Scam-Likely just got real! o.O
It's been a while since I watched a good Korean Horror/Thriller so I was excited to see this. It may not be perfect but it won't disappoint fans of the genre. "The Call" plays on "when the past meets the future" tropes but I think the story is really fun (if you find creepy scares fun) and pretty original. It stars Park Shin Hye as Seo Yeon, who returns home resentfully to care for her sick mother. She loses her phone on the way there and so she starts using her landline phone at home. That's when things start to get interesting.Park Shin Hye is good. I have found her performances to be a little boring lately, but she delivers on the tears and scared gasps necessary. She doesn't necessarily bring anything special to the role, but she does play it well. In contrast,
Jeon Jong Seo as Oh Yeong Sook is amazing! It's hard to say too much without giving the story away but she is the highlight and true star of this film. I will also give an honorable mention to Lee El for being just the right amount of sinister as Yeong Sook's mother. I loved how mysterious the past scenes were, especially in the beginning, but some of the beginning phone calls may seem like they drag for a horror movie. Just trust that it will all come together and the pace will definitely pick up to feel more like a traditional horror movie.
The rest of the cast is great too, although they definitely play up some of the campy and cheesy moments. It was nice to see actors I love in bit parts (like Oh Jung Se) too. Another cheesy aspect is the direction at times which relied on some pretty corny special effects. It didn't ruin it for me, they were still effective, but it made it less scary.
Would I watch this again? Yes! This is the kind of story that makes me want to rewatch it after knowing the ending. It's also fun to yell at the screen at all the stupid choices made and it doesn't lose that fun with repeat viewing. I admit that part of the story is slightly confusing and may be inconsistent, but I think it's well-told all the way through to the credits.
Overall, I can see this becoming a horror classic. It's not the best I've seen but it's memorable and fun, especially if you love amazing villains like I do! It's not too predictable and definitely delivers on thrilling and frightening moments. There's lots of violence but most of the gore is implied, which I prefer. If you look for flaws in the story timeline you can definitely find some, but I chose to just accept the fun of the story instead, especially the end. I say grab some gummy bear heads and enjoy the ride. Also, like a twisted "It's a wonderful life" this may even make you appreciate the life you have a little more. It will definitely make you think twice about talking to strangers on the phone.
Was this review helpful to you?
Watched for Park Shin Hye, stayed for the thrills!
I LOVE a good thriller and this was right up my alley and I was even happier to find out Park Shin Hye is in this one. She's definitely killing it in the thriller movie scene, even though I'm bias and would love to see her in more romcoms (Coffee Prince feels, AM I RIGHT??)This movie got me on the edge of my seat and they did the whole time travelling well, it was easy to distinguish the time differences and it actually made sense. The acting was impeccable and wow Jeon Jong Seo can really act.
I have no idea why you aren't immediately clicking the 'play' button on this one!!
Was this review helpful to you?
Oh Snap!
Well if you're looking for a reason to never answer the phone again look no further lmao I actually enjoyed this movie more than I thought...definitely not something to watch right before Christmas but YOLO. You can never go wrong with a good creepy/psycho theme. The female lead(s) were incredible in providing all the feels! I've noticed quite a few people compared this movie to some others and since I haven't seen those movies mentioned I can't give my input. Either way it's definitely worth the watch! The ending isn't at all what I was expecting hence why my re-watch is average and my score isn't higher.Watch alone at night and enjoy...
Was this review helpful to you?
PROS:
+ Netflix must have a ton of money, because the effects [both visual and audio] are outstanding
+ Well-constructed story that manages to keep the viewer engaged and thinking until AFTER the end
+ Wonderful performances from the cast [I could read the lead actress' emotions and actually FEEL the weight of more impactful scenes and I could even sense the evil from Young-sook]
+ The time manipulation plot device is executed in a brilliant way that also increases panic
CONS:
- There is a quick shot during the credits that is bothersome and requires some analysis to understand the intention
It is rare to find a movie that is of this high-caliber in the fantasy thriller subgenre! I loved how there is so much detail poured into the story and characters. I felt a wide variety of emotions during this film.
