Arka Mukhopadhyay
Brad Anderson of ‘The Machinist’ fame directed the 2013 abduction thriller movie ‘The Call.’ The story follows Jordan (Halle Berry), an emergency call operator at the Hive. Following a call that would have tragic repercussions, Jordan becomes unsure of herself. However, when another such call appears on her radar, she must take note and race against the time to catch a heinous killer. A possible serial killer is roaming amok, and he does not mess around. Freeze shots build tension, while the movie showcases a grim and gritty Los Angeles rarely seen on screen. The ending brings satisfaction, while the director thinks that some things are better left for speculation. If you seek to uncover the story’s conclusion in greater detail, let us be of assistance. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Call Plot Synopsis
The day is hectic at the Hive as operators handle distress calls. Jordan Turner is a veteran operator who takes the call of Leah Templeton. Somebody has broken into Leah’s house at Hancock Park when her parents are away. The burglar breaks in through the window, and Leah goes to hide in her bedroom upstairs, whose door, however, does not lock. Jordan asks Leah to go out of the window and hide on the window sill. The burglar momentarily leaves, but an impatient return call from Jordan causes him to return, giving Leah away.
The following morning, the police keep looking for Leah, while Jordan cannot forgive herself for the mistake. They find Leah’s body buried in a field in Lancaster. In a separate incident, Casey Nelson (Abigail Breslin) is out on a trip to the downtown mall Shopping Plaza with her friend. However, the friend has to pick her brother up from school, and she leaves early. Casey heads to the basement parking to bring the car out while a car suddenly reverses, causing her phone to break. The next thing we know, the driver guy comes out of the car and throws Casey in the trunk.
Casey calls 911, but the phone is an early disposable model, which the authority cannot trace. While giving the apprentices a lecture, Jordan overhears her colleague on the distress call. Jordan takes over the conversation, asking Casey to crack open a tail light. As Casey follows the instructions and waves her hand, a passer-by gives away the location. They head north through Highway 170, taking a turn towards Fernando Boulevard. While Jordan remains on the call, his romantic partner Officer Paul Phillips rushes to save the girl. Meanwhile, they realize that Casey’s abductor was also involved in Leah’s death.
The Call Ending: Who Is the Serial Killer?
To give you a quick recap of what unfolds in the middle, Jordan firstly asks Casey to use the white paint in the trunk to create a trail on the road. The eyes on the sky cannot find the track, while a good Samaritan warns the killer about the “leaking” paint. The killer takes a quick right turn and stops in a parking lot. The Samaritan guy comes around (whom the database later identifies as Alan Denado) and asks the killer if something is wrong. The killer assures him of the mess in the trunk while the guy, still suspicious, calls 911.
However, the killer takes him and his car, abandoning the red Camry, which belongs to an older adult in the first place. Then, Alan comes back to his senses and starts screaming, which leads the predator to come out and stab him several times while Jordan is on the phone. Afterward, he stops on the road to fill up the tank. Casey comes out of the trunk through an opening at the front, asking for help from the gas station attendant. However, the killer throws oil on the attendant and burns him alive.
After killing these two people, he takes Casey to an undisclosed location. While disconnecting the call, he says, “It’s already over,” reminding Jordan of Leah’s death. On the other hand, Paul gets the coffee cup from the Camry and finds a fingerprint ID on the killer. The killer, Michael Lewis Foster, was booked for arson back in 1995, when he presumably burned his own house, at 1765 Oakcreek Lane, in the Santa Clarita Hills. However, the barn next to it still exists, where the killer may have taken his victim.
How Does Jordan Find the Killer’s House? Who Is the Girl in The Photos in Michael’s House?
The police set up roadblocks around the perimeter. However, after hearing the message “It’s already over,” Jordan cannot leave the Hive. The memory of Leah’s call comes back to her, while her boss assures her that she has followed all the protocol. Some things are seemingly not in control. However, Jordan amplifies the recording of the conversation moments ago, and she can hear a faint clicking sound somewhere nearby. With the information, she sets the GPS for Oakcreek Lane residence of Michael, with the conviction to rescue Casey from the killer’s clutches. In a separate incident, Paul finds the black Lincoln lying on the side of the road.
However, he does not know that Jordan is at the killer’s den. She heads to the red-bricked house, which seems empty. However, Jordan finds several photos of a girl who looks exactly like the PR (person reporting), Casey. Well, for the time being, the pictures do not help, but the US flag in the courtyard may reveal a clue. Jordan finds a metal disc attached to the flag is making the sound and finds a passage underneath. We learn the killer’s mode of operation as Jordan peeps through a crack in the wardrobe. The killer cuts the hair and follicle from the victims’ brains, probably because his sister, the girl from the picture, suffered from a malignant condition (possibly cancer), which caused hair loss. She may even be dead, for all we know. It can be that the sister’s death causes the incestuous brother to turn psychotic.
Does Michael Die?
When Michael goes on to perform the surgery on Casey, Jordan comes out from hiding with a cracking blow on Michael’s head. Michael goes on to submerge Jordan in the nearby bathtub, but Casey stabs him with a medical scissor. Thanks to the distraction, Jordan runs for her life, and Michael runs after her. All three come out of the underground dungeon, and before the killer can hurt Jordan, Casey puts the scissor through his back.
The final sequence shows Jordan tying Michael to a chair while Michael taunts her that she does not have the guts to do horrific things since she is the operator. However, Jordan and Casey walkout after tying Michael, while Casey uses Michael’s punchline on him, leading to poetic justice. As they close the door, we do not think Michael will survive the confinement for too long without food and water. If Jordan discloses her adventure to Paul, Michael may end up in prison, which, we think, is less likely.
Read More: Where Was The Call Filmed?
