Watch End Call
- 2008
- 1 hr 34 min
-
4.3 (228)
End Call is a Japanese horror movie from 2008 directed by Kiyoshi Yamamoto. The movie tells the story of a group of friends who are about to celebrate the New Year together. However, things start to take a turn for the worst when they all receive strange and disturbing phone calls from an unknown caller. The film opens with a close-up shot of a phone ringing. A man picks up the call and is met with the sound of heavy breathing on the other end. As he tries to find out who is calling him, the breathing becomes more and more erratic until it suddenly stops altogether. The man is left puzzled as the call abruptly ends.
Cut to a group of young adults who are preparing to spend the New Year together. They are drinking, dancing and having a good time when suddenly they all receive the same strange phone call from the beginning of the movie. They decide to ignore it and continue with their party, but the caller persists and begins to terrorize them with threats and mysterious warnings.
As the night progresses, the group members start to receive increasingly disturbing and graphic phone calls. The caller seems to know their deepest secrets and fears, and uses this knowledge to manipulate and torment them. One girl receives a call from the caller saying that he is watching her, and she begins to feel a terrifying sense of paranoia and dread.
The movie is shot in a found-footage style, with most of the action taking place through the characters' mobile phones. This creates a sense of immediacy and intimacy, as if the viewer is experiencing the events firsthand.
End Call is not your typical horror movie. Instead of relying on jump scares or grotesque imagery, the film instead creates a sense of unease and psychological terror. The caller's voice is deep and gravelly, and his words are carefully chosen to provoke a reaction from each individual in the group. The characters are forced to confront their inner demons and past traumas, which are ingeniously woven into the plot.
The acting in End Call is superb, particularly from Yuria Haga and Asami Usuda, who play the two female leads. Haga's character is tough and assertive, while Usuda's is more vulnerable and haunted by past experiences. The dynamic between the two actresses is compelling, and their natural chemistry shines through.
One of the standout elements of the movie is the sound design. The ringing of the phone is a constant and ominous presence throughout the film, and the music is haunting and atmospheric. The use of silence is also effective, with many scenes relying on the absence of sound to create a sense of tension and unease.
Despite its relatively low budget, End Call is a well-crafted and deeply unsettling horror movie. It plays with the audience's expectations and delivers a genuinely creepy and disturbing experience. The ending is both satisfying and open to interpretation, leaving the viewer with much to think about and discuss.
In conclusion, End Call is a must-see for fans of Japanese horror and psychological thrillers. It showcases the talents of its director and actors, and is a testament to the power of sound and storytelling in creating a memorable and affecting movie.
End Call is a 2008 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.3.