The Call

I believe this is the third movie I've watched now called 'The Call'. The first two were pretty good. This one not so much. Firstly, it wasn't the type of film I was anticipating. The synopsis implied a very different film to what I actually got. I was not expecting the supernatural to be the basis for the film. Secondly, my goodness these were some awful characters to be expected to root for. The film didn't do itself any favours in that regard.

I'll get some positives out of the way before I further discuss what I didn't like. If you have Lin Shaye and Tobin Bell in your film then you are very lucky. Regardless of the material, they are going to be fantastic, as they rightfully are here. Bell is more of a guide for the film, which we know he does so well. Shaye is relied on to be the horror - and she is the one thing that is actually scary in this movie. Her unhinged character works perfectly and is very disturbing.

The film also has a decent concluding sequence. At the point where most horror films tend to fall apart, this one actually manages to find its footing and become a little unsettling.

The problems though outweigh the good stuff. Very little works in the way of scares. Things just get too unrealistic, too quickly and it feels very fake. The main four teenagers (who I can only guess were intended to be the film's protagonists) are detestable people and not the type that anyone wants to be rooting for. If anything you should be rooting for Shaye's character.

'The Call' is a film that is going out of its way to be original and creative and it has to be given props for that. It rarely hits the mark, but hey you miss 100% of the shots you don't take. And some of the shots in this film do indeed stick the landing. It's far from perfect, however I don't believe it's as bad as a 4.2/10 IMDb rating implies.

Lin Shaye and Tobin Bell are horror Icons. Unfortunately they can't save bad writing, scare less deaths, poor dialog and a weak story.

Set in the mid eighties, the dialog is far more cliche than real, unlike Stranger Things and the recent It Ch 1. The acting is maybe a notch above a soap opera, but I'll give the lead credit. At least he's trying unlike the other 3 "teens." Seriously the line delivery felt straight out of Not Another Teen Movie.

The plot, the dreadful plot. Teens harass an old woman one of them suspects of witchcraft and the disappearance of her sister. Something happens to old woman. Teens must face their past...yada yada.

It is as cliched as it sounds but unlike movies like Saw, the past of a few of them is not their fault. So badly done.

I'd recommend watching any movie with Tobin Bell or Lin Shaye besides this one. It stinks.

Initially when I sat down to watch the 2020 movie titled "The Call", I must admit that I was sort of having some hopes for the movie, as it had two horror icons on the cast list.

Well, as it turned out then the storyline in "The Call" was definitely interesting enough, if it wasn't actually being original. However, the movie's writer, Patrick Stibbs, just didn't really manage to deliver where it mattered for a horror movie. Sure, I mean, the movie was watchable and sort of entertaining enough, but it just was way too bland and generic for my liking.

And yeah, it was because of Tobin Bell and Lin Shaye, two iconic names, faces and voices in the horror genre, that I initially sat down to watch it. And I will say that they both definitely did spruce up the overall enjoyment of the movie.

The acting was good for a movie such as this. It wasn't outstanding, but it was adequate enough. Perhaps it was because of the limitations of the script and the directorial hand of Timothy Woodward Jr. that sort of restrained the performers to fully give what they had.

Visually, for a horror movie, then "The Call" just didn't deliver. I mean, the atmosphere in the house was interesting and lots of nice details to the house, but the otherworldly sequences were just too flaccid, and didn't really feel like being scenes of personal hell and anguish enough.

"The Call" is the type of horror movie that came and went without as much as leaving a dent in the horror genre. I mean, I didn't even know about the movie before I had the chance to actually sit down and watch it. And having watched it now, I can honestly say that I highly doubt that I will ever be sitting down to watch "The Call" a second time.

Perhaps if you are a newcomer to the horror genre, then you will find some proper entertainment in "The Call", or even some spooky stuff and scenes. But for a seasoned horror veteran such as myself, this was but a stroll in the park.

My rating of "The Call" lands on a very mediocre five out of ten stars.

No offense to the rest of the cast, but without Lin Shaye and Tobin Bell ... this movie probably would not have faired as good (with me and others I'm sure). Having said that, it doesn't mean everything else is bad. The story may be quite by the numbers (with a decent twist, even if you can guess that from miles away), but I've seen worse.

Talking about seeing: cinematography is also really good. So a neat little movie overall, that has almost all the horror movie cliches you can imagine ... just be aware of what you are to watch ... and if that is worth your time.

5.5/10

Is this movie the worst of 2020! No, is it a masterpiece?! No!

Reviews are quite weird for this one, it is true the storyline is basic and seen may times but it was fun enough to keep me on my seat till the end.

Pros: Cinematography is beautiful, loved the colour contrast and the aesthetic of it. Creep factor was there and present in every location set. Some of the acting is decent. Story is good enough to keep you entertained for an afternoon.

Cons: Some of the actors just need to go back to acting school, makeup of the ghosts sometimes was a bit basic and amateurish. Predictable jumpscares. Rushed ending. And the storyline could be better, it felt this was the first draft of the script tbh.

Not worthy to be seen in cinemas so I would suggest for anyone who wants to watch it to wait till it drops on streaming.