The Call (2013)

The Call parents guide

Real scares and several jump scares, about what an R should carry.

Scare

Properly scary

Frightening, not just tense.

Jump scares

Several

More than a couple of sudden jolts.

Gore

Graphic gore

Blood and wounds shown clearly.

Violence

Brutal violence

Our top level for violence.

Sex and nudity

Mild

Mild means innuendo, or sex implied off screen, with no nudity.

Language

Moderate

Some strong profanity, a few f-words.

How we rate: an AI reads what is known about each title and tags it 0 to 3; we check the tags against a hand-rated set and correct them by hand when readers tell us. Estimates, not a scene-by-scene review. Spot a mistake? Tell us.

Three questions

Is The Call scary?

Yes, properly. The Call is the real thing without being an endurance test.

How gory is The Call?

Graphic gore and brutal violence. If graphic gore is a dealbreaker, skip it.

What is The Call rated, and is it OK for kids?

No. It is rated R, with real scares, several jump scares and brutal violence.

What is The Call about?

Jordan Turner is an experienced 911 operator but when she makes an error in judgment and a call ends badly, Jordan is rattled and unsure if she can continue. But when teenager Casey Welson is abducted in the back of a man's car and calls 911, Jordan is the one called upon to use all of her experience, insights and quick thinking to help Casey escape, and not just to save her, but to make sure the man is brought to justice.

Cast and crew

More like The Call

• The Departed (2006)Gritty · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastatingUndercover lives collide in a gritty, relentless game of cat and mouse within Boston's criminal underworld.
• The Dark Knight (2008)Suspenseful · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyA relentless, gritty crime thriller where a hero's war on chaos takes a darkly comic and epic turn.
• Reservoir Dogs (1992)Gritty · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally heavyA botched jewel heist unravels into a darkly comic, bloody standoff among double-crossing criminals.
• The Silence of the Lambs (1991)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally devastatingA brilliant, imprisoned psychopath offers chilling insights into a serial killer's mind, if a young agent dares to listen.
• Se7en (1995)Properly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastatingTwo detectives hunt a serial killer whose gruesome crimes are meticulously based on the seven deadly sins.
• The Chaser (2008)Properly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastatingA disgraced detective hunts for his missing women, uncovering a chilling pattern of disappearances and a relentless predator.
• Phone Booth (2003)Properly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally heavyA publicist answers a ringing phone in a booth, then fights for his life as a laser sight targets him.
• GoodFellas (1990)Dark satire · gritty · full attention · brutal violenceA Brooklyn kid's rise through the Mafia is a relentless, gritty, and darkly satirical crime epic.

The Call is on our Starz, Thriller on Starz and Crime on Starz lists.

More like this feeling

Prompts we typed into CouchRot, and the lists that share its tags.

• “a thriller with a twist, no spoilers”
• “a horror movie that's actually scary”
• “scary but not gory”

Lists with the same feel: Most violent and Edge of your seat.