One Missed Call (PG-13, 2008)

common sense media says

Violent, sloppy Japanese horror remake.


parents & educators say

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that this Japanese horror remake features frequent tense scenes and some grisly deaths, with mutilated bodies and screaming victims. The movie's thematic focus on child abuse is vague and incoherent, but it might still provoke questions from attentive younger viewers. Violence includes choking, burning, stabbing, a rod going through a chest, and a girl getting hit by a train. Several girls show cleavage, and there's a very brief shot of a college girl in her bra. Language includes "s--t" and "damn," and there's some drinking and smoking.

Positive messages: A mean spirit traumatizes and kills assorted screaming victims. A heroic girl tries to save herself and friends, to little avail.
Violence: Repeated slasher-style assaults, with victims grabbed, dragged, and mutilated. Several jump scenes. Very first scene shows a child slammed into a window as the building behind her burns. Scary images include cracked faces, yucky bugs, and a rat in a sink. Grisly deaths include drowning, being hit by a train, being punctured by a construction rod, choking, burning, asphyxiation of a young asthma victim. Discussions of child abuse and trauma. Flashbacks show a mother approaching her daughter with a cigarette to burn her. Body in morgue is days old, discolored, in a body bag. A young girl cuts her sister with a knife, upsetting their mother.
Sex: Several outfits show cleavage and toned midriffs. During a college party, two students are shown briefly engaged in foreplay (she's down to her bra).
Language: Several uses each of the following: "s--t" (a couple with "bull"), "hell," and "damn."
Consumerism: Brief shots of the following: Motorola cell phone, Dell and Apple computers, Pizza Hut.
Drinking, drugs, & smoking: Brief cigarette smoking (and use of cigarettes to burn a child's arm). College party shows students drinking (beer and liquor).

More on One Missed Call

What to talk about

Talk to your kids
Families can talk about the many U.S. remakes of Japanese (and other Asian) horror movies. How do these moody, strange films translate for American audiences? Why do you think their focus on spirits and hauntings is so popular? How do you think the remakes are similar to and different from the originals? And why do you think many of them revolve around media (videos, cell phones, etc.)?

What's the story?

What's the story?
In this remake of a Japanese horror film, psychology major Beth (Shannyn Sossamon) is puzzled when her friends start turning up dead. Beth not only studies child abuse but is also a survivor, which helps her understand the motives of the killer – an evil entity. Beth tries to decipher the murder mystery and eventually gets some help from detective named Jack (Ed Burns). When Jack's sister is killed, her cell phone sends out a message -- a call from the receiver's future self, screaming in terror at the moment of his or her death -- to someone Beth knows. Meanwhile, a smarmy TV producer (Ray Wise) solicits one victim-to-be for his show, American Miracles. But once a girl suffers a very nasty death on set, the show's resident exorcist reveals that he's not "real" at all. As Beth's friends grow frustrated, get phone messages, and die, she pursues answers. Jack helps when he can, but Beth must figure out the original trauma and so put the ghost to rest.

Is it any good?

Is it any good?
 
ONE MISSED CALL suffers from predictable characters, over-used conventions of the horror genre, and a plot that never really makes sense. For example, Beth goes through the usual scary movie motions: exploring dark hallways, conducting Internet research, and finally, coming to terms with her emotional baggage. Also, it's a shame that the reality show sequence is cut short, because the satire shows promise (and Wise is always fun to watch).

Movie themes & details

Movie Details
Studio: Warner Bros.
Director: Eric Valette
Cast: Edward Burns, Ray Wise, Shannyn Sossamon
Genre: Horror
Run time: 87 minutes
Theatrical release: January 4, 2008
DVD release: April 21, 2008
MPAA Rating: PG-13
MPAA explanation: intense sequences of violence and terror, frightening images, some sexual material and thematic elements.

This review was written by Cynthia Fuchs
 
 

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What parents & educators say

Most useful reviews by all members

greendaygirl21
teen, 15 years old
 
the movie was a little scary and i do not think it would be appropriate for children because there are some scary images and dead bodys moving and demons specificly shown

EmilyB123
teen, 15 years old
 
It was Ok
This was an okay movie, but it was not as scary as I was hoping it would be. It's a good scary movie for older tweens +

reviewerformovies
teen, 17 years old
 
the box
The scariest part of this movie is the cover of the box. Not a scary film

ironkid21
kid, 13 years old
 
This was an okay movie. It was the worst remake for a japanese horror film I've seen in my life. It was really jumpy but not scary. Some of the deaths can be (a little) frightening. There was one scene were two college students are seen making out for 3 seconds. I have not seen the original but I'm sure it's better. Probably for 10+

