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Rent The Call on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, or buy it on Fandango at Home, Prime Video.

What to Know

The Call builds plenty of suspense before taking a problematic turn in the third act.

Critics Reviews

Audience reviews, cast & crew.

Brad Anderson

Halle Berry

Jordan Turner

Abigail Breslin

Casey Welson

Morris Chestnut

Officer Paul Phillips

Michael Eklund

Michael Foster

Michael Imperioli

Alan Denado

Movie Clips

More like this, movie news & guides, this movie is featured in the following articles..

Film Review: ‘The Call’

Halle Berry stars in this awfully familiar high-concept thriller

By Andrew Barker

Andrew Barker

Senior Features Writer

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Representing a slightly skewed take on 2004’s “Cellular” crossed with a lobotomized “ Silence of the Lambs ,” Brad Anderson ’s high-concept thriller “ The Call ” would be an unremarkable bit of women-in-peril dreck were it not for two distinguishing factors — the sexualized sadism inflicted upon the half-dressed 16-year-old Abigail Breslin, and the equally sadistic Sideshow Bob coiffure affixed to the otherwise lovely Halle Berry . These indignities aside, there’s little to differentiate this high-pitched screamer from a particularly feverish “Law and Order” rerun, and it might be tough for such a film to dial in sizable auds to theaters. 

One of the more high-profile films to bear the WWE Studios label in recent years, “The Call” features no actual grappling, yet it shows the fingerprints of its benefactor in the presence of wrestling star David Otunga, as well as a serial-killer villain (Michael Eklund) who seems less psychopath than juice-head. Perhaps it’s unfair to blame the producers for the film’s overwrought tempo, but whatever the cause, the pic’s dunderheaded emotional timbre is miles removed from the relative class of director Anderson’s previous efforts “The Machinist” and “Transsiberian,” confusing macho aggression for menace, and tightly framed screaming for suspense.

Berry stars as Jordan, a hotshot 911 operator who rules over the bustling call center known as “ the Hive ” — we know she’s a star when co-workers casually ask her for the institutional code for a multiple stabbing. Featuring some nice aerial photography of Downtown Los Angeles, the pic expends 10 minutes laying character foundations involving Jordan’s unseen cop father, her handsome LAPD-officer boyfriend ( Morris Chestnut ), and her charged relationship with an unsympathetic supervisor, then disregards these details entirely once the action gets rolling.

Popular on Variety

Receiving a 911 call from a teenage girl in the midst of a home invasion, Jordan concocts an elaborate strategy to help her evade the predator, but gives the girl away by hitting the redial button when the call is cut off. (Berry’s character will similarly vacillate between Jason Bourne-like ingenuity and howling stupidity throughout the remainder of the film.)

The girl is abducted and murdered by the unseen, catchphrase-spouting killer, and the guilt-ridden Jordan takes a leave of absence.

Try as she might, Jordan can’t avoid the call to heroism, which arrives soon, via another emergency call. Teenage Casey (Breslin), has been drugged and kidnapped from a mall parking lot, and wakes up in the trunk of a car speeding down the freeway. Through some needlessly convoluted plot machinations, she has a friend’s untraceable pay-as-you-go cell phone in her pocket, and Jordan must don the headset once again to talk her out of harm’s way.

It’s here that the film generates its only real sparks of invention, as the desk-bound Jordan is forced to coach the hysterical teen though a series of ruses to try to tip off passers-by. Unspooling more or less in real-time, the pursuit sequences manage to evoke the primary appeal of such high-concept material, for which one happily suspends disbelief just to see how long the filmmakers can stick to the premise. But no sooner can you say “this time … it’s personal” than the film disengages completely, running Jordan through some paint-by-numbers Nancy Drew routines, and veering toward the ickily exploitative as it invents reasons to remove Breslin’s shirt and tie her up.

Berry is enough of a pro to muddle through yet another underwhelming star vehicle with her dignity intact, and Breslin acquits herself well enough for a problematic role in which she’s forced to cry and scream nearly continuously. Eklund is a hulking, malevolent presence, though his scrambled-brow attempt at a psychopathic glare provoked gales of laughter at the screening attended.

