Cinematic Treasure Trove - #5 The Call 2020

"The Call" is a South Korean thriller film that was released in 2020 on Netflix. The movie, which stars Park Shin-hye and Jeon Jong-seo, revolves around the concept of time travel and the consequences that come with changing the past.

The story follows Seo-yeon (Park Shin-hye), a young woman who moves into her family's old home after her father's death. While settling in, she discovers an old phone that allows her to communicate with a woman named Young-sook (Jeon Jong-seo), who lived in the same house 20 years ago. As Seo-yeon and Young-sook get to know each other, they realize that their actions have consequences that affect each other's lives.

Plot

Kim Seo-yeon, a 28-year-old woman, loses her cellphone while on her way to visit her sick and estranged mother in a rural area. Upon reaching her childhood home, she discovers a decades-old cordless phone and starts receiving calls from a distressed woman who claims to be tortured by her mother. After investigating the house, Seo-yeon realizes that the woman on the phone, Oh Young-sook, is residing in the same house but in the year 1999.

Surprisingly, the two women are able to communicate across time through the phone and share information about their lives. Seo-yeon discovers that Young-sook, an orphan, lives with her adoptive mother who is a shaman, while she herself lost her father in a fire which she blames her mother, Eun-ae, for.

Young-sook, with the help of information from Seo-yeon, sneaks out of the house to prevent the fire that killed Seo-yeon's father. She succeeds in her mission, and Seo-yeon's life takes a new turn: her parents are both alive and healthy, and their house is now lavish. However, Young-sook is punished by her mother and becomes resentful that Seo-yeon's life is now better while hers remains the same.

Seo-yeon uses the internet to search for information and discovers that Young-sook was killed by her mother during an exorcism. In the next phone call, Seo-yeon warns Young-sook about her fate, and Young-sook saves herself and kills her mother instead. Freed from her mother's grip, Young-sook becomes a serial killer.

Seo-yeon soon realizes what has happened when Young-sook's victims start disappearing in the present day. During their next phone call, Seo-yeon confronts Young-sook but, unfortunately, reveals to her that she will be arrested. The story ends with Seo-yeon, now aware of the consequences of her actions, attempting to stop Young-sook from continuing her killing spree.

The movie is a thrilling and suspenseful tale of time travel and the ripple effects that changing the past can have on the future. The performances by the two leading actresses are superb, with Park Shin-hye delivering a powerful portrayal of a woman trying to come to terms with her father's death while also dealing with the consequences of her actions in the past.

Jeon Jong-seo, on the other hand, gives a nuanced and complex performance as a woman struggling with her own trauma and the desire to change the course of her life. Together, the two actresses create a dynamic and intense on-screen chemistry that drives the story forward.

The cinematography and visual effects in "The Call" are also impressive, adding to the overall atmosphere of the movie. The use of lighting and camera angles create a sense of tension and unease, while the time-travel sequences are visually stunning and add to the sense of mystery and wonder.

Overall, "The Call" is a must-watch for fans of time travel stories and thrillers. It is a well-crafted movie that manages to balance intense action and suspense with emotional depth and character development. With a gripping plot and outstanding performances, this Korean movie is a standout addition to the thriller genre.

Available on Netflix