By Horror genre favourites Lin Shaye and Tobin Bell lend their creepy charisma to this ’80s tinged horror, produced by Final Destination creator Jeffrey Riddick.
In the wake of Stranger Things, there has undoubtedly been an appetite for horrors and sci-fis with their feet firmly planted in a similar vein of 80’s nostalgia. In the case of Timothy Woodhead Jr.’s The Call, that reverence comes from a clear adoration for the movies of Wes Craven, or more accurately the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. It similarly tells a tale that puts young teens at the mercy of a deceased tormentor forcing them to relive trauma, and while its central concept certainly has enough intrigue to it, this call doesn’t always come through.
New kid in town, Chris (Chester Rushing) makes friends with local teens Tonya (Erin Sanders), Zack (Mike C. Manning), and Brett (Sloane Morgan Siegel). They soon get into more trouble than they bargained for after harassing an elderly woman in the neighbourhood Mr.s Cranston (Shayne), who is suspected of witchcraft and for being behind the disappearance of Tonya’s little sister. After Mrs. Cranston commits suicide, her husband (Bell) gathers the kids at their home and makes them offer. They must take it in turns to ring a number and stay on the call for a minute. If they can do that they will walk out $100,000 richer and will be forgiven. The catch? The other end of the line is six feet under in a casket with his wife. Surely no one will pick up, right?
Full review over at THN, originally published January 11th 2021.
Andrew Gaudion 