Whether it’s the odd directorial tic of freeze-framing during moments of violence — perhaps intended to suggest a sort of rage-induced blackout, but which feels like a projector glitch — or the offputting cadence shifts in editing, the film hits a number of unusual technical notes, yet the overall quality is solid. Practical effects and freeway footage are well handled, as are the scenes contained entirely within the trunk of a car.

Reviewed at Arclight Cinemas, Hollywood, March 5, 2013. MPAA rating: R. Running time: 96 MIN.

A Sony Pictures release of a TriStar Pictures, Stage 6 Films presentation in association with Troika Pictures , WWE Studios, Amasia Entertainment of a Troika and WWE production in association with Apotheosis Media Group. Produced by Jeff Graup, Michael J. Luisi, Michael A. Helfant, Robert L. Stein, Bradley Gallo. Executive producers, William C. Gallo, Philip M. Cohen, Dale Rosenbloom, Guy J. Louthan.

Directed by Brad Anderson. Screenplay, Richard D’Ovidio, from a story by D’Ovidio, Nicole D’Ovidio, Jon Bokenkamp . Camera (color), Thomas Yatsko; editor, Avi Youbian; music, John Debney; music supervisor, David A. Helfant; production designer, Franco G. Carbone; art director, Charlie Campbell; set decorator, Robert Gould; costume designer, Magali Guidasci; sound ( SounDelux /Dolby Digital/DTS/SDDS), Edward Tise; sound designer/supervisor, Lon Bender; re-recording mixers, Marc Fishman, Chris Minkler; special effects coordinator, Steve Shines; visual effects, Arsenal FX; visual effects supervisors, Lauren Mayer-Beug, Nathan Boldman; stunt coordinators, Mark Chadwick, Dennis McCarthy , Kanin Howell; assistant director, Gary Rake; casting, Sheila Jaffe, Vanessa Spencer.

With: Halle Berry, Abigail Breslin, Morris Chestnut, Michael Eklund, David Otunga, Michael Imperioli,  Justina Machado , Jose Zuniga, Roma Maffia, Evie Louise Thompson, Denise Dowse, Ella Rae Peck.

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The Call (II) (2013)

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Common sense media reviewers.

Gripping thriller has tons of violence directed at a teen.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

A woman learns to face her fears, though she march

The movie takes a close look at the difficult work

A teenage girl is kidnapped, punched, beaten, stri

A teen girl is shown in her bra, but it's not

"Motherf----r," "s--t," "

A Pepsi logo is seen (backwards, in a window) in o

Drugs are mentioned during several of the 911 call

Parents need to know that The Call is a gripping but very violent thriller about a heroic 911 operator trying to rescue a kidnapped teen girl. The girl is punched, beaten, stripped to her bra, and briefly tortured. Her age isn't specifically mentioned in the movie, but actress Abigail Breslin is 16. There…

Positive Messages

A woman learns to face her fears, though she marches into a dangerous situation to do so. She also tries to forgive herself for a past mistake. On the downside, the movie promotes revenge.

Positive Role Models

The movie takes a close look at the difficult work of 911 operators, who can be seen as heroic in a certain light. One such operator, the movie's main character, works tirelessly to save a teen girl's life.

Violence & Scariness

A teenage girl is kidnapped, punched, beaten, stripped down to her bra, and briefly tortured. She's shown with a swollen eye. In an earlier scene, a prowler breaks into a home and attacks another teen girl. This girl is later shown dead (pixilated) on the evening news. A man is beaten with a shovel, stabbed with a screwdriver, and killed. A serial killer's gruesome hideout is shown, with bloody smears on the walls and a collection of girls' scalps. A man is lit on fire with gasoline and a lighter. Verbal descriptions of violent crimes and murders heard on the 911 calls.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A teen girl is shown in her bra, but it's not in a sexual/romantic context. Two teens talk about sexual matters at a mall, with mild innuendo (with phrases like "bone you"). Two adults kiss.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

"Motherf----r," "s--t," "bitch," "hell," "oh my God," and "goddamn" are all used a few times each.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

