Plot: What’s it about?
I’ve been in the situation where I haven’t had to call 911 that often in my life. I see this as a good thing since, invariably; calling 911 isn’t ever a good thing. It’s like going to the doctor’s office where at best they tell you that everything’s fine. But it’s also good to know that there are people out there that do this job and in a city like Los Angeles, I’m sure that the job of a 911 operator is something that’s never-ending and must get real old real quick. Simply put, it must take a special breed of person to do this job and not go totally insane. Let’s face it – there are a lot of sick people out there. I’ll also say that I highly doubt many, if any, of these people have the looks of Halle Berry, but that’s another thing altogether. Suffice it to say that Hollywood can make a movie out of just about anything, which is why The Call does scream of originality, though elements of it are as predictable as they come.
911 operator Jordan Turner (Halle Berry) is good at her job. She’s managed to find a balance between her work and her social life, but can snap into action at a moment’s notice. However a call goes wrong and something she does essentially gets a young girl killed. Flash forward six months later and Jordan is on meds and has left the operator job behind and now focuses on training. As fate would have it, she’s forced to get back into the chair when Casey Welson (Abagail Breslin) is abducted from a local mall. Casey happens to have a second phone and the majority of the film is via Casey in a trunk and Jordan doing her best to keep her cool while not getting personally involved. We can see the wheels turning and even with all the technology at its disposal, the LAPD always seems to be one step behind. Will Jordan be able to save young Casey or is history doomed to repeat itself?
On the surface, The Call could be considered fairly unoriginal and in the wrong hands have been a much worse movie that it was. I found it somewhat engaging, though it seemed to borrow some elements from other films (I caught some Silence of the Lambs in there). As we’re told in the featurette, there really hasn’t been a movie done about a 911 operator and the whole world that’s associated with it. And when you think about it, it is something we probably take for granted. I don’t know if this is the best outlet to showcase Halle Berry’s talent, then again she’s already won a Best Actress Oscar, so she’s not a lot to prove. Still, c’mon, couldn’t she have worn something a bit more revealing? I kid. Sort of. While not the most engaging film out there, it’s not a total waste of time either. Maybe something for a rainy day?
Video: How does it look?
Being a new to Blu-ray release, The Call is showcased in a 1.85:1 AVC HD transfer that’s just short of perfection. The majority of the film either takes place in the LAPD office or in the trunk of a car, so black levels and contrast had better be on the money and they are, to a point. A few times it seemed that the film had a very light tint to it, like they were “turning up” the brightness to compensate for something. It was subtle and maybe it was just me. Detail is amazing, of course, we can see the blood in the utmost HD glory, beads of sweat and individual hairs – everything. If not for these instances of “brightness”, I’d have given the movie a perfect rating for this transfer.
Audio: How does it sound?
What’s more impressive is the DTS HD Master Audio soundtrack. We’re treated to a very diverse soundtrack that’s got an assortment of sound mixes, effects and everything in between. I found the LFE to be particularly engaging in several parts and it really does add to the emotional impact of the movie. I’d also forgotten how much I like the 80’s classic “Puttin’ on the Ritz” by Taco! Vocals are front and center, there’s no distortion here and everything sounds just as it should. This is actually a pretty engaging mix.
Supplements: What are the extras?
There are a pretty interesting and diverse selection of extras on the disc, staring out with an audio commentary by director Brad Anderson who’s joined by Halle Berry and Abagail Breslin along with the writers and producers. This is a bit of a “crowded” track in that I think we could have done without the producers and writers, but it’s chock full of information and little tidbits that makes it a nice listen. “Emergency Procedures” is your basic “Making of…” piece that gives us some history on the film itself, the decision to make a movie about this lifestyle and features some interviews with the cast and crew. “Inside the Stunts” is just that, a look at the stunts in the film. We get a tour of two of the sets used in the movie: the lair and the call center (which was actually a real call center, just spruced up for the film). There are some deleted scenes, a not so alternate ending and Michael Eklund’s audition tape – he plays the film’s antagonist. We’re also treated to a DVD of the film and an UltraViolet version as well.
