Reviews: The Call (2013) Movie Review / Ending Explained / FAQs
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Our review of The Call (2013) dives into the story, the scares, and whether it truly delivers the horror fans crave.
The Call (2013) – A Tense and Fast-Paced Thriller That Keeps You on the Line
The Call (2013), directed by Brad Anderson, delivers a gripping, edge-of-your-seat thriller that plays on every person’s worst nightmare: calling 911 and realizing help might not come in time. Starring Halle Berry as a veteran 911 operator and Abigail Breslin as the terrified teenage victim, the film offers a suspense-driven ride filled with claustrophobic tension, emotional stakes, and a race against time.
While The Call doesn’t reinvent the thriller genre, it succeeds in creating a sense of urgency and anxiety that keeps viewers engaged from start to finish. Despite its lower critical scores, the movie has gained popularity with audiences who appreciate tight pacing, relatable fear, and emotional intensity.
Plot, Themes, and Character Development
The story follows Jordan Turner (Halle Berry), a seasoned 911 dispatcher working in Los Angeles. After a tragic mistake during a call that leads to a young girl’s death, Jordan struggles with guilt and steps back from fieldwork. Months later, she finds herself back in the hot seat when Casey Welson (Abigail Breslin), a teenage girl, is abducted and manages to call 911 from the trunk of a moving car.
With limited information, Jordan must use her experience and quick thinking to guide Casey toward survival, all while racing against the clock to locate the killer, Michael Foster (Michael Eklund), a deeply disturbed man with a twisted obsession.
The film explores several compelling themes:
Guilt and redemption
The psychological trauma of emergency responders
The fear of helplessness in life-or-death situations
The predator-prey dynamic between victim and captor
Jordan’s journey is as much about overcoming personal demons as it is about saving Casey, making the emotional stakes just as high as the physical danger.
Acting and Cinematography
Halle Berry delivers a strong, emotionally layered performance as Jordan, portraying both the control expected of a 911 operator and the raw vulnerability of someone haunted by past failure. Berry convincingly captures the intensity, frustration, and helplessness of being the lifeline for someone in mortal danger without being physically present.
Abigail Breslin brings authenticity and fear to the role of Casey, balancing vulnerability with strength as the situation escalates. Her believable portrayal of terror adds to the film’s tension and keeps the audience emotionally invested.
Michael Eklund, as the kidnapper Michael Foster, offers a chilling and unsettling performance that makes him one of the more memorable psycho-thriller villains in recent cinema.
The film’s cinematography by Thomas Yatsko makes effective use of tight, confined spaces—especially inside the trunk of the car—to amplify claustrophobia. The alternating shots between the call center and Casey’s desperate struggle maintain a strong sense of urgency and suspense throughout the film.
Directing Style, Strengths, and Weaknesses
Director Brad Anderson, known for his work on films like The Machinist, crafts The Call with fast pacing, tight scene construction, and a focus on emotional realism. He keeps the narrative lean, wasting little time on unnecessary subplots, and drives the tension forward through a series of escalating challenges.
The film’s first two acts are highly effective, maintaining suspense and emotional involvement. However, the final act takes a controversial turn that has divided audiences. The decision to move away from procedural thriller realism into more vigilante-style territory may not satisfy all viewers, especially those hoping for a grounded conclusion.
Strengths:
Tense, well-paced plot that keeps audiences engaged
Strong performances from Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin
Claustrophobic cinematography enhances suspense
Emotionally charged story about guilt and redemption
Effective villain portrayal by Michael Eklund
Weaknesses:
The third-act shift toward action-thriller clichés weakens the emotional payoff
Some plot conveniences may challenge suspension of disbelief
Lower critical reception due to its formulaic elements and ending
Final Verdict & Score: 7/10
The Call (2013) succeeds as a fast-paced, emotionally intense thriller that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats for most of its runtime. Despite a divisive ending and a few familiar genre tropes, the film delivers enough tension, strong performances, and pulse-pounding suspense to make it worth watching.
Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin’s compelling performances, combined with the terrifying "what if" premise of being trapped and unable to escape, elevate The Call above standard thriller fare. While it doesn’t break new ground, it remains a solid, engaging watch for fans of psychological and survival thrillers.
Who will enjoy it:
Fans of psychological thrillers and survival stories
Viewers who appreciate fast-paced, tension-filled narratives
Audiences interested in 911 dispatcher-centered stories
Those looking for thrillers with strong female leads
Who might be disappointed:
Viewers seeking complex plot twists or high-concept storytelling
Those preferring realistic endings over vigilante-style conclusions
Audiences expecting a deeper exploration of the villain’s background
The Call (2013) – Most Searched FAQs and Ending Explained
What is The Call (2013) about?
