'When a Stranger Calls' (2006)—A Movie Review

Horror movies are the exact reason why I don’t want to live in a house with open windows surrounding me.

Released in 2006, When a Stranger Calls is a remake of the 1979 epic thriller of the same name. Jill Johnson is called to babysit. Except she is not alone. An anonymous caller keeps contacting her regarding the children she is babysitting. Jill must defend herself in a night of nightmares.

Let’s talk about the ‘79 version of When a Stranger Calls. Carol Kane portrayed Jill Johnson, a teenager who is stalked throughout the night by strange anonymous calls. The first twenty minutes are terrifying as she tries to remain calm, calls the police, and learns the chilling results of the whereabouts of the stranger. And then that’s it. The rest of the film is about the stranger on the run, trying to figure out his life, and then deciding to stalk Jill Johnson again.

In my opinion, the 2006 version of When a Stranger Calls is what the ‘79 version should have been. That’s not saying that the 2006 film is a better movie. The film is more of a movie that makes you talk like Cinema Sins.

I found the movie enjoyable and genuinely eerie. Of course, like most horror movies it gets carried away with jump scares. Although staying in someone else’s home for a night can make someone feel jumpy.

Starring as Jill Johnson, Camilla Belle is not the fan of horror movies though she does an excellent job carrying the movie. In this version, Jill Johnson is actually a character and not just the babysitter. It’s a film with a small cast. Most acting is flat and not much depth progresses in characters..

The film sports many high school related subplots which will feel annoying but are necessary. Though that may be the whole point. The subplots keep the film going, creating tension and an actual story.

Being a more modern film audience would think that it would be easier with a cell phone to track down these strange calls. Instead, Jill has been punished for going over her minutes due to guy trouble. Using handset phones is a nice touch so it won’t ruin the films atmosphere.

The setting takes place in a glass house viewing a beautiful body of water. Great location for a horror movie. I have to admit the setting is appealing, along with design and decor in the house. The dark lighting can be overused and there are unneeded jump scares from a cat or from strange objects.

Onto the cinema sins remark I made. The beginning of the film is only to create a horror atmosphere. There are so many questions to ask the screen while watching this movie. First off, when Jill arrives for her babysitting job, the children are already asleep. It’s still light out! And she doesn’t check on them until ways into the movie. And she even leaves them in the house alone!

There are a plethora of spoilers so I will not ruin the movie. I’ll leave the ranting about the police’s actions for you.

Finally, once it comes down to the final battle although suspenseful, it felt overdone. Tony Beckley starred as Curt Duncan in the old version. The film was trying in some aspect for the audience to relate to his character. Honestly, the film felt like a waste. We don’t need to know the stranger.

If you would like to give this film a watch, go ahead. Critics have panned it but I don’t believe it deserves that. I honestly believe this version to be a better film from the ‘79 movie. Watching it an a dark room makes you pray that your own phone won’t ring during the movie.