It’s been a while since we’ve seen a good Halle Berry film out. “The Call” put an end to that streak when it premiered on March 15 worldwide.
The psychological thriller found audiences following the story of 911 dispatcher, Jordan, as she deals with her day-to-day calls ranging from lost drivers to armed robberies. The scenes in “the hive” seemed to depict the life of an LA dispatcher, focusing in on the technology and resources used.
When Jordan receives a call from a young woman whose home is being invaded by a man who is looking for her, she believes it’s just going to be another call. The call is dropped though, and when Jordan redials the number, the ring of the phone gives away the girl’s hiding spot, and she is then found and murdered by the intruder.
With the blame on her shoulders, Jordan backs away from the phones and turns to teaching future dispatchers. During a tour of “the hive” one day, Jordan witnesses a newcomer taking a call from a girl who has been abducted and is trapped in a moving-car’s trunk. Unable to handle the severity of the call, the dispatcher begs Jordan to take it – and reluctantly she does.
Jordan is able to calm her caller, Casey (Abigail Breslin), down and they begin working on a game plan to help her out. It’s discovered that her phone is untraceable so the police are waiting on Jordan’s call for a direct location or description. Casey is instructed to kick out the tail light and wave her hand out. The plan ends up backfiring.
Next, she finds white paint and a screwdriver in the trunk. Under Jordan’s instructions, she opens the cans and begins to pour out the pain through the busted tail light. Without giving away too much, we’ll leave it at the fact that this plan pretty much completely backfires as well and makes matters even worse for Casey when her abductor (Michael Eklund) discovers what she’s been doing.
After over an hour on the phone, the car stops again, this time for good. Casey’s kidnapper finds her phone, and Jordan tells him not to hurt his captive and that police will find him, just as she told the other man six months ago before the girl in the house was killed. It’s at this point that she realizes it’s the same killer.
For a movie that takes place in three main locations, the majority of which is “the hive” and the trunk of a car, the director and actors make the acts work, even with the limited locations. This same film design has been seen in many successful movies such as “Red Eye” and “Cellular.”
The last third of the movie involves a little more action as Jordan decides to take matters away from technology and into her own hands. What she discovers, though, involves more than just a normal serial killer – if there ever was one.
Not only does the man have a wife and a family waiting for him at home, but he has a dark story from his past that has influenced his actions. With time running out and clues piling up, Jordan finds herself between Casey and her kidnapper, face-to- face with a psychopathic murderer who wants only one thing from his girls – their beautiful blonde hair. Scalp attached.
“The Call” is a non-stop thriller that keeps audiences close to the edge of their seats throughout the film. The connection between Berry and Breslin is strong and works toward the strength of the movie. As thrilling and chilling as it is, though, every aspect of the film worked in its benefit – except the final two minutes.
