ONE MISSED CALL Movie Review

[DevilMan]

I've read that many reviewers have called ONE MISSED CALL (aka CHAKUSHIN ARI alias YOU'VE GOT A CALL) one of TAKASHI MIIKE's most blatant commercial money making endeavors. And ya know, if that's true, I tend to agree with them. ONE MISSED CALL (for whatever reason it was made) is definitely a departure from his usual innovative off-the-wall movie fare. Although the screenplay was written by YASUSHI AKIMOTO and MINAKO DAIRA, the overall "feel" of the film is still created by MIIKE himself. And there are certainly "Takashims" in this film (my prefered term for his bizarre cinematic antics) but for the most part, the whole affair just seems to reek of being a brainchild of some cinema big shot who wanted to quickly cash in on the popularity of the current crop of Asian "Spooks & Spectres" flicks and needed a director with a "name" to draw in the crowds. And I admit, I fell right into that group of targeted viewers myself. I mean, c'mon, who wouldn't? You read that the now infamous Japanese master of provocative subject material, TAKASHI MIIKE is directing a RINGU-styled horror movie, you're instantly sold. Right? But wait, if that's not enough, let's add actress KOU SHIBASAKI (who played the sexy pyschotic goddess Mitsuko from BATTLE ROYALE) as the lead damsel in distress and you've positively got yourself one hell of a winner. Right? Yup, I thought so too. But the actual viewing of the film is a different thing altogether. Not bad mind you, just ordinary.

ONE MISSED CALL starts off as Yumi (KOU SHIBASAKI) meets with her friends at a restaurant. Her buddy Yoko (actress ANNA NAGATA, also from BATTLE ROYALE) tells her that their highschool friend has recently died via mysterious circumstances. Suddenly Yoko's cell phone rings. Yoko checks the call and discovers that it's actually her voice followed by a scream, hers too. The call is also strangely dated three days in the future. Playing it off as a prank, the two part ways for the evening and Yoko goes about her business. Of course, three days later at the exact same time as the odd call came through, Yoko falls prey to a speeding train (thrown or pushed by an invisible force). Yumi's shocked because at the point of Yoko's death, they were talking to each other on their cell phones. Yumi starts to suspect supernatural foul play because Yoko said the same words and screamed just as she had on the ominous cell phone message three days prior. Of course, more trouble starts to brew as one by one, Yumi's friends who all had the cell phone numbers listed on Yoko's directory begin to die off in untimely and questionable ways. One's burnt to death. One's knocked into an open elevator shaft. One has her head twisted off. Well, you can better bet that sooner or later all this murderous carnage must be stopped before it's too late because Yumi herself eventaully receives her one last call from the netherworld. And it all climaxes in a twist ending (with a zombie) that'll probably have you scratching your head, wondering what the hell is really happening.

So, as you can tell, ONE MISSED CALL is definitely RINGU, THE PHONE, JUON, and DARK WATER inspired. There's no doubt that there's an angry spirit running rampant who's thirsty for revenge while savagely wielding it's deadly supernatural powers against unsuspecting mortals. There's also a-plenty of patented trademark Asian spook sequences in the film too. A ghostly pale face which wasn't there before suddenly appears out of nowhere in a darkened doorway and springs towards the startled viewer. Long stringy black hair slides across the floor or up the wall as if alive hell bent to snare it's potential victim. An out of focus apparition reveals itself, slowly stepping closer and closer towards it's prey (and the POV camera) in a menacing way. All the typical spooky kinda stuff you've seen before and have come to expect from a film about such things as vengeance from the afterlife. Yet I also think that it's this same familiarity with the genre that's probably in ONE MISSED CALL's favor. Yes, you may have already seen something like this multiple times before but every new "Ghosts Run Amok" movie has something exciting to add to the whole category and this particular film has it's own share of great moments care of TAKASHI MIIKE. Final thought, simple, if you enjoy the Asian horror cinema then you'll like (not love) ONE MISSED CALL even though it's an overt retread of several similar films that have proceded it.