A Pepsi logo is seen (backwards, in a window) in one scene. Another scene takes place in a mall, though businesses are never shown clearly.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Drugs are mentioned during several of the 911 calls in the opening scenes. Two teen girls mention that someone they know "smokes dope."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Call is a gripping but very violent thriller about a heroic 911 operator trying to rescue a kidnapped teen girl. The girl is punched, beaten, stripped to her bra, and briefly tortured. Her age isn't specifically mentioned in the movie, but actress Abigail Breslin is 16. There are also scenes in which characters are stabbed with a screwdriver and lit on fire. Other aspects of the movie are fairly mild, including language, with just a few uses of "f--k" and "s--t," as well as some mild sexual innuendo involving teens (and one grown-up kiss). Several of the 911 calls heard on the soundtrack describe acts of violence, including drug use. Ultimately, because all of the movie's intense, serial killer-related violence centers around a teen victim, this movie isn't recommended for any but the most mature viewers. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (11)
• Kids say (30)

Based on 11 parent reviews

Thriller turned disturbing horror

Great... up until the ending., what's the story.

Jordan ( Halle Berry ) is a very good 911 operator ... until she gets a call from a teen girl reporting a prowler. Jordan makes a small error of judgment, and the girl ends up killed. Six months later, a shaken Jordan is working away from the phones, teaching trainees the ropes. But when a call from a frantic kidnapped girl, Casey ( Abigail Breslin ), comes in, Jordan overcomes her fear and takes over. She uses all her skills and training to try to find Casey -- who's locked in the trunk of a car -- before it's too late. But, to Jordan's horror, she eventually realizes that the kidnapper is the same man who killed the other girl.

Is It Any Good?

THE CALL is a high-concept thriller that certainly has the potential to self-destruct, especially when it dives into totally implausible territory during its final stretch. But genre specialist Brad Anderson ( Session 9 , The Machinist , Transsiberian ) gives it a taut, low-budget energy that keeps it pulsing throughout its entire running time. It helps that both Berry and Breslin give tense, emotionally raw performances, inviting viewers to really care about their characters.

Anderson occasionally delves into moments of pure horror, complete with odd angles and off-kilter rhythms. Specifically, the serial killer elements seem fairly strong for a thriller of this type, but they don't ruin the overall effect. Indeed, the movie is so effectively constructed that it recalls enormous hits of decades past like Fatal Attraction and The Silence of the Lambs . If only Berry's character had seen these movies, she could have sharpened up the ending a bit.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about The Call 's intense violence . How did it affect you? Do you think the story could have been told with milder violence?

Why do you think there are so many movies (and other types of media) about serial killers? Why are we so fascinated by them?

Do you feel that the teen characters were sexualized in any way? If so, do you feel this was acceptable or unacceptable? Why?

What's the movie's take on revenge? Do you think it's realistic? Justifiable?

Movie Details

• In theaters : March 15, 2013
• On DVD or streaming : June 25, 2013
• Cast : Abigail Breslin , Halle Berry , Morris Chestnut
• Director : Brad Anderson
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Black actors
• Studio : TriStar Pictures
• Genre : Thriller
• Run time : 94 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : violence, disturbing content and some language
• Last updated : May 10, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

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Stephen King Reviews Horror Movie With 88% RT Score: "You Have Never Seen A Movie As Black As This"

Jason statham's next movie could become the franchise tom cruise's jack reacher failed to be, one attack of the clones scene is secretly key to yoda's entire prequel trilogy story, not necessarily a must-see in the theater, but definitely a solid rental for those looking for a solid thriller..

The Call   stars Halle Berry as Jordan, a veteran operator at a California 911 call center. Always calm, collected and smart in her interactions with "PR's" (person reporting), Jordan's world is rocked when she takes the tragic call of a young girl who is being abducted by a sadistic killer.

After that ordeal, Jordan takes a more "hands-off" role teaching incoming operators. However, fate is not done with her yet, it seems, as she receives a panicked call from a different young girl named Casey (Abigail Breslin), who has been abducted by a man who fits the same M.O. of the predator that scarred Jordan's life.

