ONE MISSED CALL: A REVIEW
ONE MISSED CALL (2007)
This is a film the production of which seems to be a combination of Japanese and American talent. The story itself is based on a Japanese work [Chakushin ari, by Takashi Miike]. It was directed by a Mr. Eric Valette. I thought he did a rather good job. As a matter of fact, although this is a “B” grade, formula flick [about $30 million], it is a very commendable film in many respect. Firstly, Director Valette keeps the film fairly tight. It has a compact quality, and yet there is a microcosmic density totally at one with the Japanese reflection upon the “universe within.” There is an intellectually tantalizing juxtaposition between this “inward universe” and the film’s play upon the Western, especially Christian, “outward or otherward universe,” which apparently drives the story.
Further, the use of sound effects is very good. People, I get into films! I admit it. I’m sort of an “empath” –straight out of Star Trek. The use of sound effects at times got the hair on my neck “tingling,” however briefly. This is GOOD. I have seen many, many spooky flicks in my day, and my reactions are deadened a bit. However, if this film got to me at times, I’m confident it will get to others.
Nevertheless, don’t go to this film expecting to see boatloads of gore. That doesn’t happen. It isn’t a “slasher” flick. It is after the chilling genre that includes the very good movie, The Haunting [original television version]. For that reason alone–the lack of blood & gorey horror, there will be more than a few people who will be disappointed.
Furthermore, the lighting in this film is very good. There are many night scenes that are very satisfactorily rendered. However, most points of the day appear in this film and are well done. Complementing the lighting is the use of natural sets and patterns of travelling on the screen, so that interesting camera angles are frequently exhibited (Glen MacPherson, cinematographer) and add greatly to the interest, although for most moviegoers, this is unobtrusive and, thus, not really noticed. It should be noted. The editing (Steve Mirkovich) and transitions are intelligently executed and sometimes interesting. The structure of this film is very praiseworthy, especially considering its relatively modest budget, as one would not expect to see such skill. Assuming a young production team, I, therefore, expect to see them contribute strongly to a variety of films yet unconceived.
Having said this much, the moviegoer will notice many “stock & trade” aspects of this film. The use of clock faces on walls, the slightly drawn-out stare at a door at the end of a hall, phantom-like appearances of blurry, enigmatic figures, and the like. There is the ominously burned-out, hospital building. Females abound on the “plank that must be walked.” Well, films of this kind automatically have a large number of dispensable characters who fall by the wayside during the filmtime, as the story narrows down to a precious few–typically the stars.
Perhaps the touch that sort of overwears is the repetition of the portentous music. In this case that music is a cell phone “jingle.”
One aspect that is rather surprising is the exorcism scene. Why? Well, the texture of the film is noticeably different. If one reflects briefly on the recent film, I Am Legend, the film begins with a grainy tv film interview, which is distinct from the film-look of the main tale. Also, the grainy film-look at the opening documentary part of Hitman can be cited, being distinct from the main part of the tale. My understanding of this American production is that it included pieces of film from the Japanese original. For this reason the “exorcism” seemed, from the point of view of appearance, to have more in common with ”B” grade renderings of Haitian Voodoo ceremonies than any known Christian one.
Speaking of which, the scene of the exorcism seems to suggest that demonic forces had “seized” control of the figure of Jesus upon the cross and other Christian images, usually associated with the Roman Catholic Church, as well as Orthodox Russian & Greek Christian denominations. However I considered the matter, I came around to the view that it was a bit cheeky, putting aside the validity of graven images for the moment and focusing on probable intent of the film’s writer(s). On the other hand, if they had to borrow the footage, they had to take what was there and try to make it work. It is an imperfection in the film in most every respect save one: a zany sort of humorous addition. But does that even fit with the rest of the film? In a strained sort of way, perhaps. Why?
