Cellular

The Cellular DVD carries five deleted scenes lasting around five minutes. All of them slow down the pace of the film and elaborate on two-dimensional background characters. It is worth watching for the concert footage of G Love and Special Sauce, who should be irritated at being included on the soundtrack, yet completely removed visually from the film.

An alternative ending provides us with a little more information on what happens to Ryan and his girlfriend (Jessica Biel), a scene that director David R. Ellis insists was difficult to film since Biel was imagining that she was kissing him instead of her co-star. This same sarcastic approach fills up Ellis's optional and quite enjoyable commentary. He spends too much time describing what is happening in the film, rather than concentrating on giving the audience on-set anecdotes, which, when they arrive, are worth hearing - Chris Evans and Biel became involved romantically during the shoot.

There are four documentaries, the first of which is Celling Out, a featurette on the birth and growth of the cellular, or mobile, phone. This includes interviews with experts, spliced with short clips from the film. It proves to be an informative and worthwhile documentary that deals with how mobile technology affects different members of society and goes into considerable detail over the advantages and disadvantages of mobile phones and speculates as to what awaits us in the future. A lengthy 15 minutes, but a refreshing extra that does not focus merely on the movie.

Dialling Up Cellular is a much more typical DVD featurette, dealing with the making of the film, on-set interviews and snippets of behind the scenes footage. Nothing very interesting in the first half, although aficionados will enjoy learning about Ellis's directing techniques. It is a true reflection of what goes on behind the making of the film and has a strong focus on stunts, which is entertaining to watch. As a Making Of, there is no information on the film's music, but otherwise this is 25 minutes of well put together content.

Code Of Silence is only loosely related to the plot, being the true story of the Rampart corrupt cop scandal. The fact that it has little to do with the film is easy to accept, as it is a stand alone documentary, with no film footage included. It is a fast moving featurette that rounds off a mix of extra features that makes for an informative and absorbing DVD.

The lack of outtakes is disappointing as the Making Of suggests it was a fun shoot, but this allows the tone of the extras to remain serious and therefore arresting.