This movie has a tremendous storyline but unfortunately it is poorly produced. I could not become completely immersed as I was constantly reminded of its amateurish feel. Though professionally written this production only fails in the way it is played out. The acting is bad, the timing is off and the general continuity lacks proper direction and good editing skill. With regard to the acting, itself, my main concern would be with the majority of the actors failing to synchronize their eye movements with the actual thoughts they are supposed to be depicting. As far as the location shooting goes, the factory/refinery setting is supposed to be an abandoned plant and no longer in operation yet when we first see this location steam is rising from some of the vents. A poor production, overall, but a great "thriller" story all the same.
13 Reviews
Could be worse
albrechtcm5 August 2013
With its plot line this could have been an acceptable film, but since the director (who wore many hats in this) chose to (a) direct this in a non-linear, highly confusing style, jumping around so much it was hard to know just where we were and (b) chose every tried and true setup that of course everyone sees coming from afar. Add to that the contrived scenes and of course the obligatory abandoned factory where the rent is cheap. Aside from that, the acting was acceptable and the camera work okay; it's simply that there were no surprises; none at all, and the lead character, while likable and charismatic, was played in such a way that it was impossible to believe he could be so stupid. In the end we have to blame the writer/director/editor and also barfly, Jack Snyder. One final word: through the opening titles we're flashed with scenes of an old-fashioned rotary phone being dialed. Since this was a modern-day film with today's cell phones and the closest thing there was to a fatal call was a fatal missed call, I really wonder where the rotary phone came into this at all.
YOU KNOW YOUR CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
nogodnomasters2 September 2018
Warning: Spoilers
The film opens with Mitch (Jason London) running for his life. He then flashback to 3 weeks earlier when he meets Amy (Danielle Harris) at a bar who gives him her number. They discuss the book "Crime and Punishment" which normally indicates a parallel plot (not likely as it is a Russian novel) or theme...such as it is okay to commit a crime for the greater good. Needless to say, this wasn't exploited to its potential.
Mitch falls in love with Amy after a brief intimate one night stand. He discovers she has a rich husband when he bangs on the door. The plot moves around with the many twists and turns as the St Louis Interstate system seen in the background. It spite of the action and the twists, the film is a bit of a lull. I didn't feel sorry for our main character who should have gotten out when he discovered the woman was married. While he wasn't unlikable, he lacked qualities and personality needed to carry the film.
A lower tier rental at best.
Parental Guide: Sex, no real nudity.
Mitch falls in love with Amy after a brief intimate one night stand. He discovers she has a rich husband when he bangs on the door. The plot moves around with the many twists and turns as the St Louis Interstate system seen in the background. It spite of the action and the twists, the film is a bit of a lull. I didn't feel sorry for our main character who should have gotten out when he discovered the woman was married. While he wasn't unlikable, he lacked qualities and personality needed to carry the film.
A lower tier rental at best.
Parental Guide: Sex, no real nudity.
How to learn the English alphabet in 10 sloooow steps...
fortywood30 July 2013
Movie made in 2012, the year is 2013, and there is not one single post on the message board. No wonder. There is nothing to discuss! What about..? A film that seems to have been made as filler-time between commercials, where the actors speak slower than the heroes of a documentary on dyslexia? Or the constant flashbacks that after a while become so predictable and useless? Can't even sympathize with the protagonist. His actions (and lack of reactions) are so moronic that you wish he dies, so the film will end sooner. Not a bad story, except it fell in the wrong hands. I wish a quick recovery to anyone who watched this. I'm still recuperating.
OK if you don't have a brain
ladcrooks28 July 2013
Should have stopped watching this after the the first 10mins, but hey I plodded on after looking at the score.
The plot itself was OK, it was the hammy acting. I was beginning to think this was a black comedy gone wrong. But you couldn't do more wrong then what they had. I do hope they had a second job too fall back to
A disused factory that had steam, smoke still coming from one of its exhausts/chimney ? Spotted by another reviewer as well!
The old saying, "Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth." Well, all the detectives spoil this film.
What I could have kicked myself for was not too watch the trailer beforehand. That would have had me jog on, damn I hate myself sometimes.
I see the score has come down a bit now due to intelligence rather than a pushed up score by film crew and friends - just my view :-)
There you have it a piggy review over a hammy film
The plot itself was OK, it was the hammy acting. I was beginning to think this was a black comedy gone wrong. But you couldn't do more wrong then what they had. I do hope they had a second job too fall back to
A disused factory that had steam, smoke still coming from one of its exhausts/chimney ? Spotted by another reviewer as well!
