The Call - Leg nicht auf!

I enjoyed this film quite a bit: it kept a good pace of tension which makes for a good thriller. The acting is good (no academy awards), and it did a good job of giving a glimpse into the operations of 911 call centers which is a fresh topic - and it did so without dragging the pace.

The main bad guy becomes ever more creepy as the plot progresses which helps build the tension. The ending takes an interesting twist which, in the moment, doesn't feel quite as out-of-character as others describe - mainly due to a good segue shot that probably took more than a few takes to get right.

The weak spots consist mainly of some CSI style technology leaps that only technology morons would buy into, and a single bit of clumsiness that just feels scripted. Unfortunately the CSI technology leaps are very popular in Hollywood (to my dismay) and the bit of clumsiness is key to the plot progression.

If one or two minor transgressions make you feel like you wasted your money, wait for it to show up on Netflix. If you enjoy a good edge of your seat thriller and can overlook the transgressions, go see it!

"The Call" is a tidy little thriller, modeled, in large part, on the movie "Speed." Halle Berry plays the Southern California 911 dispatcher who's in a race against the clock to rescue a teenage girl (Abigail Breslin) locked in the trunk of a serial killer (Michael Eklund).

Director Brad Anderson keeps the action going at a breakneck pace, providing pulse-pounding, edge-of-the-seat suspense that helps us to overlook the stray inconsistency and implausibility that wander into the narrative, particularly towards the end (the movie doesn't entirely escape the Third Act curse common to the genre). There's also an unfortunate tendency towards the sadistic that spoils some of the fun.

The really distinctive feature is that writer Richard D'Ovidio has made Jordan, the dispatcher, a compelling, easily identifiable figure by emphasizing not only her strength and craftiness but her insecurity and self-doubt as she does her best to assist people in making it through sometimes unimaginable crises.

The movie is a bit overwrought at times (again, looking at you, last half hour) and it ultimately succumbs to too many serial-killer clichés, but "The Call" is a whole lot better than many of the more highly publicized, big-budget thrillers of recent times.

'The Call' is one of those movies where the feel dictates everything- Either you find yourself deeply engrossed,excitedly anticipating what's next or you feel disconnected and cant sit through it.With 'The call' it's the former.The movie wastes no time in getting things started and once they do,there's hardly a dull moment.The actors are well cast. Halle Berry plays a gutsy 911 phone agent who is desperate not to repeat a mistake made.Frankly she was amazing...way better than i expected.

The movie works because it has it's ingredients well cooked.The acting is superlative,the pace exhilarating.The background score is brilliant and adds another dimension to this thriller.The movie captures perfectly the horror and terror of being a kidnapped victim to a psychopath,the tension of being a 911 phone helper(Who needs to display equanimity,sympathize and be nimble-minded,all at the same time).It is a genuine tale,thrilling,intriguing .......and at times even scary.Definitely worth a watch.Go for it.

The Call kept my interest and had everyone wanting to scream at the screen and tell the characters what to do and urge them along. The characters would alternate between overcoming their emotions and rising to the challenge and falling prey to them at just the wrong moment. There was a constant sense of tension during the 911 call and the walk through of getting the girl to safety. Be prepared to feel that adrenaline and tension for longer than your body is normally used to. You may feel just as drained after a call as a 911 operator does...

I really enjoyed the level of detail the film makers put into showing us the world of a 911 operator and what they go through on a day to day basis. It's pretty fascinating. I know I could never do that kind of job. That kind of stress day in and day out has to wear on a person and probably often hardens them.

The ending involves a twist I wasn't expecting, and gains my respect for that, but it was still somewhat disappointing because I wanted it to go further. Those who have seen the movie will know what I mean.

If you found yourself at all interested in the trailer go see this movie! You'll like it!

Jordan Turner (Halle Berry) is a skilled 911 operator. She gets a call from Casey Welson (Abigail Breslin) who has an intruder in the house. She tries to hide but she taken when Jordan reconnects after getting disconnected. Michael Foster (Michael Eklund) is a serial killer with a fetish for hair.

This is a great little thriller. It moves along well. The story is logical. Halle Berry may have overacted on a couple of occasions but her location keeps the movie restrained. Overall, this is a great little thriller until the last 20 minutes or so. The ending is pulled right out of a different movie. It tries to ramp up to a slasher porn horror. It doesn't make sense that Jordan would go there. It's too convenient and ill conceived. Before it turned, it's an 8 but 6 is all I have left for it.