When a Stranger Calls (2006)

Directed by:
Simon West

Written by:
Jake Wade Wall (based on the 1979 screenplay by Fred Walton & Steve Feke)

Main Cast:
Camilla Belle, Katie Cassidy, Tommy Flanagan, Brian Geraghty, Clark Gregg, and voice of Lance Henriksen

The Plot:
High-schooler Jill Johnson (Camilla Belle) has seen better days. Not only is her relationship with boyfriend, Bobby (Brian Geraghty) on the rocks, but her parents have cut off her cell service as a result of Jill exceeding her minutes, and she has to babysit on the night of a wild bonfire party. But the problems don't end there. Within minutes of settling into the sprawling Mandrakis residence, where Jill is watching over two sleeping children, she begins to receive menacing phone calls, with the identity and location of the caller unbeknownst to her. While she initially believes it to be a prank, it quickly becomes clear that Jill and the children are not alone. And when was the last time that she checked on them?

The Review:
Right off the bat, I will be brutally honest: 1979's classic thriller, When a Stranger Calls, is one horror movie that warranted a remake. Outside of bravura, unforgettable opening and closing scenes, as well as a stellar performance by comedian Carol Kane as the babysitter, it dissolved into a mostly tedious police procedural drama. Explaining what happens to the babysitter and the man on the phone after the urban legend is over is an interesting proposition, but the script and direction were not inventive enough to bring it to life. The 1993 made-for-tv sequel, "When a Stranger Calls Back", was actually stronger overall. Both films were fine, but improvements could certainly have be made.

This remake, directed with minimal skill by Simon West, is an example of how to get everything wrong when remaking a horror film. Or, making a horror film in general. Granted, it was clearly understood by screenwriter Jake Wade Wall that the first 15 minutes of the original is precisely why it is still talked about today. But, in the process of expanding that legendary sequence to feature length, any sense of tension is diffused, with no chance of surprising the audience. In fact, the one and only decent shock was given away in the very first trailer, but I can't really blame that on the film itself.

In a case of history repeating itself, the pre-credits opening of this film is actually very good as well. While a carnival rages inside a quaint suburb, a young girl is assaulted only a few blocks away by a shadowy figure. If nothing else, it is evocative of just how easy it is for someone to be attacked with help so close by. Once the real plot gets going, however, everything falls apart.

When it comes to staging scenes that are meant to be suspenseful, West cannot sustain interest without falling victim to a lazy screenplay where misguided complications are fabricated for the sole purpose of teasing out the running time. An extended bit where Jill's frienemy, Tiff (Katie Cassidy, in an inept debut performance), pays her a visit is jaw-dropping in the sheer immaturity of the dialogue and performances. Just as the action is meant to be steadily rising to a fever pitch, it's probably not wise to introduce a silly conflict that ends up going nowhere. But then again, nearly all of the decisions made here are either not compelling or just plain idiotic, and this includes a climax that stops frustratingly short of being even moderately thrilling.

One asset that West does use to his advantage at times is the gorgeous, borderline-gaudy setting of the Mandrakis mansion. With its stunning atrium, enormous windows, and endless corridors, it's easy to imagine that someone could be committing atrocities in the house without being detected. This is ultimately botched when (literally) 20 minutes of the first act is spent with Jill as she walks around the house and observes its various quirky designs and art pieces. The editing becomes more overtly problematic as well, when it starts to become confusing which room she is in at any given time.

After impressing with her performance in The Ballad of Jack and Rose, Camilla Belle is an absolute disaster as imperiled babysitter Jill Johnson. Belle has a natural screen presence, but she seems overwhelmed by what the role asks of her. Very little of her dialogue is divulged in a believable way, none of her reactions are proportionate to what has just happened, and she cannot adequately portray Jill's growing anxiety and panic. And it doesn't help matters that she's in nearly every frame. The only actor who walks away completely unscathed is veteran character actor Lance Henriksen, who plays the voice of the maniacal caller.

Even on the level of popcorn entertainment, When a Stranger Calls misses the mark by a long shot. The script feels like a first draft, and is done no favors by the terminally bland filmmaking, with scares and twists that are strictly of the safe, easily telegraphed variety. When a cat makes its first appearance early on, the viewer knows that it will be used as a jump tactic by the end. Needless to say, we are not let down. And all of this even further undercut by a bombastic score that attempts to rouse excitement when there is none to be had. It's difficult to imagine even middle-schoolers being legitimately frightened by what's happening onscreen. What the film may possess in atmosphere, it severely lacks in wit and palpable danger.

* out of ****