What if you can change your reality with one phone call?
28-year-old Kim Seo-yeon (Park Shin-hye) moves into her gloomy and dilapidated childhood home to visit her ailing mother (Kim Sung-ryung). Like the house's dejected look, Seo-yeon feels jaded and cold brought by her hatred towards her mother. She blames her for her father's (Park Ho-san) death in a fire accident that burned down their house.
Arriving at her childhood home, Seo-yeon discovers a wireless phone. One day the phone buzzes. Across the line is a distraught teenager, Oh Young-sook (Jeon Jong-seo). Her voice trembles in fear, begging Seo-yeon to help her from her 'shaman' mother (Lee El).
Seo-yeon asks around regarding the girl's possible whereabouts. But to her surprise, the girl actually lives in the exact same house. The two are apparently communicating at different timelines but in the same place.
Things get a lot more complicated from there as the two realize that they can change each other's past and future. Oh Young-sook can bring Seo-yeon's dad back to life, and Seo-yeon can help Young-sook escape her abusive mother.
But it turns that Oh Young-sook is more than a distraught teenager.
Netflix's latest addition to the growing catalog of South Korean films is an adaptation of the Puerto Rican film "The Caller". "The Call" or simply, "Call", is a time-bending, cat-and-mouse story that excels in both visual and performance. It's a one-of-kind slasher thriller that will keep the viewers at the edge of their seats.
"The Call," tells the tale of two people communicating from different timelines. Despite the vast time difference, they found themselves at odds with each other upon their discovery that their actions have consequences. The time travel component works wonders for the film's narrative. The film's dedication to sticking to its time-traveling logic makes for an intriguing story that shows how linear life is.
There is a lot more in "The Call" that really makes it a stand-out film. Like it's explorations of the characters' mental health and the mistreatment they received from people who clearly don't understand them. It also shines a light on grief and pain and the repercussions brought by abuse.
Park Shin-hye and Jeon Jong-seo blare out as the real strength of the film. Their dedication to their character shows as they embraced their psyche and emotional layers and turmoils.
"The Call" is quite impressive as a thriller-horror slash sci-fi-drama. It is compelling in every way and a fun movie to watch especially on weekends. It's interesting what more surprises South Korean films can bring.
4/5
