The Call

The Call (2013)
Directed By: Brad Anderson
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 36%

The Ides of March proved to be a lackluster film release day. The only two films of note that hit the theaters today were the Steve Carell vehicle/Jim Carrey career revival attempt, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, and the Halle Berry thriller The Call. I typically do not see comedies in the theater because I feel you get the same experience when you spend $1 at RedBox to rent it. Why spend $11/ticket when you can stay home and save a Hamilton. That being said, we chose to see The Call. The trailer had intrigued me enough to want to see it even though the Rotten Tomatoes score is dismal. I have to say, this is actually a very well crafted thriller with one of the most terrifying villans in recent history, but it falls apart in the end.

The Call shows what it's like to be in the high stakes world of 911 Emergency Services Operators. Jordan (Berry) is a normal operator that helps everyone that calls her just like any other operator would; one leg at a time... Jordan is having a normal night until she gets a phone call from a young girl, Leah (Evie Thompson). Leah is terrified because there is someone breaking into her house and she is all alone (of course). Jordan instructs her to find a place to hide and to remain quiet. After a few minutes, Leah effectively hides from the intruder and tells Jordan so, but then the line gets disconnected. Jordan then decides that it is a wise decision to hit "Redial" on her end. This reveals Leah's location to the intruder and she is taken. Sadly, Liam Neeson is not here to save young Leah and she is found the following day; no longer among the living. This rattles Jordan and she decides to become an operator trainer. The film jumps forward six months and we see Jordan is still rattled because she is on several prescription drugs now. As she is leading a tour through "The Hive" (where the operators work) she introduces the trainees to a young operator. She is, more than likely, the person that took over Jordan's station. As Jordan is walking the group out, the young operator gets a call from Casey Welson (Abigail Breslin). She has been abducted from the mall and is currently being kept in the trunk of a vehicle. Jordan sees the rookie flailing so she takes the reigns for one more ride.

I would like to go on record and say that I am surprised at the quality of this film. It was produced by WWE Studios. If you're not familiar with their body of work then please, check this out. They have released high quality films like The Mania of Wrestlemania, Leprechaun: Origins, and The Chaperone. I had very low expectations. What was delivered, while cliched at times, felt like a taut and well thought out thriller. The scenes where Breslin is trapped in the trunk were reminiscent of Ryan Reynold's 2010 film Buried.


The audience feels trapped, claustrophobic, and helpless. The cramped feeling makes you aware of your breathing as you watch Casey struggle to find a way out. What's interesting is that when Jordan has her headset on, you feel the same way (at least I did). Jordan is trapped in her situation because she wants to help Casey escape; she wants to save her life. Berry delivers a great performance and Breslin is proving that she can still hold the screen as well as she did years ago.

I tried to find the dance scene but you get the idea.

The real star of The Call though is Michael Eklund.


"O, you mean Ethan Hawke" is surely what you just said. I don't blame you. Look.


The resemblance is spooky. It's almost like they are twins separated at birth. Enough of that though, his performance was a dash of Norman Bates, with a little bit Buffalo Bill, and a nice helping of The Thin Man from Charlie's Angels.


What? That's not creepy? How about Crispin Glover as a whole?


Yeah, so imagine that type of guy abducting teenage girls. That is what The Call's villan is like. It's intense. I really enjoyed the film until it was very near the end. It all fell apart for me. I won't go into detail about why because I sincerely believe it is worth seeing just to experience Eklund's effedupedness.

No BS

The Call, starring Halle Berry, is an enjoyable film. It is not breaking any ground and it is not necessarily original or fresh but what it delivers is a well produced thriller. Most will be on the edge of their seats as they experience Casey's abduction. Don't let the low RT score throw you off; this one is worth your money.

My Score: 7/10