Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Graphic
- tense
- claustrophobic
- foreboding
- thriller night
- late night suspense viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film an efficiently made, creepy high-concept thriller with strong performances and escalating suspense, though its final stretch was widely viewed as shallow or uneven.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Jordan Turner must guide Casey Welson remotely through an abduction while coordinating police response from a 911 call center.
Jordan is rattled after an earlier judgment error ends badly, then must overcome that trauma when Casey calls for help.
The film cuts between Jordan's strategizing, Casey's captivity, and the police pursuit of the kidnapper.
Jordan uses experience, quick thinking, and communication skills to confront a crisis without initially being physically present.
Films like The Call, and why
Panic Room
shares a high-concept crime thriller premise, escalating pursuit, and a vulnerable victim endangered by a violent predator
The Silence of the Lambs
shares a tense abduction scenario, psychological suspense, and a determined female protagonist fighting to protect a young girl
Cellular
shares an emergency-response thriller structure, crosscut tension, and a race to locate a kidnapped victim
Along Came a Spider
shares serial killer suspense, disturbing captivity, and a procedural investigation driven by an emotionally invested investigator
Movie Details
- Director
- Brad Anderson
- Release Date
- 2013-03-14
- Runtime
- 96 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (3141)
Cast
- Halle Berry
- Abigail Breslin
- Morris Chestnut
- Michael Eklund
- David Otunga
- Michael Imperioli
- Justina Machado
- José Zúñiga
- Roma Maffia
- Evie Thompson
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Starz Apple TV channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Plex
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Call about?
- A shaken 911 operator must turn professional expertise into a lifeline for a kidnapped teenager while hunting the psychopath who took her.
- What is The Call like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Call as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Call violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Call as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Call?
- Critics broadly found the film an efficiently made, creepy high-concept thriller with strong performances and escalating suspense, though its final stretch was widely viewed as shallow or uneven.
- Which films are like The Call?
- Films with a similar feel include Panic Room, The Silence of the Lambs, Cellular, and Along Came a Spider.
- How long is The Call?
- The Call runs 96 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Call?
- In United States, The Call streams on Starz Apple TV channel.