The Call is a B-movie thriller that's as formulaic and cliched as they come, but thanks to director Brad Anderson ( The Machinist ) and a truly frightening villain effectively portrayed by Michael Eklund, the film manages to actually deliver good thrills for most of its runtime.

With cult-hit horror film  Session 9,  Anderson proved he could create tension and dread with the most limited of resources; in this film, he applies that practical skill for staging, sequencing and viewpoint to a much bigger scale - and to much greater effect.  Overall, the film is well-constructed and tightly paced  for two-thirds of the way (we'll talk about the final 1/3 later) with some nice horror-movie tropes thrown in for good measure. While mostly set in two respective single-settings (a call center and a moving car), there is enough sense of movement (via interactions between our victim and the long arm of rescue/response forces) that the pulse of the film  is alive and steady, and things avoid getting bogged down.

While the progression of the story is definitely predictable and overly familiar, Anderson and  screenplay writer Richard D'Ovidio ( Thir13en Ghosts,  Exit Wounds ) come up with enough ways to stage each episodic rescue attempt and near-save with an exciting and visceral precision that is hard not to respond to. In many ways, The Call qualifies as pretty good horror-thriller entertainment.

Alas, even at a lean 90 minutes the film is about 1/3 too long, with a climatic segment that pretty much jumps the shark by trying (unsuccessfully) to stage a nightmarish final showdown. From concept to execution to glaring holes in logic, the last twenty minutes or so of this film sacrifice whatever good standing the preceding hour earned. This is not to mention the usual smattering of obvious plot contrivances, logic holes and implausible coincidences that come with this style of film - before that end section unravels things altogether.

In fact, if not for the performance of Michael Eklund, the final portion of  The Call  would be a total miss - an assessment that can pretty much be applied to the film as a whole. The narrative takes a surprising amount of care building its villain, "Michael Foster," into a psycho with a well-rounded psychosis; meanwhile, Eklund goes hard in his performance like he's honestly trying to equal the level of classic movie serial killers  like Ted Levine's Buffalo Bill ( Silence of the Lambs ) or Anthony Perkins' Norman Bates ( Psycho ). Though it's a detriment to the movie, the final third of  The Call  will probably earn Eklund many more jobs as a earnestly convincing madman. A strong villain is always an ace card - and is pretty much the only one  The Call has up its sleeve.

Halle Berry is about the best face you could ask for when casting a character who is mostly going to be seen from the neck up most of the time. While her dramatic chops are solid enough to convey the sense of dread and panic the audience is supposed to absorb, her character - with her oddball fashion tweaks, bushy hairstyle and trademark Berry disappearing/reappearing accent - is not nearly as strong. By the time the climatic showdown is set, it's hard to relate with Jordan and her choices, as the movie's logic (and subsequently the character's) spins right off the rails.

Abigail Breslin ( Little Miss Sunshine herself) has definitely grown up; however, like Halle, the talented young actress is handed an undercooked character to play. Most of the job involves maintaining a high-pitched level of hysteria, punctuated by small instances of sensibility and cleverness... only to slip back into overly dramatic hysteria. In the final act Casey, too, goes right off the rails of logic, resulting in character development that is distinctly at odds with everything that preceded it.

Other supporting character played by Morris Chestnut, Roma Maffia ( Grey's Anatomy ), Denise Dowse ( Criminal Minds ) and Michael Imperioli ( The Sopranos ) are mostly just window dressing - with only Chestnut being handed opportunity to round out his good cop/love interest arc a bit. As window dressing goes, though, Berry and Co. could do much worse for support.

In the end,  The Call  is a mix of good and bad elements that still manages to accomplish the primary task: delivering good thrills. It would have been an impressive short (at about 60 mins)  - but in going for one last big payoff, it manages to grossly overstay its welcome. Still, frightening scenes and brutal violence in the final section will be enough "thrill" for some people - and while riddled with holes, the movie does provide a level of cathartic payoff by its abrupt finale.

Not necessarily a must-see in the theater, but definitely a solid rental for those looking for a solid thriller. Answering  The Call  won't be a total waste of your time.

[poll id="557"]

The Call   is now playing in theaters. It is 90 minutes long and is Rated R for violence, disturbing content and some language.

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