Macabre…ish Horror Review: The Call

 

 

The Call, 2020/ 97 min

 

A group of bored teens torment an elderly woman, Edith Cranston (Lin Shaye), for being a ‘supposed’ witch and responsible for Tonya’s little sister, Laura’s, disappearance. On Laura’s birthday, a student at Cranston’s Daycare, she disappeared. Laura’s body never turned up and Edith hired a lawyer and the town residents believe she got away with it.

 

So now it’s become something of a town tradition to go to Edith’s house and vandalize her property. This time, the teens run into her and she confronts them. Insisting she won’t be run out of town, no matter what they do.

 

On October, 11, 1987 Edith hangs herself after talking to her husband, Edward (Tobin Bell) about her dissatisfaction with how her life turned out.

 

The teens note her obituary and get together to make sure no one talks about their trip to her house. Later that night, Christopher (Chester Rushing), Tonya (Erin Sanders), Zack (Mike C. Manning) and Brett (Sloane Morgan Siegel) gets a call from Edward.

 

They are all invited over to Edith’s late night funeral. They are all included in her Will. They are tasked to play a game of sorts, make a phone call to a specific number and stay on the phone for one minute and receive $100,000. Whoever forfeits their win, it is split between all those who last the minute. After the call is over they are told to leave out the back door and those who complete their minute will get their money the next morning.

 

Edward says there is a phone call to Edith, who has a phone inside her casket. Edith left a suicide letter detailing her depression and heartache and how the town did nothing to protect her from the teens. Edward warns them, after Tonya tries to leave, that he will be taking the suicide letter to the police and pressing charges if they choose not to play the game.

 

This isn’t just a regular phone call though, once that number is dialed, you are in her domain. And they will deal with old haunts and pain they thought they left in the past.

 

And the truth of what happened to Laura will come out but it’s not what you think.

 

This horror film was directed by Timothy Woodward Jr.  And it’s like a revenge horror with Spiritual horror attributes. There are moments of graphic violence but mostly trippy jump scares. Something about it feels like the 1970s version Tales From The Crypt. Solid story and twist.

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