The Call (2003)

The Call: Directed by Takashi Miike. With Ko Shibasaki, Shin’ichi Tsutsumi, Kazue Fukiishi, Anna Nagata. People mysteriously start receiving voicemail messages from their future selves, foretelling their deaths.

“After u0026quot;Auditionu0026quot; and u0026quot;Ichi The Killeru0026quot;, I had great expectations for this movie. What it delivers is essentially the u0026quot;greatest hitsu0026quot; of Asian horror. Thereu0026#39;s more than a passing resemblance to u0026quot;The Ringu0026quot;, with bits of u0026quot;Ju-Onu0026quot; and other films thrown in for good measure.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe film revolves around mobile u0026#39;phones. A girl has a message left on her mobile u0026#39;phone answering service – only itu0026#39;s been left by herself and in the future! To make matters worse, it ends with a blood curdling scream! Well, it soon turns out that the message is the girlu0026#39;s final words on this mortal coil.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe girl is not alone. Itu0026#39;s only a matter of time before the body count starts rising and a race against time begins to solve the mystery of the bizarre calls.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDespite being more than a shade Ringu-clone-esquire, I heartily enjoyed this film. It has some great set-pieces (including a memorable death), some spooky moments, a few u0026quot;jumpu0026quot; sequences, etc. What the film didnu0026#39;t deliver, though, was any real fear. It was a case of u0026quot;seen it all beforeu0026quot; (a criticism that some levelled at u0026quot;Ju-Onu0026quot;).u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe plot unravels in a logical manner and thereu0026#39;s a decent pay off. It may not be a future classic, but this is a very well made example of Asian horror cinema.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eMy rating: 8 out of 10 for a stylish addition to Miikeu0026#39;s portfolio”