You know that feeling when you're scrolling through Netflix at 11 PM, desperate for something that actually keeps you awake? Usually, you end up with some half-baked rom-com or a documentary about mushrooms. But then there’s The Call with Halle Berry.
It’s been over a decade since this movie dropped in 2013, yet it keeps popping up in trending lists. Honestly, it’s kinda wild. At first glance, it looks like your standard "woman in peril" flick. You've got Halle Berry with a very specific, polarizing perm and Abigail Breslin trapped in a trunk. Simple, right?
Not exactly.
The 911 Reality Most People Miss
The movie actually started as a TV pitch called The Hive. Screenwriter Richard D’Ovidio got the idea after his wife heard an NPR segment about 911 operators. He realized we always see the cops kicking down doors, but we never see the person on the other end of the line—the one who has to stay calm while someone is literally dying in their ear.
Jordan Turner (Berry) is that person. She's a veteran operator at the LAPD’s Metropolitan Communications Dispatch Center. The movie calls it "The Hive" because of the constant, rhythmic buzzing of voices. It’s high-stakes stuff.
But Jordan makes a mistake. A big one.
In the opening scenes, she accidentally redials a girl whose house is being robbed, alerting the killer to her hiding spot. It’s gut-wrenching. Six months later, she’s traumatized and teaching trainees, until she gets a call from Casey Welson (Breslin). Casey has been snatched from a mall and is currently stuffed in the trunk of a Toyota Camry.
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This is where the movie gets smart. Instead of just "help me," Jordan coaches Casey through DIY survival tactics.
- The Taillight Trick: Jordan tells Casey to kick out the rear taillight and wave her hand through the hole.
- The Paint Job: Casey finds cans of white paint in the trunk and pours them out the hole to leave a trail on the freeway.
- The Lighter: Using a pocket knife and a flare/lighter to try and signal people.
It’s these tiny, tactile details that make the first two acts feel so incredibly grounded. You're right there in that dark, cramped trunk with her.
Why the Ending Is Still Controversial
If you ask anyone about The Call with Halle Berry, they’ll probably mention the last twenty minutes. It’s basically two different movies.
For the first hour, it’s a procedural thriller. It’s tight. It’s realistic. Then, Jordan decides to leave the call center and go full Silence of the Lambs detective. She finds the killer’s lair—a creepy farmhouse with a hidden underground "operating room"—and things go off the rails.
The villain, Michael Foster (played by Michael Eklund, who is genuinely terrifying), isn't just a kidnapper. He’s got this weird, Norman Bates-style obsession with his sister’s hair. It gets dark. Fast.
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The very end? It’s a total "guilty pleasure" moment. Instead of calling the cops when she finds the girl, Jordan and Casey take matters into their own hands. They leave the killer trapped in his own dungeon to rot. No trial. No handcuffs. Just "it's already done."
Critics hated it. They called it "brain-dead" and "illogical." But audiences? Audiences loved it. There’s something cathartic about seeing a victim and a traumatized worker refuse to be victims anymore. It’s messy and legally questionable, but man, it makes for great cinema.
Production Secrets and Surprises
Believe it or not, this was a WWE Studios production. Yeah, the wrestling company.
Usually, WWE movies are straight-to-DVD action flicks starring John Cena or The Miz. But they put real money into this one—about $13 million. They even cast David Otunga (a former WWE pro) as one of the cops.
It was originally supposed to be filmed in Canada to save money. Ottawa, to be specific. But Halle Berry really wanted to stay in L.A. Luckily, the California Film Commission called the producers at the last minute with a $1.9 million tax credit. So, the "L.A. Freeway" scenes were actually filmed on the 170 and the 103 in Long Beach.
Wait, did it actually make money?
Big time. It pulled in over $17 million in its opening weekend alone, eventually grossing nearly $70 million worldwide. For a mid-budget R-rated thriller, that’s a massive win. It basically proved that Halle Berry was still a box-office draw after a few years of quieter projects.
How to Watch it Today
If you’re looking to revisit The Call with Halle Berry, it frequently cycles through streaming platforms like Netflix and Max.
Pro-tip for your next watch:
- Pay attention to the sound design in "The Hive." They actually recorded real ambient noise from dispatch centers to get that "buzzing" feeling right.
- Watch Michael Eklund’s performance closely. He’s doing a lot of physical tics that make the character feel way more dangerous than your average movie goon.
- Don't worry about the logic of the ending. Just enjoy the ride. It’s a 94-minute adrenaline shot that doesn't overstay its welcome.
If you like this, you should probably check out The Machinist (also directed by Brad Anderson) or Cellular from 2004. They have that same "high-concept, high-stress" vibe that makes you forget to check your phone for an hour.
To get the most out of your thriller marathon, try watching The Call with Halle Berry back-to-back with Kidnap (2017). It’s basically the unofficial sequel in terms of Halle Berry’s "don’t mess with me" energy. Grab some popcorn, dim the lights, and maybe double-check that your front door is locked. Just in case.