This film at it lofty essential is the well-known tale of the battle between the moral plane and the wicked plane: In short, spiritual good and spiritual evil. On the complementary lower baseline, it is the story of wholesome psychology vs. aberrant psychology. Both spiritual good and wholesome psychology are as rare as “hen’s teeth” in this film. On the battlefield Earth, according to the exorcists, evil spirit energy operates through the same media as light and electricity. No wonder cell phones are the devil’s workshop!
As a matter of fact, most of the young women encountered in this film and at least one young man, “Ted Sumners” (Ray Wise) attend a class being taught by a “Julie Cohn” on psychologically damaged children (abused). Others are nurses at an institution (St. Luke’s Hospital) that at least in part deal with the mentally disturbed. Further, it appears that at least a few of these women were themselves abused childeren.
“What goes around, comes around,” folks, Dig it!
Storyline: There is a hospital fire that kills five people and terrorizes the others, including a little girl, Leann Cole (Azura Skye), who proves to have a quiet but portentous influence on events. Well, quiet isn’t quite right: She Says Nothing. No one knows where Leann’s mother is. From this fiery beginning the film cuts to a very attractve young woman, who is lounging about her Amer-Asian style, digs’ back deck–not far from the small pool stocked with 2 pound guppies. Shrubs and large rocks complete the charming layout. The lass is attempting to do some things, which we, the moviegoers, know must be consequential, such as: What shall I wear tonight? Do I really understand Ms. Cohn’s point in yesterday’s lesson? and so forth. She has a cell phone. There’s something odd going on. There is her cat on the far side of the pond. What’s that cat up to? The lass goes over. She seems to be seeing strange things. She notices that her guppies are acting rather skittish. Getting down to her knees and leaning forward on her hands, her decollete discreetly adequate, her cat now observing from a pondside rock, when suddenly a hand comes out of the murky pool, grabs her by the throat, and yanks her entirely (and rapidly) into the depths [Who could have guessed it was so deep?] and, hardly had the moviegoer taken this in, when the hand comes forth and yanks the cat, too. With this preamble, the director has gotten the attention of the viewers. From this point forward we rapidly encounter the rest of the films “disposables” at a party for students. We meet “Beth” (Shannyn Sossamon), the heroine, and “Taylor Anthony” (Ana Claudio Talancon), whose good-looking and makes it to the exorcism. There is talk of the fallen friend (found drowned), and there is talk of the strange phone call and weird behavior, involving close friends. There are also allusions to stock college talk on psychology and motivations. This tends to draw us quickly into the films initial pose of being scientific, material and practical. Yet, as friend after friend bit the dust after “that strange phone call” and weird “happenings,” even the most “today” college student finds his confidence in real-world explanations shaken. Further, there is a hastening perception that: I may be next! Introduced fairly early in the film’s serial “mystery deaths” is Jack Andrews (Edward Burns), who plays a detective whose sister has met a weird death recently, which ties in with the students. He notices red sphere of hard candy in sis’s mouth. Clue? Inevitably, Jack and Beth are drawn together, especially as the numbers dwindled. As they try to get to the bottom of all this, the old St. Luke’s Hospital fire becomes the focus. They learn that Leann’s mother, Marie, never left the hospital. Jack discovers new evidence on a disk hidden in a stuffed animal, known as a “nanny camera.” Shocking revelations of abuse. For Beth and Jack the pieces are falling into place. Yet, time is short, because Beth has finally gotten the phone call (from a dead person!). Parenthetically, throughout the serial “wack-attacks,” there have been beaucoup sightings of outre creatures, creepy things, and blurry –aah–aah–THINGS! Further, nothing seems to stop the cell phone “jingle” ring. Crush it, stomp it, drown it, no one seems to know how to stop it. Finally, there seems to be no hope. Beth is alone and in harm’s way from something not altogether living (as we understand the word) nor material. She desperately needs a “good fairy”? Well, folks, hold onto your seats! The film ends with a fade to black, but there is an ominous audio.
There may be a sequel, especially if this one gets a good profit on the $30 million.
All rights reserved. Gobigfoot, 2008.
