One might best describe this would-be thriller as tired, and not even the high-definition processing does much to spice it up.
Everything goes according to formula in the film, including Beth and Detective Andrews pairing up as a sort of buddy team to investigate the deaths that nobody else thinks are supernatural murders. And they get into the usual dark and spooky places that turn out to be anything but scary.
There's even a sleazy television producer (Ray Wise) thrown in to do a cell-phone exorcism on live TV. I kid you not. I have no idea where that idea came from or why it was in the plot because like so much of this picture, it goes nowhere and we get nothing out of it. And should I mention the inhaler? Nawww.
"One Missed Call" is not the worst horror movie I've ever seen, but it is among the more tedious. Do we ever learn much about the characters or take any interest in them? No. Do we care about what happens to them? No. Is there any part of the story that even comes close to making sense? No. Is there any part of the story that is at all suspenseful or frightening? No. Is there anything new or original about the plot line? No. Is there any reason for this movie to exist? I'm sorry; that was rude. And I'm digressing.
Video:
Warner Bros. present the picture in a 1.85:1 ratio, 1080-resolution, VC-1, Blu-ray transfer, the picture characteristics marginally sharper than its standard-definition counterpart. In a direct comparison with the SD image, the differences are not night-and-day, but they are apparent. Still, the high-def video quality is as ordinary for its kind as the standard-def is for its type, so don't expect anything spectacular. The picture remains slightly vague, soft, and fuzzy, even in HD, with the same slight murkiness in the darker sections. There also remains a good deal of visible, if normal, print grain, probably a condition one would have noticed in a movie theater as well.
Audio:
As though to make up for the disc's lack of extras, Warner Bros. offer up English soundtracks in three separate configurations: Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, and Dolby Digital 2.0. In Dolby TrueHD 5.1, the audio acquits itself quite well. It's a touch clearer and cleaner than the regular DD 5.1 track, especially in the midrange and bass, with the same stereo spread, and maybe a little stronger dynamic impact. More important, to my ears the THD track is smoother overall than the DD 5.1, which alone makes it more worthwhile. The surround information remains effective in both audio formats, although in THD it's easier to discern directionality, and it tends to get better as the movie goes on.
Extras:
There are no extras to speak of on the disc. You get nineteen scene selections but no chapter insert; English, French, and Spanish spoken languages and subtitles; and English captions for the hearing impaired. Period.
Parting Shots:
A reader reminded me that there was at least a glimmer of hope in the movie's first scene. After watching the opening few minutes of "One Missed Call," I, too, thought there was going to be some small chance for the film's success. I figured the movie was either going to be really intense (something like the newest "Dawn of the Dead") or an outright comedy parody (like "Hot Fuzz"). Unfortunately, those first few minutes were the only good minutes in the film.
If there had not already been about 800 Japanese horror-movie remakes in the past few years, "One Missed Call" might have scored higher on the rating meter. As it is, the movie does nothing that we haven't seen before and better. Its haunted cell phone premise is silly, its explanation for the premise is nonsensical, its characters are shallow to the point of nonexistence, and its action is bland in the extreme. One might best describe this would-be thriller as tired, and not even the high-definition processing does much to spice it up. Go watch "The Ring" again; you'll have more fun.
There's even a sleazy television producer (Ray Wise) thrown in to do a cell-phone exorcism on live TV. I kid you not. I have no idea where that idea came from or why it was in the plot because like so much of this picture, it goes nowhere and we get nothing out of it. And should I mention the inhaler? Nawww.
"One Missed Call" is not the worst horror movie I've ever seen, but it is among the more tedious. Do we ever learn much about the characters or take any interest in them? No. Do we care about what happens to them? No. Is there any part of the story that even comes close to making sense? No. Is there any part of the story that is at all suspenseful or frightening? No. Is there anything new or original about the plot line? No. Is there any reason for this movie to exist? I'm sorry; that was rude. And I'm digressing.
Video:
Warner Bros. present the picture in a 1.85:1 ratio, 1080-resolution, VC-1, Blu-ray transfer, the picture characteristics marginally sharper than its standard-definition counterpart. In a direct comparison with the SD image, the differences are not night-and-day, but they are apparent. Still, the high-def video quality is as ordinary for its kind as the standard-def is for its type, so don't expect anything spectacular. The picture remains slightly vague, soft, and fuzzy, even in HD, with the same slight murkiness in the darker sections. There also remains a good deal of visible, if normal, print grain, probably a condition one would have noticed in a movie theater as well.
Audio:
As though to make up for the disc's lack of extras, Warner Bros. offer up English soundtracks in three separate configurations: Dolby TrueHD 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, and Dolby Digital 2.0. In Dolby TrueHD 5.1, the audio acquits itself quite well. It's a touch clearer and cleaner than the regular DD 5.1 track, especially in the midrange and bass, with the same stereo spread, and maybe a little stronger dynamic impact. More important, to my ears the THD track is smoother overall than the DD 5.1, which alone makes it more worthwhile. The surround information remains effective in both audio formats, although in THD it's easier to discern directionality, and it tends to get better as the movie goes on.
Extras:
There are no extras to speak of on the disc. You get nineteen scene selections but no chapter insert; English, French, and Spanish spoken languages and subtitles; and English captions for the hearing impaired. Period.
Parting Shots:
A reader reminded me that there was at least a glimmer of hope in the movie's first scene. After watching the opening few minutes of "One Missed Call," I, too, thought there was going to be some small chance for the film's success. I figured the movie was either going to be really intense (something like the newest "Dawn of the Dead") or an outright comedy parody (like "Hot Fuzz"). Unfortunately, those first few minutes were the only good minutes in the film.
If there had not already been about 800 Japanese horror-movie remakes in the past few years, "One Missed Call" might have scored higher on the rating meter. As it is, the movie does nothing that we haven't seen before and better. Its haunted cell phone premise is silly, its explanation for the premise is nonsensical, its characters are shallow to the point of nonexistence, and its action is bland in the extreme. One might best describe this would-be thriller as tired, and not even the high-definition processing does much to spice it up. Go watch "The Ring" again; you'll have more fun.
Average user rating (1-5):
Not yet rated.
Not yet rated.
[release]23210[/release]