With flicks like #Alive, Train to Busan, and The Wailing, South Korean horror continues to put out some top-quality titles. The latest entry in the genre is The Call, a twisty time travel slasher thriller now streaming on Netflix. Starring #Alive star Park Shin-hye and Burning star Jong-seo Jun, The Call has is armed with a talented cast and intriguing premise. We’re here to tell you if it’s one worth answering, or if you’re better off sending it straight to voicemail.
THE CALL: STREAM IT OR SKIP IT?
The Gist: In the wake of her mother’s cancer diagnosis, Seo-yeon (Park Shin-hye) returns to her hometown and moves into her childhood home. Seo-yeon blames her mother for her father’s death, believing that she left the gas on one day and caused the house fire that killed him, so their relationship is less than perfect. Soon after moving back home, Seo-yeon begins to receive calls on the house phone from a young woman begging for help as her stepmother tries to kill her. She is Young-sook (Jeon Jong-seo), a 28-year-old being tortured by her “shaman” mother. She also just so happens to live in 1999. The two women begin to develop a relationship over a series of calls, and when Seo-yeon realizes that Young-sook may be able to prevent her father’s death, she asks her for a life-altering favor – and it works. Seo-yeon’s whole life is made better and more beautiful by her father’s survival, and she gets caught up in it all, letting her relationship with Young-sook fall by the wayside – but only for a short while.
When Seo-yeon discovers that Young-sook is about to get murdered by her stepmother during an exorcism, she intervenes, inadvertently changing everything – and affecting tons of lives – in the process. Young-sook is in fact the mentally deranged murderer her stepmother believed she would become (and was trying to prevent). Young-sook delights in bloodshed and taking lives, and when her freedom is threatened, she takes things to the next level. Seo-yeon must now race against the clock to save herself and others from the monster she created, and each twist and turn is more shocking than the last.
What Movies Will It Remind You Of?: With a good blend of sci-fi and slasher components, The Call hits the sweet spot for lovers of serial killer flicks, tight thrillers, and twisty science fiction.
Performance Worth Watching: Jong-seo Jun is magnificent as Young-sook, taking us on a twisty journey that begins with deep sympathy for her horrifying situation and ends with pure loathing and terror. She’s convincing in both her quieter moments and her more maniacal outbursts, masterfully drawing out all the thrills and chills you could hope for with a movie of this nature. A role like this easily could be played in a much campier manner and lose its power, but Jong-seo Jun knows when to keep her contained and when to let it rip, and boy, does she.
Sex and Skin: None.
Our Take: It’s rare that a thriller or slasher is able to do anything super innovative these days, which makes The Call all the more delightful (in a dark, demented way, of course). The combination of the time travel concept with the slasher and thriller components really work, despite all the ways it could potentially go wrong. The Call spends a lot of time establishing Seo-yeon’s world and her mental state, taking an effective slow burn approach that allows the intrigue and tension to build in a truly unsettling fashion. Things start pretty innocuously; at first, it seems like Seo-yeon and Young-sook’s connection could be some beautiful, important thing, a friendship that might help them both through their unique situations. Any quaint notions about this relationship are violently squashed, however, when the true nature of it all is revealed, and it’s thrilling to watch it all unfold.
In addition to having an original storyline, The Call also boasts some gorgeous, eerie production design and is full of interesting camerawork. These visuals are balanced beautifully with the strength of the performers, who fully embrace the wide spectrum of emotions required for their roles. The entire cast is great, but the two leading ladies – Park Shin-hye and Jong-seo Jun – truly carry The Call. They spend very little time on screen physically together, but they’re the perfect foils for one another, solidifying their bond – an immensely strong one, for better or worse – from the very beginning. Park Shin-hye established her star power in #Alive and it’s so exciting to see her take on an even bigger, more complex role this time around. It’d be nice to see her become a Netflix staple – she really is totally magnetic.
If you’re someone who needs answers to every single question, The Call may be frustrating for you, but it’s worth setting aside the need for allllll the information to enjoy a truly fresh flick. A strong contender for one of the best original thrillers the streamer has ever put out, The Call is entertaining, emotional, and extremely bloody, one bound to make more than a few year-end lists (even with its negligible plot holes).
Our Call: STREAM IT. With an original concept, chilling kills, and stunning performances, The Call is more than worth picking up.
Jade Budowski is a freelance writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.
Stream The Call on Netflix
