One Missed Call (2008) Review

One Missed Call - a 2008 remake.  This movie is along the lines of The Ring, The Grudge, Dark Water, etc.  I think out of these I've mentioned -  One Missed Call is the best one. One Missed Call is a Japanese ghost story that was adapted for American screens. This film satisfied our desire to watch a horror flick tonight with jerky apparitions, ghostly children, desperate messages from beyond the grave and possessed electronic devices (strange as it sounds). 

It's lead character is fairly strong and is portrayed by Shannon Sossamon (A Night's Tale).  Sossamon (Beth), is a developmental psychology student who has plenty of cause for concern after her friend Leann (Azura Skye) receives a panicked cell phone message from herself days in the future. Very spooky!  After Leann falls in front of a train at the same date and time on the message, Beth suspects that she may be next. Beth's fear seems even more justified after her friend Taylor (Ana Claudia Talancon) befalls a similar fate as her phone message is being "sadly" investigated by a reality TV host (Ray Wise) who specializes in unexplained phenomena. With the help of police chief Jack Andrews (Ed Byrnes), Beth discovers a link between the calls and a deceased mother and daughter.

One Missed Call establishes a mood of creepiness before the opening credits and sustains it right through to the conclusion. Instead of major blood and gore, we're given subtle glimpses of ghostly figures or slightly distorted faces that are effective in creating unease. Sossamon makes a pleasing heroine. This film is a good candidate for teens and older--and spooky enough to give us horror fan goose bumps.

For the record:  I screamed out loud at least twice.

I would have given this movie 5 stars if it were more believable (like The Strangers).