The Call (2013) Directed by Brad Anderson. Starring: Halle Berry, Evie Thompson, Abigail Breslin. IMDB says: “When veteran 911 operator Jordan Turner receives a call from a girl who has just been abducted, she soon realizes that she must confront a killer from her past in order to save the girl’s life.”
The Call is an interesting movie that is sure to be underrated, but not by me. A movie produced by the WWE may not sound like the most appetizing thing in the world, but it’s actually really well done. The film places Halle Berry in the role of a seasoned 911 operator who is contacted by a young girl who is home alone when an intruder arrives. This outcome of the call sets off a sequence of events that changes her life and the lives of those around her forever.
This film is very plot driven and for good reason. The subject matter is gritty and gripping. The scenes where the young girl is forced to fight for her life are particularly emotional and the viewer will soon find himself drawn into the scene and rooting for the girl to pull through. The editing is also well done, with the juxtaposition of the dire circumstances surrounding the girls kidnapping and the relative calm of the 911 call center, it creates a real understanding of the hopelessness that both the operator and victim feel. The film also takes some surprising twists and turns and creates real suspense that keeps the viewer glued to the screen.
All in all, there isn’t a whole lot I can fault this film for even though at times it may have come off as unrealistic or felt like it was trying to hard. The performance was certainly serviceable from Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin shines in her role as the victim of the kidnapping. The rest of the players are relative unknowns but they do not at all detract from the film. The screenplay is well written and virtually everything drives the plot forward, There isn’t much fluff, which can sometimes be the case in this genre of film. This is definitely one I recommend seeing in theaters to get the complete experience. Be forewarned however, the film really lends itself to “audience involvement” which may or may not be something you find desirable.
