy on the head with a handgun. A bad guy slowly makes his way through a somewhat dark, but large boat house, looking for Ryan who's hiding. He shoots at a decoy, but Ryan hits him several times with a surfboard. Ethan then shows up and shoots the surfboard several times before punching him. Ryan then comes at Ethan with a pole or long oar, but Ethan knocks him aside. The villain then allows Ryan to punch him several times (in the face and gut) before grabbing Ryan by the neck and throwing him to the floor. Mooney then shows up and aims his gun at the villain. Ethan shoots out a light and Mooney shoots at him. Ethan then shoots at Mooney and Ryan who try to hide from him, but Ryan is shot in the leg. Jessica snares a villain's neck with the handcuffs around her wrists, strangling him until he's unconscious. Mooney shoots a villain several times, killing him (with blood on the bad guy's shirt). As a villain prepares to shoot Jessica and her family, Ryan breaks the vehicle's window, grabs the bad guy and slams his head onto the steering wheel. He then pulls him from the vehicle, bashes him against it, punches him several times and then slams the door onto the guy's head/neck, injuring him quite badly. Reviewed September 7, 2004/ Posted September 10, 2004

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