The Calling

Let there be no mistake: The Calling is not a very good movie. But then again, how many really good movies are there in this genre? Off hand I can only think of a few...The Omen, The Exorcist (the best of them all), The Shining, Poltergeist, The Blair Witch Project and The Changeling amongst a few others perhaps (I also liked The Ninth Gate). I can think of a lot more titles that REALLY stinks, and this is my favorite genre! As for The Calling I think it is an OK movie for the genre, and well worth seeing for those who enjoy this type of movie. It is nowhere near as good as any of the above, but it's still not all that bad. And even though we've all "seen this story before" I find the ending quite original. Helge Iversen

I give a 7, and thats being conservative! You have to pay attention mid-movie to stay with plot. Solid acting as far as I could judge! Few plotholes, making the movie smooth in laying everything out. Great ending. I give this an over-all B+! Thanks!😀

In this film there is a very young pretty gal who gets married to a handsome guy who has the large home and everything to go with a prosperous person. After the large celebration and all the people have left for the evening, usually romance starts in the bedroom. However, in this picture it encounters a walk through the woods on a moon-lite night and then a stroll to a high cliff area overlooking the ocean below. The couple embrace and make love on the hard rock surface, instead of a nice warm cozy bed; it is from this point on in the picture that things start to change for the worst. The young bride is pregnant immediately after the hard rock love making and a sweet lovely child is conceived for the entire world to enjoy. If you like this type of film and especially,"Rosemary's Baby", you will enjoy this film.

A newlywed woman on the Isle of Man (Laura Harris) becomes increasingly suspicious when her son reveals coldhearted-ness while her friend and boss (Alice Krige) seems to be taking her place. Then there's the mysterious taxi driver (Francis Magee). What's going on?

"The Calling" (2000) is a well-made supernatural thriller with the same plot as the contemporaneous "Bless the Child," but is way more low-key. It mixes the set-up of "Rosemary's Baby" with the spooky tone and muddled storytelling of "Nomads," along with bits of "The Seventh Sign" and "The Wicker Man." Unfortunately, it's the least of these because it's the least compelling and the last act leaves too many questions, but I was able to figure things out after getting help online.

I usually like challenging films that make you put the pieces of the puzzle together, but I just didn't find this one absorbing enough, although the locations and mood are great. I'd put it on par with "To the Devil a Daughter."

Despite its cartoonish CGI, "Bless the Child" is the better film because it's more thrilling and sensical.

The movie runs 1 hour, 29 minutes, and was shot in Cornwall and London, England.

GRADE: C.

This was definitely not as bad as I thought it would be. The acting was a little dry, I guess, but the kid who played Dylan was definitely creepy. There was a lot of symbolism, or maybe I was just making some up to make the movie seem more profound, but the raven part was pretty cool, and plus, the raven is also a Carrie thing... Heh, so all in all, this wasn't so bad, and it reminded me of Rosemary's Baby, what with the devil's child and all. I gave it 4/10.