Um Estranho à Minha Porta

I really enjoyed this film. It was was really suspenseful and scary, especially when he is bothering her through the front door...you never know where he is! I recommend this movie to everyone who likes thrillers. Not a horror movie, but scary none the less. The acting is very good..and with big stars..the film is hardly a flop. When the film starts it gets right to the point..starts right off with the babysitter going into the house where she is to watch the children for the night. as soon as the door closes you know something isn't right. You know this babysitter is NOT alone. A couple words of advice for babysitters...always check every lock in the house!

Before babysitters only had to worry if the phone rang, now they have to fear a knock on the door as well!

I'm a big fan of the first film and when I found out there was a sequel a few years ago I just had to watch it. The problem was I couldn't find it. Once I did find it I was a bit cautious about renting it. Would it just be a carbon copy of the original? Well yes it is and no it isn't. The format is the same but the writer Fred Walton has done his best to throw in many original ideas.

For those who don't know, the story follows a babysitter who is tormented by a stranger one night while babysitting. Five years later she is tormented again. The police wonder, is it the same person or is she just seeking attention? It's hard to say, but Jill (Carol Kane) who experienced the same situation years before believes her.

There are some problems with the movie. John Clifford (Charles Durning) who investigates the mystery solves it pretty quickly and hunts down the stranger just as easily. Also, the movie doesn't tie up all of it's plot threads nicely, like why the stranger does what he does, but that's okay because it leaves the viewer something to discuss with friends. What strengthens the movie is the amount of suspense in it. Not only are the first 20 minutes of the movie very suspenseful but there are a couple of good moments within the movie and the ending is superb (if not a bit unlikely).

Most times a movie will advertise itself as being so scary that you shouldn't watch it alone. But in the case of When a Stranger Calls Back (and the original When a Stranger Calls) the movie is much scarier when watched alone and not very scary at all when watched with another person.

I really liked this movie and I highly recommended it if you like movies that scare through suspense rather then gore. This movie is a nice change of pace from your typical theatrical horror release (it was made for cable). When a Stranger Calls Back gets a 7 out of 10.

I watched the 1993 version a long time ago but didn't finish it. Years later I tried to search but could not find but only the 2006 version I consider quite disappointing. I found this movie by accident today. I'm glad to know the ending of the movie.

This movie is suspenseful from start to finish. The 1979 and 2006 versions weren't as good as this one either.

The headline above seems to sum up some of the other reviewers' opinions of this film and I totally agree with them: I liked this sequel better. I will always remember this film for the first 20-25 minutes which really scared me the first time I saw it. It gave me the creeps, and always will if I don't watch it too often.

After that, the movie settles down, and the excitement leaves, but it still keeps you interested, picking back up again at the end with another suspense scene.

This is a "scare" movie - a sequel - that works although there are a few noticeable holes in the storyline. I liked the camera-work in here with the closeups of the door lock or the phone, the slowness of camera movement here and there to build suspense, etc. The ending, in which the killer blends into a wall, is very neat.

The main actors are interesting to watch and a main plus is the lack of profanity, especially surprising with Charles Durning in the film. The "R" rating had to be for a couple of topless waitress scenes.

Jill Schoelen gets third billing and she's the star of the movie. Carol Kane, the star of the first film: When A Stranger Calls, helps out on this case, too, and it's nice to see her again.

When A Stranger Calls Back is without a doubt one of the most underrated films of all time. It is better than it's predecessor (which was also a very entertaining film). However, what makes this film more enjoyable and scary is the fact that the tension is kept throughout the film, as opposed to the first one where only the beginning and end are suspenseful. In When A Stranger Calls Back, the beginning, middle, and end are filled with some of the most frightening scenes I've ever viewed and keep the film going at a steady, entertaining pace. And the ending is mind-blowingly creative and scary. The characters are all well developed, the script is tight, and the direction is superb. I won't reveal anything about the plot, but all I can say is that once you see this film, you will be drawn in by its originality and suspense. Kudos to underrated writer/director Fred Walton for making one of the best suspense thrillers you'll ever see. (****)out of(****)