The old saying, "Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth." Well, all the detectives spoil this film.
What I could have kicked myself for was not too watch the trailer beforehand. That would have had me jog on, damn I hate myself sometimes.
I see the score has come down a bit now due to intelligence rather than a pushed up score by film crew and friends - just my view :-)
There you have it a piggy review over a hammy film
Absolutely Awful
plasticpig7227 July 2013
I admire anyone who managed to watch this all the way through. I am afraid I had to give up for only the second time, it was just to painful to watch. I am sure I have something better to do with my time, like watching some paint dry.
I agree with the previous reviewer that everything was out of sync. The music, the eye movements, body movements, there were pauses whilst the actors tried to remember their lines.
The producer should be demoted to tea boy, or perhaps he was on work experience, in which case he should cease to continue having any thought of becoming one.
I would struggle to recall a film with such appalling acting, cringe worthy is a term that springs to mind.
Seriously do not waste you time.
I agree with the previous reviewer that everything was out of sync. The music, the eye movements, body movements, there were pauses whilst the actors tried to remember their lines.
The producer should be demoted to tea boy, or perhaps he was on work experience, in which case he should cease to continue having any thought of becoming one.
I would struggle to recall a film with such appalling acting, cringe worthy is a term that springs to mind.
Seriously do not waste you time.
advise not to watch this movie
duranramon201029 December 2013
Wow!! most stupid movie i had ever see.Why would that idiot had to keep running from that bad cop?He could just go easily to the other cop right? He had the evidence.He could easily go to the other cops or FbI instead of running to nowhere.He had to pull over to an old building from who knows where so the cops could catch up on him?of all places where there's no one around?..sucks, this movie is so stupid low budget low quality..no wonder.I couldn't wait the movie to finish and i had to endure watching this ridiculous nonsense.the plot is out of this world i suggest to those intending to watch in your pay per view channel to never make a mistake like me.This movie is worth not watching at all you feel like you become dumber after watching this
I want a refund!
slic_serrano8318 September 2013
I actually made an account just for this movie. I watched the whole thing because i couldn't believe how awful it was. Lets get to it. Pros: I have it a two because it had a good plot.Cons: Was full of 'come on, seriously' from start to finish(about every scene).That pretty much wraps it up. On top of some amateur acting. It was like a low budget movie that looked on the high budget side. A waste. Terrible.Someone should be ashamed of themselves.I was hoping it would get better but it just got worse. A lot of unrealistic things happened here.If you haven't seen it yet and watch it anyway, just remember, I told you so!
All over the place
doctorsmoothlove16 August 2018
Warning: Spoilers
Note: I streamed this from Amazon Prime on a 4K TV.
"Fatal Call" is a thriller film with some actors you might remember from their earlier heydays. Why so many appear here is a bit baffling as this film is unworthy of their collective talents.
The film goes for a jarring presentation of various segments of its story out of order until the big revelation at its end. With a better script and a bigger budget this might have worked. Instead, what we see is an amateurish low budget effort without many redeeming qualities. It feels like a simple heist that was present out of order for the sake of being different. The story isn't engaging enough to warrant such an approach. Given the few locations where scenes occur, the film preys on your boredom.
Until there is an odd cut from one scene to the next. Early in the film the main character meets the female lead and they share all of about five minutes of interaction before falling deeply in love. There is a cut from a chase sequence to them making love in that hokey movie way where the actor covers every part of her body that would result in a higher rating. This portion features an instance of characters not speaking loud enough for the camera to capture their voices. These decisions are less defensible than they would be for a film from The Asylum or another competing company because this film was written, directed, and edited by the same person!
There isn't much to see here or enjoy. Don't be tricked into watching it due to the surprisingly respectable cast or the inaccurate film poster.
"Fatal Call" is a thriller film with some actors you might remember from their earlier heydays. Why so many appear here is a bit baffling as this film is unworthy of their collective talents.
The film goes for a jarring presentation of various segments of its story out of order until the big revelation at its end. With a better script and a bigger budget this might have worked. Instead, what we see is an amateurish low budget effort without many redeeming qualities. It feels like a simple heist that was present out of order for the sake of being different. The story isn't engaging enough to warrant such an approach. Given the few locations where scenes occur, the film preys on your boredom.
