One thing you can be sure about in horror is that if someone makes a promise, they’re going to keep it no matter what. Thus is the conundrum with “The Night Caller.” Originally I thought this would be yet another iteration on the famous urban legend about the babysitter, but alas it ended up being something completely different. And so much more uncomfortable in its premise. Though “The Night Caller” doesn’t have any ghouls of vampires or amazing special effects, it has a shocking ending that will leave audiences uneasy for a good period of time.
During a quiet family dinner at home, dad appears to join in on the fun and have some cake with his overly eager daughter and wife. In the middle of the dinner, he’s called away to work to fix some downed power lines and promises to read her a story when he gets home. As the night progresses the wife finds that the phone simply will not stop ringing and the person on the other end of the phone is not intent on relenting in their repeated calls. “The Night Caller” is a film that is slow in its delivery but definitely leads somewhere once audiences catch on to the surprise hook in the finale.
Though limited to one location, “The Night Caller” expresses its story and killer finale wonderfully leaving a mark on its viewer more than it realizes. Filled with ace performances and searing tension, “The Night Caller” is a short worth watching for fans looking for a quick scare. The genius of “The Night Caller” is not what’s there, but what’s coming up, and the finale will definitely leave audiences spooked for nights to come. Like every other horror tale out there, often times a promise is a promise, no matter what.