Director
Simon West
Cast
Camilla Belle….Jill Johnson
Tommy Flanagan….Stranger
Katie Cassidy….Tiffany
Tessa Thompson….Scarlet
Brian Geraghty….Bobby
Clark Gregg….Mr. Johnson
Derek de Lint….Dr. Mandrakis
Kate Jennings Grant….Mrs. Mandrakis
David Denman….Officer Burroughs
The Movie
Lord God, please don’t let studios keep doing this crap. Seriously, who thought this would be a good idea? The same people who thought that making “When A Stranger Calls Back” in 1993? C’mon kids, let’s go for Hevia’s ride into cinematic hell. AAAALLLL ABOOARD!
Jill Johnson is a teenage girl who takes a baby-sitting gig for two children one night. The kids fall asleep and soon after the phone rings with a stranger, played FANTASTICALLY by Tommy Flanagan, calling and asking, “Have you checked the children?” The guy calls back time and again and soon enough Jill calls the police, who trace the line because no crime has been committed so they can’t send anyone to the house, which makes NO SENSE. Soon enough the police call back and inform Jill that the calls are coming from inside the house, effectively ruining her night.
The cast in this movie is horrible. But given the script/material to work with, Julia Roberts would have been horrible. Camilla Belle looks like she won the job via scratch off ticket as her acting skills rival those of an extra in a high school play. Quite frankly, I almost hung up on this DVD 20 minutes in.
Story: 1/10
Acting: 0/10
Look/Feel: 1/10
Originality: 0/10
Entertainment Value: 1/10
Total Score: 3/50
FINAL Score: 1/10
The Video
1.78:1 Anamorphic Widescreen – Dark like the movie should be. Not dark enough, like black so you wouldn’t have to watch it.
The Audio
5.1 Dolby Digital – Sounds like a movie, which it really isn’t. It’s more of a Fear Factor test of endurance as to how much you can take.
The Extras
The Making of “When A Stranger Calls” – The usual fluff piece with the director and lead actors about how the movie was made and what a great job they did. LIES! ALL LIES!
Deleted Scenes – Nothing of note, but if they had left all these scenes in, my personal hell would have gone on a bit longer, so…thanks!
Score: 5/10
