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Landline

Name: Landline
Director: Dele Doherty
Released: 2025
Duration: 84 min

Representation Score

5.3/10

Fair

2025

Director

Dele Doherty

Runtime

84 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Landline stands out by placing a Black protagonist in a high-stakes military thriller, diverging from the usual white-centric portrayal in suspense films. While the core plot follows traditional clichés, such as a wife in danger, the repetitive nightmare-like structure offers an opportunity to challenge passive victim narratives. The film delves into systemic vulnerabilities and fragmented communication, providing a deeper exploration than typical genre stories.

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Category Breakdown

Does Landline have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The story focuses on a married couple, with no clear indication of LGBTQ+ identities or non-straight relationships.

How does Landline portray gender?

Fair

The narrative includes a damsel-in-distress scenario but challenges the passive victim cliché through a repetitive loop. The wife’s role is crucial to the protagonist’s psychological journey.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Landline?

Excellent

The film casts Black actors in key roles, breaking the typical genre mold of predominantly white casts in military thrillers.

How does Landline represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story explores the collapse of institutional stability and communication, using isolation to critique systemic failures like those in the military or family structures.

Does Landline include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no characters in the film dealing with physical, cognitive, or mental health disabilities.

Present on Screen

Intentional casting of Black actors in central, authoritative roles.
Potential to challenge traditional gender clichés through its repetitive, nightmarish narrative.
Breaks conventional genre expectations by centering diverse identities in a military thriller.

Limited or Absent

Relies on a traditional damsel-in-distress framework.
Lacks visible LGBTQ+ representation or non-straight relationship dynamics.
No characters navigate physical or cognitive disabilities.

Official Synopsis

A stranded military sergeant receives eerie calls from an old landline, each guiding him to save his pregnant wife from a relentless killer—only to watch her die again and again in a nightmarish loop.

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