When a Stranger Calls Back

As ineffective as its erratic predecessor, When a Stranger Calls Back opens with yet another babysitter (Jill Schoelen’s Julia) being terrorized by an unseen (and progressively malevolent) force – with the film, beyond that point, following When a Stranger Calls veterans Jill (Carol Kane) and John (Charles Durning) as they attempt to solve the mystery behind Julia’s attack. It’s a striking (if slightly overlong) first act that benefits substantially from filmmaker Fred Walton’s stylish visuals and star Schoelen’s sympathetic turn as the beleaguered protagonist, with the suspenseful atmosphere culminating in a genuinely shocking finish that rivals the first film’s opening in terms of pure thrills. Alas, like the original movie, When a Stranger Calls Back falls apart almost immediately following the conclusion of its initial stretch – with the remainder of the narrative, which progresses at an almost unreasonably deliberate pace, detailing the tedious investigation that ensues five years later. There’s virtually nothing of interest contained within the film’s final hour, and it’s clear, too, that the lackluster atmosphere is amplified by a thoroughly tedious third act – with the end result a sequel that’s ultimately right in line with its forebear.

*1/2 out of ****