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The Call Up

Name: The Call Up
Director: Charles Barker
Released: 2016
Duration: 90 min

Representation Score

5.6/10

Fair

2016

Not Rated

Director

Charles Barker

Runtime

90 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

By leveraging its science fiction premise, the film addresses issues related to identity and societal friction. It goes beyond typical casting practices to give characters like Zahid and Shelly distinct roles in the high-stakes gaming world. While it doesn't deeply explore LGBTQ+ themes, the film effectively challenges conventional gamer archetypes and uses its virtual setting to critique real-world identity politics and the risks of unchecked technology.

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Category Breakdown

Does The Call Up have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film doesn't delve into LGBTQ+ themes and lacks visible queer identity markers or non-straight relationships.

How does The Call Up portray gender?

Fair

Female characters like Taylor and Shelly play key roles as skilled gamers, showing they can compete equally with men and break away from traditional damsel-in-distress clichés.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Call Up?

Good

The film features a cast with various ethnic backgrounds, providing meaningful inclusion. Zahid, a Bosnian Muslim, challenges harmful geopolitical stereotypes and adds depth to his identity.

How does The Call Up represent religion and culture?

Good

The narrative explores the tension between personal identity and institutional labels, using the virtual setting to highlight the dehumanizing effects of digital systems.

Does The Call Up include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not include characters with neurodivergence or physical impairments, nor does it feature any significant disability representation.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional gender roles by showcasing women as elite, highly competent gamers.
Includes a diverse cast of characters from various ethnic backgrounds.
Uses the virtual setting to critique the impact of identity politics and technological power.

Limited or Absent

Lacks visible LGBTQ+ representation or queer identity markers.
Does not portray characters with disabilities or neurodivergence.
Does not explore sexual orientation beyond typical genre conventions.

Official Synopsis

When a group of elite online gamers each receive a mysterious invitation to trial a state-of-the-art virtual reality video game, it’s a dream come true and impossible to resist. Arriving at the test site, the group step into hi-tech gear and prepare for a revolutionary, next-level gaming experience that brings modern warfare to life with frightening realism. At first it’s a unique and exhilarating experience. But what starts out like a dream encounter with cutting edge technology quickly takes a turn for the sinister. Once the group are attacked by enemy combatants, they soon realize this is no game after all. Make a mistake here and you pay with your life. Now these masters of the shoot ‘em up will have to fight for survival within a game gone bad, but this time it’s for real.

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