As for the DVD, I purchased the region 3 Hong Kong import by WIDESIGHT. I've never been a real big fan of this company's releases due to so-so picture quality and ONE MISSED CALL is no exception. It's presented in 1:85:1 anamorphic widescreen with a decent Japanese language DTS soundtrack. The English subtitles are surprisingly good and for the most part, they're grammatically correct. There's no special features available on this DVD, sadly not even a trailer. However, as I said, the overall picture is somewhat dark and a tad grainy. But considering that this is an affordable and, at the moment, the only English subtitled release, it's not a bad purchase.

Some pix to enjoy...







-Steve

[Supercool]

Thanks for reviewing this Steve! After reading a lot about it I decided I wouldn't rush out for it, but I've recently put it on my list of 'things to pick up whenever I next put an order in at yesasia'. What you say sounds imsilar to what I'm expecting, nothing new, but a few nice touches.

I do have to say I'm in dire need of some new and more innovative Asian scares. There only seems to be the odd non-little-girl-with-long-black-hair horror getting reviewed on various sites, and I'm sure there must still be some good stuff out there.

[DevilMan]

Originally posted by Supercool@Oct 24 2004, 10:52 PM
I do have to say I'm in dire need of some new and more innovative Asian scares.

If you're after some more mainstream Asian horror, I can highly recommend a newer Chinese murder mystery flick called KOMA. And it stars Angelica Lee, the sweetheart from THE EYE.



I can also recommend a Chinese film called SHIVER. I even have a review of it here at Horror Express. Read it >HERE<.



Also, if you're into serial killer type movies, check out two really good Korean films titled SAY YES and TELL ME SOMETHING. I can't really suggest the third serial killer movie called MEMORIES OF MURDER because I thought it got entirely too much hype and never paid off, in my opinion.

Two other pretty decent Chinese horror flicks (with supernatural overtones) include INNER SENSES and DOUBLE VISION.

-Steve

[Scott W. Davis]

Great review, Steve. But why isn't it on the main page? Message to all writers: it's getting pretty lonely up there. :D

[DevilMan]

It wasn't really a long, indepth review so I didn't bother putting it up in the "REVIEWS" section. I can always fatten it up later with some more words and go from there.

-Steve

[JohnShaft]

Originally posted by DevilMan@Oct 26 2004, 12:08 AM
It wasn't really a long, indepth review so I didn't bother putting it up in the "REVIEWS" section. I can always fatten it up later with some more words and go from there.

Ah! It looks perfect Steve!
Some nice images there too. Although that second one does sort of freak me out. That girl needs to shave.

We badly need your reviews of the latest and greatest in Asian Cinema bombarding the main page!

I'm going to try and catchup on all the Asian stuff I've been meaning to see soon.

[DevilMan]

Originally posted by JohnShaft+Oct 26 2004, 06:22 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (JohnShaft @ Oct 26 2004, 06:22 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>We badly need your reviews of the latest and greatest in Asian Cinema bombarding the main page![/b]

I've just been so lazy over the past six months. I've got several I've started but never finished or polished them up.

<!--QuoteBegin-JohnShaft@Oct 26 2004, 06:22 AM
I'm going to try and catchup on all the Asian stuff I've been meaning to see soon.[/quote]
What's on the list?

-Steve

[JohnShaft]

Originally posted by DevilMan+Oct 30 2004, 02:05 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (DevilMan @ Oct 30 2004, 02:05 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>

I've just been so lazy over the past six months. I've got several I've started but never finished or polished them up.[/b]

I know how you feel Steve. Heck, if Lazy was a country I'd be the President. I'd be too lazy to rig the vote though.

Besides your ONE MISSED CALL Review is like 900 words. Which squeaks under the bar for me.

<!--QuoteBegin-DevilMan
What's on the list?[/quote]
Jeez, what isn't? (Both what I have and mostly what I don't but should).
I've been meaning to catch up on the Juon movies after seeing the original TV Juon.
Bangkok Haunted. I don't expect it to be anything special as I've heard almost no praise for it, but I enjoyed the Pang Brothers THE EYE and BANGKOK DANGEROUS so...
Heck and every other film you've mentioned to me. Rasen, Uzumaki, Shiver, etc, etc. Almost every time I read one of your reviews I'm left thinking "Hmmm. I wouldn't mind watching that."

I just need to make time to see them. It's certainly not that I'm not that interested in them. Like you I see more freshness in Asian Horror than I do outside of it.