Until there is an odd cut from one scene to the next. Early in the film the main character meets the female lead and they share all of about five minutes of interaction before falling deeply in love. There is a cut from a chase sequence to them making love in that hokey movie way where the actor covers every part of her body that would result in a higher rating. This portion features an instance of characters not speaking loud enough for the camera to capture their voices. These decisions are less defensible than they would be for a film from The Asylum or another competing company because this film was written, directed, and edited by the same person!
There isn't much to see here or enjoy. Don't be tricked into watching it due to the surprisingly respectable cast or the inaccurate film poster.
Alrighty then...
paul_haakonsen29 May 2023
I have to admit that I was expecting a tad more from this 2012 thriller titled "Fatal Call". Sure, I hadn't heard about the movie, but the synopsis sounded fair enough, and the movie had an okay cast ensemble. Thus, I sat down to watch this 2012 thriller from writer and director Jack Snyder here in 2023.
Talk about a snoozefest of a movie. The storyline was insanely mundane and generic. And the pacing of the narrative was so bland and uneventful that I drifted off a couple of times throughout the course of the 93 minutes that the movie ran for.
The cast ensemble in "Fatal Call" was adequate, and there were some familiar faces on the cast list, which is why I was expecting a tad more from the movie than what writer and director Jack Snyder managed to deliver. Not even the likes of Jason London, Danielle Harris, Kevin Sorbo and Lochlyn Munro could manage to lift up the dull narrative of the movie.
Don't waste your time money or effort on "Fatal Call", because it simply isn't worth the effort. Some of us suffered through this ordeal so you don't have to.
For a thriller, "Fatal Call" was frightfully devoid of thrills or excitement. My rating of writer and director Jack Snyder's 2012 movie lands on a three out of ten stars.
Talk about a snoozefest of a movie. The storyline was insanely mundane and generic. And the pacing of the narrative was so bland and uneventful that I drifted off a couple of times throughout the course of the 93 minutes that the movie ran for.
The cast ensemble in "Fatal Call" was adequate, and there were some familiar faces on the cast list, which is why I was expecting a tad more from the movie than what writer and director Jack Snyder managed to deliver. Not even the likes of Jason London, Danielle Harris, Kevin Sorbo and Lochlyn Munro could manage to lift up the dull narrative of the movie.
Don't waste your time money or effort on "Fatal Call", because it simply isn't worth the effort. Some of us suffered through this ordeal so you don't have to.
For a thriller, "Fatal Call" was frightfully devoid of thrills or excitement. My rating of writer and director Jack Snyder's 2012 movie lands on a three out of ten stars.
Thought it was moody and suspenseful
markcolton8696 August 2013
Don't know why this has such a low rating but I thought it was very good! The writing, directing, acting, camera work, and music were top notch. And I did not have a problem with the nonlinear nature of the film. In fact I like films like that. Most of Christopher Nolan's films are nonlinear. I enjoyed the production design and thought the setup and execution of the story was well-done. There were parts that were like other, similar films but I didn't find it distracting. My only real complaint is that it was a very low-budget film that was trying to be like a slick Hollywood production. This worked sometimes but not always. Other than that, I really enjoyed it!
Good thriller
edtaylor2000-749-93546927 July 2013
I've been a big fan of Jason London ever since Dazed and Confused so when I saw this at Family Video, I had to check it out. This film is fast-paced, and full of twists, turns, and surprises. You'll see several familiar faces and some new ones. It is well written and acted and keeps you guessing. And just when you think you figured it out, another twist throws you for a loop. The story is told in a non-linear fashion beginning with Jason London's character running for his life from someone out to kill him. This mysterious person's face is never seen. These scenes are cut together with a back-story that shows the events which lead up to London's dire situation. I watched it with my wife and we had fun trying to figure out the identity of the person pursuing him as the back-story shows several potential suspects. But it's so much more than that. And kudos to Danielle Harris, of horror film fame, for turning in a brilliant performance in a film that is not her typical genre. You should check it out, I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Loved it!
LanguagePHD2 December 2014
From start to finish I was on the edge of my seat! I loved the way the relationship between Mitch and Amy developed and the love scenes. The twists and turns kept me guessing to the end! The scene where Mitch is hiding under the bed when the killer was walking around the room was very suspenseful. Mitch's friend was at times hilarious and the scenes when he was waiting outside the house was a nail-biter. My girlfriend and I rented it and had such a good time watching it! It is a perfect Friday night movie! The climatic chase at the factory was explosive. Kevin Sorbo is pretty cute considering he is my mom's age! I highly recommend this movie, it's a fast-paced intelligent thriller!
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