“When A Stranger Calls” (Screen Gems)
Sorry, Wrong Number
“When A Stranger Calls” is the latest suspense thriller that features a few chills over the course of its running time, but ultimately adds up to a routine event at the theater. It features an unknown cast and a hokey script so logic flies out the window. It isn’t so much that it is a bad movie, it just doesn’t have anything extra in it.
Camilla Belle plays Jill Johnson a high school student who is babysitting for the Mandrakis family. Their home is an ultra modern one sitting on a lake in a remote area of California. When Jill’s father drops her off at the house to sit she finds the children are already in bed. Dr and Mrs Mandrakis (Derek de Lint and Kate Jennings Grant) leave her emergency phone numbers, teach her the alarm system, and then leave.
Jill doesn’t even look in on the children but rather wanders around the house. Then she starts getting phone calls that consist of heavy breathing. Later she starts hearing noises inside the house. All of this is played out over a longer time frame than it should. It seems Jill wanders that house interminably.
Belle is okay as Jill but she doesn’t have much charisma on screen. She comes off as a nice, spunky girl who can take care of herself for the most part. In fairness to her the role doesn’t require much personality.
Katie Cassidy makes an appearance as Jill’s friend Tiffany. This is the typical blonde bimbo part that is always included in a movie of this kind. Tiffany has been flirting with Jill’s boyfriend, and isn’t a very nice person, so it is okay when she gets eliminated by the killer. At least that seems to be the logic in the film.
The movie is rated PG-13 for profanity and violence. The film is suspenseful without having graphic horror in it. This non-R rating seems to be the way to go in horror flicks or thrillers these days. Hollywood needs all ages of teens in attendance at these films so they don’t want a restrictive rating.
The “ending” of the film, which was new when “Carrie” did it, is supposed to send the audience screaming out of the theater but any idiot could see thew twist coming a mile away. It just adds to the impression that this was a “by the numbers” suspense movie from beginning to end with nothing new appearing on the screen.
I scored “When A Stranger Calls” a hung up 5 out of 10.