The Call (2013) is a suspense thriller starring Halle Berry as Jordan Turner, an experienced 911 operator in Los Angeles. After a previous call gone wrong leaves her traumatized, Jordan returns to take a chilling emergency call from Casey Welson (Abigail Breslin), a teenage girl kidnapped and trapped in the trunk of a moving car. As the kidnapper drives across the city, Jordan must use her skills, instincts, and calm demeanor to guide Casey toward safety before time runs out.
The movie builds relentless tension as Jordan and law enforcement race against the clock to outsmart the deranged abductor, Michael Foster (Michael Eklund), who has a dark obsession that turns the abduction into something even more horrifying.
Is The Call (2013) based on a true story?
While The Call feels realistic and draws inspiration from true crime cases and the high-stakes world of emergency dispatchers, it is not directly based on a single true event. The filmmakers aimed to create a thriller that captures the real fear and anxiety of such situations while remaining a work of fiction.
However, the film’s premise echoes many real-life kidnapping scenarios where victims have used 911 calls to aid in their rescue, contributing to the movie’s intense realism.
Who is the killer in The Call (2013)?
Minor Spoiler:
The killer in The Call is Michael Foster, played by Michael Eklund. Foster is a disturbed man with an obsession tied to the death of his sister, which fuels his desire to kidnap and murder young women. His calm, calculated demeanor hides a violent and sad**tic nature, making him one of the more unsettling thriller villains of the 2010s.
Throughout the film, Foster’s methods—including drugging his victims and using disguise tactics—highlight his manipulative and dangerous personality.
What does the phrase “It’s already done” mean in The Call?
The chilling phrase “It’s already done” is used by Michael Foster during the kidnapping, signaling his belief that the victim’s fate is sealed from the moment he abducts them. This line reinforces the film’s sense of hopelessness and psychological terror, showing that Foster sees his crimes as predetermined and unstoppable.
It becomes one of the most memorable lines in the movie, capturing the villain’s cold detachment and twisted confidence.
How realistic is the 911 call center shown in The Call?
The film’s depiction of a 911 emergency call center is relatively accurate in terms of showing the high-pressure environment and the critical role dispatchers play during emergencies. Real 911 operators praised the film for highlighting how dispatchers must remain calm, gather information, and make split-second decisions while managing their own emotional responses.
While some dramatizations were added for cinematic effect, the movie offers one of the more realistic portrayals of the emotional toll faced by emergency call center workers.
Why does Jordan Turner feel responsible for the first victim in The Call?
Minor Spoiler:
At the start of the film, Jordan receives a call from a young girl hiding from a home invader. Jordan accidentally alerts the intruder by calling the girl back after the line goes dead, which results in the girl’s murder. This traumatic failure leads to Jordan stepping away from fieldwork and struggling with intense guilt.
The incident becomes the driving force behind Jordan’s determination to save Casey, as she sees the current situation as a chance for redemption and to prevent history from repeating itself.
How does The Call (2013) end?
Ending Explained (Major Spoiler Below):
In the climactic finale, Jordan discovers Michael Foster’s hidden underground lair beneath a remote farmhouse, where he has taken Casey to complete his gruesome ritual. Using her own instincts and tracking clues from the 911 call, Jordan reaches the location before law enforcement arrives.
Jordan and Casey manage to overpower Foster in a tense confrontation. Instead of turning him over to the police immediately, Jordan and Casey trap Foster inside his own underground torture chamber, chaining him to the chair where he planned to kill Casey. As he begs for release, Jordan coldly echoes his earlier line back to him:
“It’s already done.”
The movie ends with Foster left imprisoned underground, his fate sealed by the very women he sought to victimize. This controversial ending suggests vigilante justice, giving the audience a cathartic but morally complex resolution.
Why was the ending of The Call so controversial?
The ending of The Call sparked debate among viewers because it steps away from the traditional law enforcement conclusion of catching the killer and instead portrays Jordan and Casey taking justice into their own hands. While some fans appreciated the poetic justice and emotional release, others criticized the ending as unrealistic and ethically questionable, feeling it undermines the message of law and order.
This divisive final act remains one of the most talked-about aspects of the film, helping it stand out in the crowded thriller genre.
Sources Used to Shape This Review
Insights in this review are drawn from director interviews, fan commentary, production notes, and long-form breakdowns across genre-specific platforms. Content is written uniquely and reviewed for accuracy.
- The Call Rating Scores
- Our Score: 7/10
- Overall Score: 5.98/10
- IMDB: 6.7/10
- MetaCritic: 5.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes: 4.5/10
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