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The Call

Name: The Call
Director: Timothy Woodward Jr.
Released: 2020
Duration: 97 min

Representation Score

3.2/10

Limited

2020

Not Rated

Director

Timothy Woodward Jr.

Runtime

97 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The film operates as a traditional survival thriller that prioritizes suspense and genre mechanics over the exploration of identity. The 1987 setting and small-town focus suggest a conventional approach to social structures rather than a deliberate disruption of cinematic clichés. While the film adheres to standard horror frameworks, it lacks the intentionality required to deconstruct social hierarchies or promote progressive frameworks. The narrative remains centered on immediate physical stakes and character survival.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Call have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not explicitly represent non-straight identities. Character interactions follow typical social structures common in the horror genre.

How does The Call portray gender?

Fair

The story revolves around a group of friends confronting a dangerous couple. It follows standard genre expectations without confirming a challenge to traditional gender roles.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Call?

Fair

Set in a 1987 small town, the film seems to rely on homogeneous social structures. There is no indication of intentional efforts to diversify this historical context.

How does The Call represent religion and culture?

Limited

The story focuses on individual survival and immediate physical stakes. It does not question Western institutions or promote anti-establishment themes.

Does The Call include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no information available regarding characters with visible or invisible disabilities.

Present on Screen

The film adheres to established genre clichés, providing a familiar experience for fans of traditional survival horror and thrillers.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lacks intentionality in diversifying its historical 1987 setting.
There is a missed opportunity to challenge traditional gendered clichés or explore non-straight identities.
The film does not engage with broader social or cultural critiques, focusing strictly on individual survival.

Official Synopsis

In the fall of 1987, a group of small-town friends must survive the night in the home of a sinister couple after a tragic accident occurs. Needing only to make a single phone call, the request seems horribly ordinary until they realize that this call could change their life…or end it.

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