One Missed Call (2003)

   
Directed by: Takashi Miike

Written by: Minako Daira
Yasushi Akimoto (Novel)

Starring:


Kou Shibasaki .... Yumi Nakamura
Shin'ichi Tsutsumi .... Hiroshi Yamashita
Kazue Fukiishi .... Natsumi Konishi

Release Dates: Tokyo International Film Festival: November 3, 2003; Sitges Film Festival: December 5, 2003; Melbourne International Film Festival: July 26, 2004; Hamburg Fantasy Filmfest: August 13, 2004; Helsinki International Film Festival: September 18, 2004; Limited Theatrical: December 10, 2004 (Mexico);

*Images courtesy at: www.outnow.ch

Rating:

 

People are mysteriously receiving messages on their cell phone voice mail from their future selves in the form of the sound of them reacting to their own violent deaths, along with the exact date and time of their future death, listed on the message log.
Someone named Yumi (Kou Shibasaki) receives a call from her friend named Yoko (Anna Nagata) as she falls off an overpass by a mysterious force then killed by a train.
Also, Yumi experiences her other friend Kenji (Atsushi Ida) mysteriously being killed as well.
She talks to her friend Natsumi (Kazue Fukiishi) about what is happening and suddenly Natsumi gets a picture message of what is going to happen to her so everyone in their will tries to help her by being on a show to find out what is going to happen but it may be too late for her.

 

There's nice shots on a woman walking by an overpass at night and then we see some metal objects from the overpass snapping. Plus a good and spooky camera shot zoomin in on her and she reacts well when she turns around to scream.
We have a nice and creepy discussion between Yumi Nakamura and Hiroshi Yamashita when they discuss the strange calls and look at the pic of their cell to see a future murder that well happen to one of them with great freaked out expressions.
There's a nice shot on Yumi when her cell rings and she looks scared and then screams uncontrollably after seeing what number it is.
We see nice conversation sequences with Yumi and Hiroshi as they both seem to work off well with one another to discover the missing calls that everyone is getting killed from.
There is a good shot of Natsumi Konishi being up close from the camera when she is doing a broadcast and behind there's a woman peeking by a corner about to be doing her evil deeds.
There's also a real disturbing flashback scene's which makes it almost hard to watch as well as making you cry.
A nice and spooky shot on somebody in a cupboard slithering away.
We have great shots on Yumi wandering the hallways trying to explore an abandoned mortuary which has a cold and silent feeling to the picture.
In the hallway of the mortuary there's a great shot on Yumi walking and then someone walking upside down running towards her.
We also spot a great shot on a cell phone ringing on some sort of a tabletop and Yumi peeking her head up looking paranoid after she discovers on what it says on her display about her going to die in less than a minute.
There's a good jumping moment when she approaches a ghoulish corpse and her hands aim at her.
A nice shot onthis ghoulish corpse slowly walking towards Yumi with her arms coming towards her about to strangle her.
There is a nice and touching moment between the two of them later on which gives the setting a change of thought.
Bottom line is that this is a story which is almost similar to Ju-On but in much better style. I have enjoyed Japanese movies if they have good taste and this one does really well. The overdubbed english doesn't sound phony or off key which I will give great credit for. It is quite creepy and disturbing with flashback sequences and sometimes you're a little confused with the plot but the story keeps going strong with all the frights.

It's a little difficult to tell how the acting is as it's english overdubbed by Japanese language but everyone seems to pull their weight and energy quite well in this piece.
K
ou Shibasaki (Yumi Nakamura) seems to do well as the surivor of the film trying to find out how to save anyone else from being killed with the missed call. She puts alot of energy into her role. She shows off great wide eyed expressions when she spots someone's body starting to snap. Does well by falling back after what he discovers in a cupboard. She really knew how to trip out after she discovers on what her cell phone says.
S
hin'ichi Tsutsum (Hiroshi Yamashita) also looked good in his performance trying to help out and acting adventureous.
Kazue Fukiishi
(Natsumi Konishi) was also building herself well with her character by being scared by what's going on.
She was performing wonderfully during an onset at a studio being broadcasted with the surroundings of her. She reacts well when she is tortured to death when her body parts slowly starts to snap.

There is a corpse of a woman in a mortuary lying on a mattress with her breats fully revealed.

There is a chopped off arm lying near a railroad track holding a cell phone.