If you like serial killer or time travel movies, than you NEED to watch this.
Make sure to silence your phone. ;)
Was this review helpful to you?
Just me being out of my comfort zone
This movie felt short but like in not a bad way ofc. I gave this review headline like this because it's true. When i look at my watchlist i can find there different genders but my least watched is "time traveling"(in this movie it was the connection between the present and past). The reason for it is that i will most likely get bored what didn't happened that much while watching this movie. I started watching this movie without knowing who will act in it and then i found out that i know at least one actor. The reason why i gave it 9.5 star rating and not 10 is because of the ending. I felt like that was something i did not expected to happen but it did. And right now i am going to sleep :)Was this review helpful to you?
Just stick to your smartphone...
It started off as a beautifully friendship... the type that goes beyond time and space... you know that type of friendship that may just change the future type of deal, bringing people back from the dead and all... Cute, sweet and all fluffy... with gummy bears, pastels as far as the eye can see .beautiful scenery and a dysfunctional family or two... if you overlook the locking people up and performing an exorcism or three...Had it not been a horror movie one would almost think it was as cute as cute can be... However this is a Thriller, Mystery, Horror, Schi fi... and boy does it live up to its name with gore. blood, suspense teaching us all never ever to take a call from the past... heck just stay away from all forms of old communication.
Things that did bother me: the killer portrayed as mentally ill... other then that it was really well made and had a decent plot. And though there may not be an appa as far as the eyes can see this movie proves once and for all that you can enjoy Korean content without them.
Was this review helpful to you?
Tension-filled story with fantastic cinematography
I'm a sucker for anything time related and this was no different — I think they did the time rift thriller thing perfectly; the speed at which the timeline would change was so fast and it really instilled a feeling of high stakes. There are some questions about how time works and potential plot holes if you think more deeply but this was really one of those fun tension-filled films that I just immersed myself into, and the ability of the movie to make me suspend my disbelief is really just a testament to how it was made.The cinematography was really great as well. I absolutely loved seeing the different timelines being differentiated through color filters. One of my favorite watches for this October.
Was this review helpful to you?
One of the best stories ever written.
I'd like to note that I studied to become a writer. I wrote novel, short story, mainly thriller. I consider myself lazy to write this kind of thing, never wrote a review, but now here I am. I want to encourage writers and authors to watch this movie and learn from it. The Call, for me, one of the best stories ever written. So well made.In literature especially for thriller, there's a concept called "stake". Basically, it means that the protagonist, who has a goal, encounter the antagonist who disrupts the goal, and the antagonist threaten the protagonist so that the protagonist has no choice but to pursue the goal.
This may sounded complicated, but listen. Most of the stories out there forget this thing. They write the protagonist need to pursue his/her goal because it's the goal, some sort of ambition. Wrong. Writers need to set the stake, for example, if the protagonist fails to reach the goal, they will die, or somebody die.
One thing that I'd like to note about The Call is there are no scene that useless. I hate this kind of useless scene. Most writers often uses scene for a simple "dramatic effect" that actually so silly. They fails to realize that those scene are garbage.
A scene must have one important key, "progression". Something yearns to progress. Either a new information, character development, relationship, etc. Two types of scene: action scene and reaction scene. Not trying to be a nerd with this but I analyzed everything in The Call, and it followed the basic theory of 27 structure.
This is how you write a story. All of the directors! Writers! whatever, watch this thing. Watch this. Learn.
"Oh, that concept of time paradox is very common."
Bro, shut up. I don't care about the theme. I'm not talking about the theme. If it's mainstream, so be it. I don't care. I watched lots of movie with great concept, big potential, but ended up as a waste, a dogshit.
Good or bad writing in movie is a preferences. But, correct or wrong writing in movie is a fact.
