by MATTHEW HAYS

The fact that the director of Cellular, David R. Ellis, is a seasoned stunt man, makes perfect sense. This slight film takes off quickly, tossing us into a series of stunts and outrageously contrived plot twists. But despite its innate stupidity, despite its silliness, Cellular actually manages to work. Mercifully, the thing never takes itself too seriously and it often asks us to laugh out loud at its own silly turns.

The man behind the plot is cult movie demigod Larry Cohen, who seems to be suffering something of a telephone obsession, what with his last movie idea being Phone Booth. It's a similar set-up here: Kim Basinger plays a sweet mom who sees her boy off to school. Upon returning to her upper-class L.A. home, she is abducted, her maid is murdered and she's taken to a secret location where she's asked about her husband's whereabouts. There is a phone in the attic in which she's being held, but the kidnappers cleverly smash it to smithereens with a baseball bat so she can't use it. We learn very early on just how much suspension of disbelief this film is going to require: we're supposed to buy that Basinger could rebuild a smashed phone and make it work again.

Just her luck, and ours: her impaired phone reaches shirtless beach boy Chris Evans (The Perfect Score) on his cellular. He is understandably suspicious of her claims of kidnapping and beating. But he does pop into the cop shop for her, only to be brushed off by a well-meaning but overworked William H. Macy (playing the Cop Who Will Ultimately Figure Everything Out).

Cellular is one of those throwaway, silly Urban Nightmare movies. But something about all of its inanity, its brainless suspense, makes for a film you can't help but find entertaining (but kick yourself for liking). It feels kind of like having sex with that gorgeous person who is brainless and has no personality. What the hell? This Cellular is disposable, but it's a fun ride nonetheless.

Cellular opens Friday, Sept. 10

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