96grlpowrCE
teen, 16 years old
 
Do yourself a favour and see Chakushin Ari first!!
I saw a Japanese movie called Chakushin Ari when I was about eleven, a few months (as I recall) before this came out. Chakushin Ari is a j-horror about a cell phone curse-- you get a creepy and ominous call from yourself, foretelling your death, and it's not even your ringtone but a melody of death that plays. The killer is a little girl named Mimiko Mizunuma, a vengeful ghost (who suffers from asthma and her wheezing sounds are periodically heard behind the characters). One Missed Call has the same plot (it's a remake of Chakushin Ari), but there are some big differences that make it an epic fail. First of all, the character Mimiko was omitted from the plot and we have a different antagonist named Ellie Layton. They did a good job developing Mimiko's character and making her have that creepy vibe. Ellie, on the other hand, is not ghostly looking at all and is in fact probably the least scariest American horror movie villain I've ever seen. She's just a little girl in a black hoodie. I mean, seriously! The scariest part of the movie was the promotional poster (the lady on it terrified me greatly, actually... she's not a real character but just a ghost who appears in the beginning very briefly)! And in general, all the Chakushin Ari scenes are done a lot better. Anyhow, you should totally give Chakushin Ari a chance. It's a lot scarier.

lozzie98
kid, 13 years old
 
scary - but for horror fans watch the japan version
ok i saw this at my friends house not that scary but its a ok-good movie the japanese version is so scary it scared the sugar out of me!!!

super movie ...
teen, 15 years old
 
wow! it unbelivable!
This movie well.... I havent seen it. But i have seen one very short scene and the traile on youtube and even that gave me nightmares!!!! The ringtone scared me half to death. I can tell its a great movie but only for hard core horror fans!

peanutbuttergurl6
teen, 17 years old
 
why america, why!!
are you kidding me? the remake is okay but the original version is way creepier (for all those horor fans) the plot line is insanely twisted; to hear your own death ona phone that sonn comes true. One missed call 2 in japan is alright too. let's hope america doesn't turn it into mess

BellaCullen1120
teen, 15 years old
 
Awesome movie
i luv this movie it's sooooo great i mean it's not very scary at all but just enough and it's perfect to watch with friends my mom is even watching it right now

Floridahi12
teen, 17 years old
 
BORING!
This movie was SO predictable and not scary at all! You knew exactly what was gonna happen the whole movie. Definitely a waste of your time.

528Moviechick
teen, 14 years old
 
NOT SCARY IN ANY WAY!!
I absolutly loved this movie, it had a good plot around it. It had very good acting, some bad graphics. I loved it 13 and up could see this. Not scary!!!

minaj
teen, 17 years old
 

missactress911
teen, 15 years old
 
Good, but not as scary as expected
Just got done watching this movie, and it for sure was NOT what I was expecting. it was actually not that scary, and it's only the second scary/creepy movie I've ever seen, and the first horror movie. I mean, yeah there were parts where it was pretty gross, but it wasn't that scary. it had a pretty wicked plot, though, and it was really gory in some parts. *****SPOILERS***** Gore: Lots of dead and burnt bodies. A bloodied hand comes out of a pond and grabs a girl and her cat. A girl is hit by a train. A man is stabbed through the chest with a metal pole. An extremely disturbing, burnt corpse crawls onto the main character (but turns out to have good intentions)

TheGreatLakesMan
kid, 13 years old
 
No kid or teen should even dare to watch this.
This is a HORRIBLE remake of the original Japanese remake. It's even more violent than Grand Theft Auto.

dennan m
kid, 12 years old
 
scary
scary as hell...first time i saw it now its ok

BieberFreakinFever
teen, 14 years old
 
HORRIFYING! :O
I just saw this movie today and even though im 14 i found it absoulutly terrifying. There's lots of disturbing images, scary jump out of your seat moments, and constint thrill and terror with some brief language. I'm into horror movies so i loved watchingit. I found it very thrilling and entertaining, but for people who arn't into horror, don't bother. You will have nightmares and be afraid to answer your phone for the rest of your life!

Stevie101
teen, 14 years old
 
My Opinion
I think this movie can be bad in someways as in the beginning it shows kids partying. but if you are going to watch this movie you already know you are watching a HORROR film and that violence is supposed to be tolerated and that movie makers nowadays try to think of the best ways or the ugliest ways for people to die. I thought that the girl in the movie tries to save her friends and herself and everyone else which is the best think in the movie.

timmycuddlebea ...
kid, 12 years old
 
OMG!!!!!!!!!!!

Doodelium
kid, 13 years old
 
I don't know why I loved this movie so much
The movie is one of the best pg-13 horror movies that I have ever seen. One maser call did a good job of keeping the thing that made the original so good. It was scary a d the acting didn't seem that bad to me. To me it is up there with shutter and the uninvited for Asian horror remakes. If you are into asan horror remakes and/or Asian horror you will love this movie!

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