Spoiler:
It's just that police's death that felt off to me. That probably the only one plot hole nonsense in the story. Also, I felt it silly when the antagonist manages to avoid getting caught, somehow. I mean, starts from she killed her mom, especially when she killed the strawberry guy, it obvious that the police should know about this. However, they didn't. And it made the police looked dumb, disappointing the viewer and also insulting the viewer.
I think what should be done is the writer should create the antagonist more organized, not impulsive like that. This made the antagonist appeared smart, and the viewer would respect her and more scared to her. I mean, seriously? She killed the strawberry guy like it was Tuesday and the police really that one of an imbecile?
Was this review helpful to you?
LOADS OF PLOT TWISTS
So overall this is a great movie, although I don’t understand the ending (probably my fault for not understanding)Pros: fast paced so even though it is a 2 hour movie I never got bored because something new is always happening. And i love their acting!!!
Cons: i feel like they need to explain more about the mother (the shaman) she is not the main character but I feel like she is crucial enough to the movie that she deserves more explanation.
And this is just my personal opinion but i wish they would also explain more about what actually happened in the past originally. They did explain it but it would be interesting to see what happened without just giving clips and bits of the past
Was this review helpful to you?
Thrilling butterfly effect
I had problem following it in first 10 minutes, but I blame myself because I had lack of focus. But once I got on this ride it was really hard to get off. This movie is dynamic, very energetic and interesting. It is not the most unique and innovative plot but it has some unique elements.I think I need to rate things following the way I was invested and how much I enjoyed the experience while watching it. I was there, very present and I was having fun. So it did so well for me!
I LOVED the music. This movie made me remember how much I missed watching Korean horror movies lol
I was honestly scared just watching Jeon Jong Seo, she did magnificent job! Cannot wait to see more of her!
Was this review helpful to you?
This review may contain spoilers
A take on how meddling with the past is never smart
A compelling take on grief; if we had the chance to bring a dead loved one back to life, we all would without even thinking of the consequences it would bring. Though the movie uses a very direct approach when it comes to what the costs would be (it’s a movie, it has to be entertaining so…), I believe that what it is trying to convey is very much out there on the open; dealing with the loss of a loved one is something you have no other choice but to learn how to do and that the sorrow that comes with it should drive you to hold on to the relationships you have with the living.You can always trust Korean thrillers to have as many plot twists as they can and this movie sure does not disappoint in that accord. It honestly depends a lot on your own personal taste, but at no point did I find myself bored or wondering how much of the movie was still left. The pace in the beginning is a little off but it’s understandable because it’s only supposed to be the premise and the rest of the movie needs the time to feel as high-tension as it did. I do think that it would not be as interesting on a second watch, but I can’t say that without actually watching it a second time.
The cinematography is not bad but it’s ordinary; some play with the color hues, nothing unforgettable. I also don’t have much to say about the acting; none of the performances will remain in my memory as striking but the two main actresses did a good job either way. The script is one of the things done really well in my opinion, there were no lines that felt out of place or that seemed wrong. As for the most memorable scene in the movie, for me it will be the one of Seo-yeon and her dad in the car.
Many people have already pointed this out, but the last seconds of this movie pretty much ruined it. The ending where everything cycles back to the beginning and it’s just Seo-yeon and her mother but no longer estranged, was the perfect ending. Should’ve turned off my laptop then.
Was this review helpful to you?
Twists and Turns That Make Little Sense
In order for this movie to work you have to suspend all established theories of time, space, and reality. Because the plot's timeline is constantly changing, it is very hard to follow and to get a sense that our FL is making any progress in this salad of events. It feels like the viewer is constantly having the rug pulled out from under her. The only constant thing is the evil of the antagonist remaining one step ahead of our FL. You start to wonder if anything at all is actually happening or just in the mind of the FL. Perhaps that is what the director was trying to convey. In doing so, however, it leaves you with a sense of hopelessness and disappointment.The acting is wonderful with great performances by the cast. One thing is certain: it's very thought provoking but not sure I agree with how the production was executed. There were some obvious plot holes that didn't add up.
Was this review helpful to you?
