Not to be confused with other titles of the same name, “The Call” movie is for any horror fan who has an addiction to stories that include curses, traps, and revenge. Throw in Tobin Bell, Lin Shaye, and some teens, and despite not expecting much surely you can’t go wrong with an ’80s aesthetic and two of the most iconic horror actors ever.
Cranston’s Daycare is the setting for the story behind the four teenagers having revenge on their minds. Tonya’s little sister Laura went missing, never to be seen again. Whatever happened to her, the blame is directed solely towards the Daycare’s owner Edith and it’s immediately apparent that Edith’s had a rough time in recent years. She screams at them in an altercation at her home about dead animals, slashed tires, and more as the kids stand unaffected. Edith notices a necklace adorning Tonya’s chest and asks her where she got it.
Could the first 20 minutes of the film betray who made Laura disappear? With 70-minutes to go, one can only pocket that information and watch the rest of the film.
The Call Movie 2020
When the children scurry off, the Cranstons engage in a deep conversation about unfulfilled aspirations. It makes me ponder the potential substance offered by the movie “The Call”. After enduring relentless torment from the four kids over the years, Edith tragically succumbs and takes her own life. It is undeniable that Shaye and Bell possess enough credibility to make even a less impressive movie entertaining to watch. As always, they prove to be enjoyable onscreen.
As though somehow they are still made for horror movies despite not pulling in the blockbuster roles they used to star in. However, like most posters that propose a producer’s most popular film at the top, The Call is messy. This one has some production from Jeffrey Reddick who also worked on Final Destination 2000. Something to this effect is emblazoned across the movie poster. Filmmakers also take a leaf from Bell’s popularity in the Saw franchise, using dialogue with the same structure.
“Hello Christopher … I’m giving you a choice.”
Quote from Tobin Bell in The Call movie 2020
Tobin Bell & Lin Shay
Mr. Cranston (Bell) sequesters the teens under the guise of a stake in his wife’s late will. But still, the teens think this same woman would leave them money. All they have to do is call her and talk to her for one minute. With some rather cool A Nightmare on Elm Street score, one by one they go upstairs and call Edith. Like many other films derived from forcing people to endure their worst horrors, each of the kids is subjected to theirs.
The film squanders the idea that begins as a point of interest and wastes all its tension with nightmare sequences that seem to just go on and on. Not only that, as the backstories emerge three of the four kids aren’t given a punishment that fits the crime.
What little screen time Shaye and Bell had, I could have used more of them. The Call was a misfire for me.
I give The Call
2 phone calls to hell out of 5
Where to Watch The Call 2020
- Directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. / Written by Patrick Stibbs
- It stars Lin Shaye (Insidious franchise) and Tobin Bell (Saw franchise).
- Watch the Call movie on Shudder from July 15th, 2021 in the USA and CA only. For more streaming options, see below
Watch The Call 2020 Streaming On Shudder
The Call is streaming on:
The Call Movie Explanation and Spoilers
Ending of The Call 2020
As someone who pays attention to newspaper clippings in films (check out Head Count and Son), I noticed something. Around the 23-minute mark, Chris is seen reading the obituary of Edith’s life. It reads “March 2, 1926 – October 11, 1987” as the date. However, in the following excerpt and article, it reads “She sustained an injury at her home on October 15, 1987”
One can only assume, that after Edward Cranston’s death, Edith then killed herself after all the phone calls.
