The Call (2020 American film)

Last updated

The Call
The Call (2020 film).jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Timothy Woodward Jr.
Written byPatrick Stibbs
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyPablo Diez
Edited byWayne J. Liu
Music bySamuel Joseph Smythe
Production
companies
Distributed by Cinedigm
Release date
  • October 2, 2020 (2020-10-02)
Running time
97 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$1,591,194 [1] [2]

The Call is a 2020 American horror film directed by Timothy Woodward Jr. and starring Lin Shaye, Tobin Bell, Erin Sanders, and Chester Rushing. [3] [4] The film was written by Patrick Stibbs. [5]

Contents

Premise

After the unexpected death of an elderly woman suspected to be a witch, a group of friends who tormented her are forced to call a phone installed in her casket. To their horror someone on the other end picks up and shows them what Hell really looks like. [6]

Cast

Release

The film was released theatrically in the United States on October 2, 2020 and on VOD on October 30, 2020. [7] It released on Blu-ray on December 15, 2020. [8]

Reception

The film received generally negative reviews. [9] [10] [11] [12] On Rotten Tomatoes, The Call has an approval rating of 44% and an average rating of 5.2/10, based on 25 reviews. The website's critical consensus states: "Some horror fans and '80s enthusiasts may answer The Call, although a lack of genuine scares and an overload of genre tropes will leave most struggling to maintain the connection. [13]

Drew Tinnin of Dread Central awarded the film three stars out of five. [14]

Related Research Articles

<i>Wes Cravens New Nightmare</i> 1994 American meta slasher film by Wes Craven

Wes Craven's New Nightmare is a 1994 American meta supernatural slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven, creator of 1984's A Nightmare on Elm Street. A standalone film and the seventh installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, it is not part of the same continuity as previous films, instead portraying Freddy Krueger as a fictional movie villain who invades the real world and haunts the cast and crew involved in the making of the films about him. In the film, Freddy is depicted as closer to what Craven originally intended, being much more menacing and less comical, with an updated attire and appearance.

<i>Dead End</i> (2003 film) 2003 film

Dead End is a 2003 English-language French horror film written and directed by Jean-Baptiste Andrea and Fabrice Canepa, and starring Alexandra Holden, Ray Wise, Lin Shaye, Mick Cain, Billy Asher, and Amber Smith. It tells the story of a dysfunctional family who find themselves on a never-ending road in the middle of a forest during a routine drive on Christmas Eve, while under pursuit of a mysterious hearse and a woman dressed in white.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tobin Bell</span> American actor (born 1942)

Tobin Bell is an American actor. He has appeared in a number of television shows and films, but is most recognized for his role as John Kramer / Jigsaw in the Saw franchise.

<i>A Nightmare on Elm Street</i> 1984 American supernatural slasher film by Wes Craven

A Nightmare on Elm Street is a 1984 American supernatural slasher film written and directed by Wes Craven and produced by Robert Shaye. It is the first installment in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise and stars Heather Langenkamp, John Saxon, Ronee Blakley, Robert Englund as Freddy Krueger, and Johnny Depp in his film debut. The film's plot concerns a group of teenagers who are targeted by Krueger, an undead former child killer who can murder people through their dreams, as retribution against their parents who burned him alive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lin Shaye</span> American actress

Lin Shaye is an American actress. In a career spanning over forty years, Shaye has appeared in more than a hundred feature films. She is regarded as a scream queen due to her roles in various horror productions, which include the films Alone in the Dark (1982), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), Critters (1986) and its sequel Critters 2: The Main Course (1988), Amityville: A New Generation (1993), Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994), Dead End (2003), 2001 Maniacs (2005) and its sequel 2001 Maniacs: Field of Screams (2010), Ouija (2014) and its prequel Ouija: Origin of Evil (2016), Tales of Halloween (2015), Abattoir (2016), The Final Wish (2018), Room for Rent (2019), The Grudge (2020), and the Insidious film series (2010–2023).

