Dangerous Calling (2008) User Reviews

Oh me, oh my There is not a single redeemable character in this movie.

[LovinMoviesMakinGames · 3/10 · 11 April 2014]

Oh me, oh my… This movie is a mixed bag of some great indie work, ruined by some ridiculous fight sequences, and just pathetic protagonists. It goes from predictable, formulaic, to just ridiculous. We laughed through the last 20 minutes.

Spoiler alert. There is not a single redeemable character in this movie.

Yes Pastor Oblivious, someone is trying to kill your wife. Yes, the Norman Bates looking guy isn't just following her to give her a message. How would that make any sense? Doesn't he have a voice? "Excuse me kind lady, I will follow you silently into the women's room to show my strong Christian values". No, loving husband, you don't leave a wife who almost died to go on some retreat. Doing so makes you an a-hole. Nora, the pastor's wife, the only morally respectable character with a spine, melts into jelly as soon as things heat up. In a life and death situation, you don't just sit there, but take risks... or at least pretend to have a pulse. If you want to watch a movie, where the protagonist sits on her hands while grandma pushes her around or b-slaps a guy twice her size, then this is your movie. If you want anything remotely sensible, this is not. Absolutely ridiculous plot.

A bold and honest film wrapped up in a sticky web of horror and suspense

[OneWayFilms2000 · 31 October 2009]

Another round of applause to Cloud Ten Pictures for adopting the newest feature from independent filmmakers, Josh & Jeremiah Daws and their film DANGEROUS CALLING. Cloud Ten Pictures continues to set the standard for releasing powerful and thought-provoking Christian thrillers that not only entertain us, but challenge us with biblical truths.

As a student and critic of film, I have learned that it doesn't always take a Hollywood-size budget to deliver thrilling and exciting films. They help, but are not always necessary. Over the years, we have seen small independent films come out of nowhere, and beat down some of the larger, more popular, popcorn blockbusters that are expected to be big hits.

I've learned that sometimes, a well-told story backed up with a moderate budget and quality acting can be JUST as effective and more memorable than any action-packed, over-blown, star-filled Hollywood feature.

In the world of Christian films, we are seeing a surge of better quality, well-paced and professionally made features that are sure to make an impact among Christian AND non-Christian viewers. This is a welcomed change I have been ready to embrace.

I was not disappointed with DANGEROUS CALLING. Josh & Jeremiah Daws have done an OUTSTANDING job at creating an exciting suspense thriller that draws you in from the first scene and holds you on the edge of your seat until the very end.

A timely message for the church with nail-biting suspense.

"MISERY" meets "Psycho" in the characters of Sister Pat Hinton and her deranged son, Elijah who take church politics to a new level and God's justice into their own hands. Pat & Elijah are both disturbingly played to perfection by Jackie Prucha (Death of Seasons, The Last Adam) and Brandon O'Dell (The Mist, One Tree Hill) who give new meaning to dysfunctional families.

Stephen Caudill (End of the Spear) and Carrie Walrond Flightsts of Angels) round off the stellar cast as Pastor Evan and Nora Burke, who take on the new church and sister Pat.

A well-written and beautifully directed film that will challenge your church on issues that very few films are afraid to address. A bold and honest film wrapped up in a sticky web of horror and suspense.

Scott Green - OneWayFilms.net

Cliche Catastrophe

[markdefaziomusic · 2/10 · 30 January 2021]

Thrillers are my favorite movie genre and I work in a church so it seemingly would have been my dream movie to watch. It was not the worst faith-themed film I have ever seen, but they turned cliche into ridiculous at the end of the film. I will not ruin the ending if you decide to watch it but when a 30 something woman and man gets overpowered by a senior citizen then you know you just lost 90 minutes of your life for nothing.

The Snake-Man Cometh!

