The Call - A Movie Review

You have to remain calm. I’m going to get you out of this.

The Call was released to theaters in 2013. After a 9-1-1 call that went horribly wrong, Jordan is afraid to make another mistake as a 911 operator. One day, a young girl dials 911 after getting kidnapped by a man. Staying with the girl the entire time, Jordan promises to bring Casey to safety.

Having previously watched The Guilty, I decided to take a look at The Call. Riveting and suspenseful in every scene, The Call skewered into a completely different story by the end, ruining the atmosphere.

Halle Berry is a terrific actress taking an emotionally difficult role. She was the best character in the film. To prepare for her role, Berry watched real 911 dispatchers at work. She recalled how emotionally exhausting it was.

Berry was great at studying every emotional cue. After a 911 call that went wrong under her power, Jordan learns that she is braver than she thinks.

Having to remain in a frantic state for most of the film, Abigail Breslin was terrific. Capturing in the trunk of a car, her role is an example of what to do in a dangerous situation like this. At times, Breslin overacted, repeating most of her lines or hysterical behavior, but she was fantastic.

Even though they were not in the same scene only talking on the phone to one another, I felt the chemistry between Jordan and Casey. 911 dispatchers have a difficult job. I like the dialogue between them, most notably when Jordan asked Casey what her favorite movie was. Learning to cope with it, 911 dispatchers make it their job to help you.

The villain was written like a cartoon. With no solid motivation, Michael Eklund’s only direction is to act suspiciously in all of his facial expressions and the way he moves. Even the way he’s dressed would catch the attention of a cop. He was the most unrealistic portion of the movie.

Tense and suspenseful, The Call is a gripping story. It builds up a lot of tension. In the beginning, I was sitting forward, my eyes glued to my laptop, waiting in suspense to see what happens. Until the end that is. Writers thought up the silliest ending that belonged in another film entirely. The characters should have never met one another.

This film needed a different ending. Why it decided to go with this ending, I am not sure. I was ready to shut the film off because nobody was in character. I also wasn’t sure whether to laugh or feel on edge, whichever tone the director was heading for. All the tension disappears.

Brad Anderson directed a heart-racing thriller. The story has been done before. Everyone has their own 911 horror story that they want to tell. He over-directed, particularly in the end. Most of the deliveries, scenes, and Ekmund’s character are cheesy. Breslin overacted at times, though hysteria has its own definition.

Don’t get me wrong, The Call is a suspenseful film. I want to talk about the dialogue for a bit because it’s what drives the film along, For anyone studying to be a 911 dispatcher, The Call gives you the best examples of conversations and how to control your emotions.

The ending resembles something out of the fanfiction world. Maybe because most 911 films have the same ending, writers just wanted to do something different. That, I understand, but it’s better to keep things realistic.

Find The Call on Netflix. Don’t treat it too seriously. Enjoy the film for what it is.