<i>Asylum</i> (2008 film) 2008 American film

Asylum is a 2008 American horror film directed by David R. Ellis. The film was initially planned for a theatrical release but was instead released straight to DVD on July 15, 2008. Asylum stars Sarah Roemer as a young college student who must fight to survive the spirit of a mad doctor that is haunting her dorm.

<i>Nina Forever</i> 2015 British film

Nina Forever is a 2015 British horror comedy film written and directed by brothers Ben and Chris Blaine. It stars Fiona O'Shaughnessy, Abigail Hardingham, and Cian Barry. It premiered at the 2015 SXSW film festival. Fiona O'Shaughnessy plays Nina, a revenant who comes back to life to torment her ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend whenever they have sex.

Amy Forsyth is a Canadian actress. On television, she appeared as a series regular on the Hulu drama The Path (2016–17), the second season of SyFy horror anthology Channel Zero (2017), and the NBC musical drama Rise (2018), along with recurring roles on the science fiction Western Defiance (2014–15) and the historical drama The Gilded Age (2022). She also appeared in the horror films A Christmas Horror Story (2015), Hell Fest (2018), and We Summon the Darkness (2020) and the drama films Beautiful Boy (2018), CODA (2021), and The Novice (2021).

<i>The Black Room</i> (2017 film) 2017 American film

The Black Room is an American horror film written and directed by Rolfe Kanefsky. It stars Natasha Henstridge, Lukas Hassel and Lin Shaye.

<i>Gothic Harvest</i> 2018 film

Gothic Harvest is a 2019 erotic horror film shot in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. It was directed by Ashley Hamilton, who also starred alongside Lin Shaye and Bill Mosley.

<i>The Grudge</i> (2020 film) 2020 American film by Nicolas Pesce

The Grudge is a 2020 American psychological supernatural horror film written and directed by Nicolas Pesce. Originally announced as a reboot of the 2004 American remake and the original 2002 Japanese horror film Ju-On: The Grudge, the film ended up taking place before and during the events of the 2004 film and its two direct sequels, and is the fourth installment in the American The Grudge film series. The film stars Andrea Riseborough, Demián Bichir, John Cho, Betty Gilpin, Lin Shaye, and Jacki Weaver, and follows a police officer who investigates several murders that are seemingly connected to a single house.

<i>The Midnight Man</i> (2016 horror film) 2016 American film

The Midnight Man is a 2016 horror film directed by Travis Zariwny and starring Gabrielle Haugh, Lin Shaye and Grayson Gabriel.

<i>Antebellum</i> (film) 2020 film written and directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz

Antebellum is a 2020 American thriller film written and directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz in their feature directorial debuts. The film stars Janelle Monáe, Eric Lange, Jena Malone, Jack Huston, Kiersey Clemons, and Gabourey Sidibe, and follows a 21st century African-American woman who wakes to find herself mysteriously in a Southern slave plantation from which she must escape.

<i>The Sandman</i> (2017 film) 2017 American horror film

The Sandman is a 2017 American horror television film written and directed by Peter Sullivan and starring Haylie Duff and Tobin Bell. Stan Lee served as an executive producer of the film.

<i>Skull: The Mask</i> 2020 slasher film

Skull: The Mask is a 2020 slasher film written and directed by Armando Fonseca and Kapel Furman. It stars Natallia Rodrigues as a detective investigating the ancient mask of Anhangá—a vassal of a pre-Columbian god—who is incarnated and embarks on a sacrificial killing spree. The film is an international co-production of Brazil and the United States.

<i>Till Death</i> (film) 2021 film directed by S.K. Dale

Till Death is a 2021 American thriller film directed by S.K. Dale in his directorial debut, from a screenplay by Jason Carvey. It stars Megan Fox, Callan Mulvey, Eoin Macken, Aml Ameen, and Jack Roth.