[sol-kay · 6/10 · 25 March 2010]

(Some Spoilers) Never expecting anything but the ordinary, like giving sermons and discussing church members personal problems, in his new job as pastor of the towns New Baptist Church Evan Burke, Stephen Caudill, and his wife Nora, Carrie L. Walrond, were in for a shock in who among the church goers they ran into there.

The person really in charge, in supplying the church funds, Mrs. Pat Hinton, Jackie Paucha, isn't exactly what you would call a God fearing Christian in her warped interpretation of the Holy Bible in making it fit her strange beliefs on what a good Christian is supposed to be all about. With Ms. Hinton's "It's in my way or the highway" attitude about Christianity her 30 years old son Elijah, Brandon O'Dell, has grown up to be a mental cripple in his mom not allowing him to make friends and go out with girls. This has turned Elijah into a snake fancying weirdo who walks around the house and chicken farm, that Mrs. Hinton owns, like something or someone straight of the movie "Night of the Living Dead"!

It when the shy and withdrawn Elijah takes a shine to Mrs. Nora Burke that his mom blows a fuse and plans to fix her wagon, Nora's pretty looks, so it won't work anymore. With her Son Elijah or anyone else! With her business in the church coming before her personal pleasure Mrs. Hinton first plans to put an end to Scott Grayson's, Dan Triandiflou, attempt to put some life into the weekly as well as daily church service, Scott plans to introduce Christian rock music into them and thus attracted the non-church going youth in town to join in. Feeling that its, the rock music, an affront to her and everyone else's in the church Christianity Mrs. Hinton set her sights to not only put an end to Scott's plans to pep up things at the church but to him as well!

It takes a while for Pastor Burke and his wife to realize just how unchristian like and mentally unstable Mrs. Hinton really is! We in the audience already know that Mrs. Hinton is not only as nutty as a fruitcake, in her distorted religious beliefs, but dangerous as well in having her dotting and slave-like son Elijah do for the most part her murderous bidding and at the same time, by him being brainwashed by her, blame himself for it!

***SPOILERS*** Better then you would have expected in not going over the top in mindless violence the film "Dangerous Callings" also doesn't overdo the Good versus Evil aspect in it like most likewise films dealing with religious issues would have. Yes Mrs. Hinton is a very dangerous religious psychopath but in actress' Jackie Paucha interpretation of the role she's very sincere in what she believes in regardless of how off the wall and down right evil it is. As for Mrs. Hinton's son Elijah he comes across as a hopelessly boy lost in the woods who was never allowed to grow up by his mom who manipulated his very fragile mind into being a stone cold mindless killer!***MAJOR SPOILER*** That's until the very end of the movie when he finally broke loose and put and end to his crazed mother's reign of terror before it engulfed not only the church but the entire town along with it!

Christian Thriller?

[pam-699-761903 · 8/10 · 30 March 2010]

Great film about politics in church. There has never been a pastor hired by a church that didn't encounter some level of entrenched politics. After all, Christians are just people and any time you have relationships you will have friction. Let's just say this movie takes that idea up a notch... who knew taking on a new position would be stepping into the cross hairs, where disagreeing with church politics could be a matter of life and death? Anyone offended by the idea of suspense and Christianity in the same movie really needs to take another look at what is real faith and what is religious piety. Beyond a good suspense movie, this movie has a message for how church politics can hinder the Great Commission.

an example of great indie film-making

[justonthehorizon · 9/10 · 30 March 2010]

This is not your average 'Christian film'. Josh and Jeremiah Daws have created a really tense, psychological thriller, with characters that are instantly relatable through good acting performances and witty dialogue.

You'll see in the first 5 minutes that this is a professional piece, with none of the usual overdone indie gimmicks (a la 'gritty hand-held' camera-work).

This is the kind of movie you could see in the theaters, which just so happens to have messages about living a Christian life...as well as some thought-provoking commentary on the role of the Church.

But it is not preachy, and has enough chills and thrills to keep any audience entertained. It also has moments of levity that enhance the characterization and the relatability of the situations.

