Cela 213: Bem-vindo ao Inferno

Eric talks real quiet in this movie. Most of the time I couldn't hear what he was saying. The movie in general isn't that great. No real complaints, just not the most entertaining movie.

The unethical lawyer Michael Grey (Eric Balfour) is defending a criminal in court and if he succeeds, he will become partner of the office where he works. He secretly hires a criminal to frighten an important witness from the prosecutor to win the case. The trial is suspended to the next day and Michael drives to the South River State Penitentiary to visit another client. Michael is received by the Warden (Bruce Greenwood) and guard Ray Clement (Michael Rooker) that blames him for releasing criminals from prison. While alone with his client, the inmate takes Michael's pen and stabs himself in his own neck. Ray accuses Michael of murdering the inmate and the lawyer is sentenced to the prison. He is locked in cell 213 and has an abusive treatment from the Warden and Ray. Michael has visions in the cell and soon he discovers that the criminal he hired has killed the witness and his family. Further, his deceased client is haunting him. Meanwhile the government agent Audrey Davis (Deborah Valente) comes to South River State Penitentiary to investigate the staff and prisoners. Soon she discovers the sadistic behavior of Ray and that Michael is innocent. But Michael finds that God and the devil are disputing his soul and he might have no salvation.

"Cell 213" is a horror film with great potential but flawed story. The idea of a place in a prison where God and the devil dispute souls of inmates is totally original, but the story could have been better written. Bruce Greenwood performs an ambiguous character and Eric Balfour has a good performance. Michael Rooker performs a dysfunctional character, actually his usual role. The cinematography is dark and creepy in high-quality. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Cela 213" ("Cell 213")

Really the beginning of this film was the only thing that I felt was any good. Speaking from personal experience, cops can magically lose video of encounters when it suits them. Body cams are changing that, but 10 years ago that was not the case. That mandatory recording from the dash board used to "malfunction" when it needed to. I'm my state all it takes to be convicted of 3rd degree assault on an officer (felony), is two officers testimony. No other proof needed. Really happened and I'm sure happened a lot in the city I live in. Anyway, this is actually a pretty boring film. Not very realistic at least of where I had to go. They don't house many gang members (black, brown or white) together for example. Inmates in a morgue?? Cmon folks. Nope.

This is not really a review, it should be taken more as a collection of impressions of the film.

To say that this horror is bad and ridiculous is an understatement, this stuff is really stupid, everything that happens is stupid starting with how the lawyer arrives in prison up to the limited and tremendous deductive skills of the detective who wants to shed light on the matter in the stupidest way possible passing through the ending which is trivial but still really stupid. The only nice thing about the movie is the prison dynamics which are interesting and follow the protagonist's growing madness well, but other than that it's really ridiculous.

As much as I roll my unworthy eyes at Claudio's reviews (4 paragraph synopsis of the story, 2 sentence 'review'...) I must admit that I agree with his sparse comments and his rating of this film.

I too rated it a '7'. BUT... you have to understand that this is a VERY slow-burn, low-key 'Horror' film where, when you get right down to it, not a whole lot happens. The strong point of this movie is it's well crafted and very effective atmosphere. *** IF *** you can get into Horror films that are mostly comprised of mood and atmosphere as opposed to a lot of Action and violence, THEN you might appreciate and enjoy this movie. I really liked the way the director used the photography and particularly the sound design to create what I felt was, in my lowly and wretched opinion, a very effective and suspenseful, moody Horror film.

Don't get me wrong... I frigg'n LOVE some of the all-out kick your balls up behind your ears Horror movies if they are made well, but I also enjoy low-key, well crafted, moody ones like this one. As long as you don't mind the light use of action and violence, you really can get caught up in the moody atmosphere of a movie like this.

The acting throughout was also very good, with the principles doing an excellent job in their roles. I think that since the story in itself is so simple and straight-forward, it really falls to the director to be able to bring it all together in such a way to create the suspense and tension in order to make it effective and to do what it is supposed to do.

So, unlike one of the early reviewers above who basically sliced and diced this movie telling us in detail WHY it was so bad, if you can appreciate THIS KIND of Horror film as I have tried in my inept way to explain so you can understand, then I would think that there is a good chance that you will find it entertaining. Remember too... it is basically Supernaturally themed, so if movies like that just make you roll your eyes and you feel that they are complete BS, then by all means give this one a pass...

Oh, FWIW I really dug the 'BLADE RUNNER' lighting at the very end...