Continuing our healthy fascination with HalloweeN star Danielle Harris is a review of another one of her recent films, Fatal Call from 2012. As we know, Danielle is beloved for her roles in such horror hits as Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers and Rob Zombie’s Halloween. But this time, Danielle gets to star in a movie from a different genre. Fatal Call is not a horror film, but a thriller.

Because it was done on a small budget, Fatal Call relies on its characters rather than on visual effects to move the action along. It was a smart move by director/writer Jack Snyder (not to be confused with director/writer Zack Snyder) to center the narrative around the personal plight of one Mitch Harwell (played by Jason London).

Like most people, Mitch has a dark secret from his past. He’s moved to a new town seeking a fresh start. He has a decent job and he’s met Danielle Harris at a bar. Mitch and Danielle hit it off and she gives him her phone number. Mitch calls her one day and they begin a relationship.

Things go relatively well for the new couple until a guy wearing all black, boots and a hat shows up.  This Revenge of Michael Myers Man in Black lookalike is out to eliminate Mitch for some reason. Fatal Call makes generous use of flashbacks to explain the assassin’s motives.

Kevin Sorbo also stars in this movie. If Hercules pops into your head when you hear of or see Kevin Sorbo, don’t worry. Sorbo does a good job here (and his character is kept to a minimum throughout the movie).

Fatal Call has very stylish cinematography; this movie doesn’t look shoddy. However, since the narrative relies on flashbacks, things could have been presented better. Often, the story’s past and present don’t differ much visually, so the timeline can become a bit unclear.

Danielle Harris, as in Blood Night: The Legend of Mary Hatchet, gets to play a different kind of character than what she’s known for. Unlike in Blood Night, however, Danielle plays someone her age in a more mature and realistic situation in Fatal Call.

Fatal Call is entertaining enough to justify watching it. It’s a simple thriller with no high speed chases, fancy locations, explosions or helicopters. The story will likely hold your attention because it is concise and to the point. Aside from a lame character or two (a Pakistani detective comes to mind), there are few major distractions. Even if the story’s twists are familiar, Fatal Call won’t insult your intelligence with a barrage of ludicrous dialogue and embarrassing visuals.

Related
The Resident (2011) review
Alone In The Dark (1982) starring Donald Pleasence
Tourist Trap (1979) from the Producer of HalloweeN 1978
Antichrist (2009) review
Dear Mr. Gacy (2010) starring William Forsythe