--SPOILER WARNING-- Ms. Pat will scare the bejeezus out of you - she's the nice-but-meddling neighbor/church lady that everyone has known at some point in their lives, which makes her reveal as the film's antagonist chilling and memorable.

Elijah, despite being a killer and a red herring to keep us from blaming Ms. Pat directly, invokes a lot of sympathy through his nuanced performance.

Nora makes a wonderful protagonist - we've all seen horror movies where the girl or woman character runs around screaming, and making dumb mistakes that get them caught or killed. That isn't Nora - she's smart, stands up for what she believes in, and defends herself when she has to. Evan is also a likable character, and their relationship is not only very believable, but serves as the movie's real heart.

In short, see this movie. You'll be glad you did :-)

Christian Thriller

[catfanatic888 · 8/10 · 1 July 2023]

Don't skip this one because you might think a Christian thriller will be boring because this one is definitely not! It starts out with the murder of a small community's pastor. Then the new pastor and his wife take over the flock. They are younger and more progressive than the previous minister who was a widower. They meet the bossy older woman who oversees everything that goes on in the church and town. She tries to control the narrative at church and the young couple. Her creepy adult son causes discomfort among the parishioners. This is anything but boring trust me. So much is going on. It's scary but i interesting.

Suspense Thriller

[jessyjerni · 10/10 · 19 February 2022]

This film is very suspense it's a great thriller that will keep you at the edge of your seat from beginning to end this is a must watch film. I'm obviously a little confused of where'd the chickens go at the end of movie. In conclusion I really enjoyed this film I can watch it over and over again .

Suspense Thriller

[ddavidjerni1245 · 10/10 · 4 March 2023]

This movie is very suspense. I highly reccomend watching this movie its very thrilling i was on the endge of my seat when watching this movie. I could watch this movie 8 times a day. Dangerous Calling is one of my favourite thriller movies of all time. I highly recommend watching this movie. I enjoy watching faith based thrillers. But this movie is the most suspense faith based movie that i have ever seen. Its a low budget movie but its great. One thing for sure it is true that church politics can be deadly. I wish that there was a Dangerous Calling 2 Movie. If there was i would love to see that....

Psycho in the church

[clanciai · 8/10 · 21 February 2024]

The film begins with a very unsettling murder, and everything throughout the rest of the film remains unsettled. We know who the murderer is from the beginning, but we don't know what triggers him. That mystery is gradually unfolded as the film rolls on in constantly more unsettling attempts and finally accomplished murders. It's a gruesome story and the more gruesome and unsettling for the settings of the drama, since it all takes place in a very pious community. The new pastor suspects nothing, but his wife gets gradually acquainted with some unsettling phenomena, like a boy collecting rattlesnakes and using them for a very unsettling agenda. This is a shocker but it does not make quite good sense until the end, and the happy ending feels if anything somewhat sanctimonious. With such shocking horrors occurring at the heart of the community, the members should hardly feel so comfortably at ease in the end chanting hallelujahs and rocking around. There are after all corpses all over the place requiring some attention and serious consideration.

You made me do it!

[ulicknormanowen · 11 December 2020]

The first hour is fairly exciting : an interesting depiction of a pastor's and his wife's life in a country parish ,like in Henry King's "I'd climb the highest mountain" (1951).There the comparison ends ,for "dangerous calling " is a thriller with social concerns .The two principals are rather bland, and are outshone by Jackie Prucha as an over-possessive mom and Brandon O'Dell as his hung up son Elijah. The authoritarian well-meaning woman wants to get rid of the black sheep the minister (helped by Scott , whose part should have been more developed) wants to integrate into his flock .Elijah ,the unfortunate son,moves in the shadow, but he seems to be everywhere and all the more disturbing.Pat ,his mom ,acts as though she was some kind of monstrous Nora's mother - in-law.

Sadly ,the last third is grand guignol a la "Friday the thirteenth ",complete with lake and mom,and does not review the horror movie for that matter.Even the flashback which "explains" the shrew's behavior is included.