While those 3 movies had unique plots, twists, and turns, everything else that's come out in the 00s is either a retread or copies of those films or poor remakes of 70s/80s horror movies. But THIS remake is a keeper! Ingenue Camilla Belle is very engaging and underrated in this movie, being the sole main character and having the difficult task of keeping the viewer involved in the plot. Belle plays Jill Johnson, a very refreshing character, a teenager that's actually responsible and mature, but not in an annoying, self-conscious way that makes you want to punch the TV screen! While Jill is still more mature than the average teen, she's not an outcast. She's an athlete on the track and field team and has a close circle of friends, one of which kissed Jill's boyfriend. An upset Jill overused her cell phone minutes, so her Dad punishes her by forcing her to babysit for an affluent couple in town, thus the main plot of the film. These early minor details of the goings-on in Jill's life are key to the plot and give her character some personality, which helps the viewer relate to her.
Of course, Camilla is such a beauty and with her character portrayal, I easily forgot that part of her at times. The stalker is portrayed by a very scary actor. It's the mystery of when will she actually see him that adds to the growing fear as she discovers more and more things that he has done. Those calls to her are scary enough. Camilla has a very strong performance in this one while coming just after "The Quiet" in which she gives another one. She continues to show her strength as an actress in 10, 000 BC and Push - 2 more of my favorite films she did after this one. Reviewed in the United States on March 26, 2017 Verified Purchase I watched this movie at 4:40 in the morning one time when i had the flu, i had woken up in the middle of the night and put it in and got through the whole movie. Okay i liked it thr storyline keep me interested but i've watched movies like this that were better. Not a bad movie. Reviewed in the United States on November 25, 2014 Verified Purchase Really good thriller without all the gore and sex.
0 out of 5 stars Ring, Ring! Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 5, 2009 Verified Purchase A remake of a film and of course, a good old urban legend that everyone knows and tells of at Halloween and around Campfires - the Babysitter and the Murderous Caller. Jill, a sensible and plain (but rather pretty) high school student finds herself in trouble with her parents when she spends too much time talking on the phone to her boyfriend who she has found out cheated on her with one of her best friends. Intent on making her pay off the debt of her over-used minutes, her father forces her to babysit for a wealthy family who live by a lake in the middle of nowhere. In the large ultra modern pad, Jill tries to make herself at home despite the isolation, but a number of strange and startling phonecalls soon set her mind to panic mode. Jill begins to suspect she's being watched, but her mystery caller may be even closer than she thinks. Great movie, and the "stranger" is quite an intimidating figure on his own.
The director Simon West does a good job of establishing the minor characters (most of whom only have one scene), like Jill's Dad, her friends, and the parents of the children she is babysitting. The opening scene of the stranger terrorizing his previous targets in a distant town is creepy and effective, giving us a preview of what Jill will be up against. The well-executed, slow-building tension (punctuated by a creepy score and lots of tracking/angular shots of that secluded art-deco house) is a rarity for an 00s "teen slasher film", giving it the feel of an old-fashioned horror movie. Plus, the movie feels just about the right length and the ending sticks with the viewer even after the film is over. Not the typical, generic teen horror movie fare at all! Worth the watch! Reviewed in the United States on June 26, 2015 Verified Purchase Camilla portrays a babysitter that plays this part so well. I love seeing this film every so often to watch her subtle emotional expressions as the storyline develops.
I was looking for something to show to a group of teenagers that would keep them on the edge of their seat but not pollute their minds with moral filth. While this movie is every bit of PG13 and my be too intense for some, most of its scariness is the "pop out from behind the door" kind of stuff and not it doesn't show over-the-top violence (although some is implied). No sex scenes and mild language. It is actually more tame and more engaging than the original I saw when I was a teenager back in the late 70's. Top reviews from other countries 2. 0 out of 5 stars What a terrible movie. Don't waste your money to but it Reviewed in the United Kingdom on October 19, 2017 Verified Purchase What a terrible. It's not even scary I laughed the whole way through it. I don't know why I wasted my money to buy it. What a letdown! Camilla bell can't even act I'm not a big fan of her. Either and she was terrible in this movie so was brian gegharty. But I suppose Katie's cassidy was good in it but that's it 4.