[DevilMan]

Originally posted by JohnShaft@Oct 31 2004, 05:05 AM
I just need to make time to see them. It's certainly not that I'm not that interested in them. Like you I see more freshness in Asian Horror than I do outside of it.

Yeah, I totally agree that it's best to wait until you're in the mood for the movie in question. No need to rush into it and not enjoy the film, ya know. Better to have it and watch it later than not to have it at all I guess.

I'm terrible at it myself. I've still got about ten or so Asian DVD's that I've bought over the past year that I still haven't watched yet.

Some include...

HIRUKO THE GOBLIN
EKO EKO AZARAK 1
RESURRECTION OF LITTLE MATCH GIRL
2009 LOST MEMORIES
GOJOE
NINE GIRLS AND A GHOST
TOKYO 10+1 (ELEVEN)
UNLUCKY MONKEY
ZERO WOMAN 1-3
LEGEND OF THE SACRED STONE

Damn, after typing them out, I better get on with it and watch some right soon. I bet there's some real gems in there too.

-Steve

[Raven]

man half of these ive never heard off, geez ive been slacking, lol id better get catching up

[Supercool]

I got it in the post yesterday and watched it that afternoon. Have to say, I found it to be very bland. It was by the numbers and definately had that "I've seen this somewhere before" feel. Still, it was well filmed, and had it's moments. Plus, the TV part was well played (it's all too easy to criticise the media, so I'm normally pretty wairy of such attempts, but this was done well enough). I can't say I agree (as many people say it does pick up half way through) that it picked up in anyway towards the end though. It's watchable (and I'll be giving it another go soon), and at such a low price (I got mine through cd-wow) it's not a waste. Worth adding to an order if you've got the money to spare and want to see something familiar, as opposed to something exciting and innovative.

I think that maybe the stand out point for me came pretty early on in the movie. I was actually quite liking it in the very early stages, and thought maybe it would be a pleasant suprise. But yeah, the standout for me might have been the story at the dinner table, very well done.

[Astroantiquity]

Why didn't you like Memories of Murder? I kind of liked how it ended, it actually reminded me of massimo dallamano's what have they done to your daughters?

[Supercool]

Originally posted by DevilMan@Oct 31 2004, 05:25 PM
TOKYO 10+1 (ELEVEN)

Uzumaki is one of my fav's so I acquired Higuchinsky's other movies, Tokyo 11 is very disposable, but you have to give Long Dream a go! Fantastic little movie, like a slightly extented episode of the twighlight zone, cheap effects and all. Loved it.

Plot Outline: Strange things lurk in dreams. For Mukoda Tetsurou and the doctors tending to him, things have begun to get stranger as Mukoda begins having longer and longer dreams every night. Can one dream infinity in the span of a night?

:D

[DevilMan]

Originally posted by Astroantiquity@Dec 18 2004, 06:57 PM
Why didn't you like Memories of Murder? I kind of liked how it ended, it actually reminded me of massimo dallamano's what have they done to your daughters?

I'm not familiar with that film but I just thought MEMORIES OF MURDER was simply overrated. I mean, it was a nice well made flick but certainly didn't deserve the enormous amount of praise it received all across the internet. And all that hype was probably what had me expecting something REALLY special from it, I guess. And that same hype was what made me buy it to begin with.

Again, I thought it was a decent movie (but without a good finishing payoff) and I'll certainly keep it in my DVD collection for as long as I buy Asian films but compared to other Korean serial killer flicks such as SAY YES and TELL ME SOMETHING, it doesn't rank as high on my list as they do. Of course, this is just my opinion from a one time viewing of the film. Maybe a re-watch will be more enjoyable.

-Steve

[DevilMan]

Originally posted by Supercool@Dec 19 2004, 12:59 AM
...but you have to give Long Dream a go! Fantastic little movie, like a slightly extented episode of the twighlight zone, cheap effects and all. Loved it.

I had LONG DREAM on bootleg DVD sometime back but I never watched it. I popped it in once and saw that it was filmed with a video camera and sold it right off on EBAY without ever seeing the whole movie. I think I regret this decision now and have never gone back to pick up another copy.

TOKYO 11 is still sitting on my shelf in the "Must Watch Soon" pile.

-Steve