<i>Insidious: The Red Door</i> 2023 film by Patrick Wilson

Insidious: The Red Door is a 2023 American supernatural horror film directed by Patrick Wilson from a screenplay by Scott Teems based on a story by Leigh Whannell and Teems. It is a direct sequel to Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013), and the fifth installment in the Insidious franchise. Original director James Wan serves as a producer, as does Jason Blum through his Blumhouse Productions banner. Wilson, Ty Simpkins, Rose Byrne, Andrew Astor, Steve Coulter, Joseph Bishara, Whannell, Angus Sampson, and Lin Shaye reprise their roles from previous films. Sinclair Daniel and Hiam Abbass join the cast.

<i>The Retreat</i> (2020 film) 2020 American horror film

The Retreat is a 2020 American horror film written and directed by Bruce Wemple. Set in the Adirondack High Peaks of upstate New York, the film stars Grant Schumacher as Gus, a man who, during a winter backpacking trip with his friend Adam, finds himself tormented by a wendigo.

<i>Saw X</i> 2023 film by Kevin Greutert

Saw X is a 2023 American horror film directed and edited by Kevin Greutert and written by Peter Goldfinger and Josh Stolberg. The film is the tenth installment in the Saw film series, serving as both a direct sequel to Saw (2004) and a prequel to Saw II (2005). Starring Tobin Bell and Shawnee Smith reprising their roles from the previous films, with Synnøve Macody Lund, Steven Brand, Renata Vaca, and Michael Beach, John Kramer (Bell) travels to Mexico in hopes that an experimental procedure may cure him, only to later discover that the operation is a scam. As retribution, he kidnaps those responsible and subjects them to his trademark death traps.

<i>ReBroken</i> 2023 film by Kenny Yates

ReBroken is a 2023 American supernatural thriller film written by Kipp Tribble, from a story by Scott Hamm Duenas, and directed by Kenny Yates. It stars Scott Hamm Duenas, Kipp Tribble, Alison Haislip, Nija Okoro and Tobin Bell. It is Yates' feature directorial debut.

References

  1. "The Call (2020)". The Numbers . Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  2. "The Call (2020)". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved March 2, 2023.
  3. Sprague, Mike (September 24, 2020). "Trailer: Lin Shaye & Tobin Bell Torment Teens in THE CALL". Dread Central. Archived from the original on October 8, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  4. Miska, Brad (February 19, 2020). "Kids Torment a Witch in 'The Call', Starring Tobin Bell and Lin Shaye!". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  5. Vlessing, Etan (September 23, 2020). "'The Call' Trailer: Horror Icon Lin Shaye Gets Revenge on Tormenting Kids (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  6. "Lin Shaye and Tobin Bell to Star in Timothy Woodward Jr's THE CALL". Archived from the original on November 21, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  7. "THE CALL Starring Lin Shaye and Tobin Bell Available on Premium VOD & Digital October 30th". October 28, 2020. Archived from the original on November 1, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  8. "THE CALL with Lin Shaye & Tobin Bell Hits Blu-ray 12/15". November 10, 2020. Archived from the original on November 10, 2020. Retrieved November 15, 2020.
  9. Felperin, Leslie (January 5, 2021). "The Call review – a phoned-in mix of ghouls, ghosts and well-worn tropes". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  10. "The Call (2020) reviews of phone calls from Hell revenge flick". MOVIES and MANIA. September 24, 2020. Retrieved October 12, 2020.
  11. Fisher, Joel (September 29, 2021). "The Call: Review". BRWC. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  12. Stephens, Dan (October 6, 2021). "Review: "The Call" Is Not Worth Taking". Top 10 Films. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved October 6, 2021.
  13. "The Call (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango. Archived from the original on November 9, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
  14. Tinnin, Drew (October 5, 2020). "THE CALL Review – A Different Kind of Ghost Story Featuring Lin Shaye & Tobin Bell As A Killer Couple". Dread Central. Archived from the original on November 13, 2020. Retrieved November 7, 2020.