Every force awaits its hour. Experts in the field of psychiatry for good reason say that the mental state of a person is consistently influenced by such factors as the full moon, change of calendar season, solstice and other moments that may seem insignificant, and yet they play the most serious role in our lives. And if you think that you are absolutely not affected by outside influences on your own psyche, this does not mean that your beliefs are actually true. A slight lack of sleep caused by the moon constantly breaking through the curtains or irritating absent-mindedness provoked by a change in the situation outside the window directly indicate that a person by nature is subject to a variety of influences and suspicion caused by mass hysteria is no less serious, as it can lead to catastrophic consequences of global scale. Following the anxieties bubbling in society due to a variety of factors, we ourselves unwittingly become more nervous, anxious and intimidated. And it is good if we find a way to protect ourselves from the universal negativity in handy ways. But there are people who are unable to cope with their own phobias, especially if they are constantly fed by the expectation of something unimaginable and frightening akin to the biblical Apocalypse. Having crossed the turn of the 20th century, humanity seemed to look at the pages of Holy Scripture anew and began to study its revelations with a frenzied interest in order to notice the signs pointing to the coming of the Antichrist into our world in time. Of course, most of the world’s population continued to live a measured life, but each year brought the theme of the end of the world to the first stages of public attention. The prophets who tirelessly appeared on television broadcast that humanity needed to bow its head in reverence for the Almighty, and even the most persistent cynics looked at the sky with a little fear, thinking about saving their own soul. Anxieties caused by mass panic about the onset of the Millennium, reached its climax closer to 1999, as in this memorable date, according to some reports, the number of the beast was hidden. And it is not surprising that during this period, an incredible number of films appeared at the box office, flirting with Lucifer, the Antichrist, the End of the World and all that is associated with them.
He could not resist the temptation to challenge the Underworld Dolph Lundgren, who grinded down the nearest henchman Lucifer with a steel seal in Minion. The invincible Arnold Schwarzenegger has already spoken out against the Devil himself, intercessing before him for an innocent girl who was destined to bring into our world nightmarish forces of an unpredictable nature. However, no mystical action movie has had the same effect as Richard Donner’s dramatic thriller Omen. Deprived of a dynamic action story bribed the audience with its disturbing atmosphere, neat flirting with mystical themes that do not look like cheap speculation, as well as strong acting roles that cause sincere respect. Many tried to repeat the success of Omen, but no one managed to reach the peak conquered in 1976. Nevertheless, in place of Damien Thorne, heirs and successors of his hellish labors came steadily, since the given theme had too strong public resonance to be so simply abandoned. One of the films flirting with the history of the Antichrist and his nightmarish deeds was The Call, not the most famous, but still very remarkable British thriller, which played on the hype of the public around the onset of the new millennium. Of course, it turned out to be as intriguing as “Omen”, “The Call” failed, but it causes quite strong emotions and forces with tension to wait for the climax in front of the screen.
So, the plot of “The Call” introduces us to the charming Christie St. Clair (Laura Harris), who until recently did not even suspect the horror lurking right under her side. Considering herself happy in all aspects of life, Christie could not but rejoice in the sensitive, courteous husband Mark (Richard Lintern), beloved son Dylan (Alex Rowe), successfully built a career and a cute house located in a picturesque English outback, best suited for quiet, calm family life. However, with the growing up of his son, something incomprehensible got into Christie's house. Instead of playing with his peers and watching cartoons, Dylan begins to show his dark essence, gradually moving away from his mother, who put an incredible amount of effort and warmth into him. Not understanding what is happening to his son, Christie tries to start a conversation with him, but all attempts to find the true reason for his behavior are cut short. And if life begins a rapid fall into the crevice, then only trouble can not do. The bite of a dog that unexpectedly attacked Mark, changes the character of the hero beyond recognition, and Christie’s good friend, Elizabeth (Alice Kridge), tries to protect the girl from communicating with her husband and son. Every day Christie’s anxiety about what is happening only increases and finally she will discover the truth that she probably would never want to know.
In many ways, “The Call” from the unknown director Richard Caesar is similar to the cult “Omen”, but do not blame the authors of a modest British film that they wanted to take advantage of the fame of such a famous work, by the way, shot not in distant Hollywood, but by the efforts of filmmakers Mist Albion. Therefore, in part, "The Call" can be called a diligent genre receiver, although he still cannot reach the work of Richard Donner. Richard Caesar got his hands on the script of not the last writer of our time John Rice, who had time to be noted in the cinema with the sweltering comedy “Convoys” and the tense dramatic thriller “Dubbers” with the participation of Oscar-winning Tommy Lee Jones. And this in itself says that Rice is definitely not a talentless author and knows how to twist a serious intrigue based on a powerful semantic platform. His ideas about the Antichrist and the insane hysteria around the hypothetical End of the World resulted in a chambered, but therefore attractive text that needed a strong directorial hand. Of course, Richard Cesar’s lack of experience, compounded by overly spartan funding, reduced the degree of tension that could have reached the highest heights, but the spectacle presented was truly interesting and sometimes even frightening. The director failed to cope with special effects, scenes of action and aggressive manifestations of the occult, but he was able to build a quite worthy dramatic part of the story, describing the relationship within the St. Clair family with the necessary amount of emotionality. Not least to thank for the help of Richard Caesar is Laura Harris, an attractive and skillful actress who, after filming in major projects, was not afraid to return to a small independent film in which you can reveal your talent without forever looking at the instructions of the producers.
In the end, I want to say that “The Call” is not the last place in the list of the most intriguing paintings on the theme of the coming of the Antichrist, and although the director frankly lacked experience and funds, his efforts were crowned with very worthy artistic results.
7 out of 10