Sam, played by genre stalwart Corri English, is an operator at a non-profit mental health crisis line. The organization is moving to newer, better accommodations, so tonight's the last night in the old building. The phones are spotty, the power tends to go off, and the elevators have a mind of their own. Sam is joined on the overnight shift by new guy Jess (Van Hansis), fellow operator Val (Traci Lords) and grumpy goth Jules (Tracy Perez), who is stuck there dong community service.

Sam has a regular caller, named John (played with menacing effect by Tyler Mane) who will only talk to her. We find out in the first few frames of the film that John is a serial killer, stalking women and murdering them in his isolated home, though Sam has no idea. When John inadvertently discovers that Sam is leaving the crisis line to pursue other work, and that tonight is her last night, he becomes enraged, and comes down to the building to let her know exactly what he thinks about her plans.

That's the setup, and the film plays out mostly how you'd expect. As I said, there's no new ground being broken here. But Cuadrado takes this familiar premise and executes it very, very well. And two of the biggest reasons that the film works as well as it does are Corri English and Tyler Mane. English is very approachable as a protagonist. Sam is empathetic and kind, but also strong and determined. The character's blindness doesn't come off as an exploitive tack on, as it easily could have. Her interactions with her co-workers are organic and natural. There is a hint of awkward dialogue here and there, but it's minor and ignorable. And Tyler Mane. Wow. He is an excellent villain. He exudes menace and power. When he's grabbing someone and throwing them across the room, or kicking open a door, we have no problem believing that he could do it. He really is that big and strong. And he's got the bitterness and anger of the character down pat. Which makes the final climax, which I won't reveal any more details of here, all the more satisfying.

While there are a few jump scares, of varying effectiveness, what really works for Devil May Call is the sustained tension. The audience knows that John is on his way well before Sam or her compatriots do, and the slow build up to his arrival, and then to his actual entry into their work area, is well controlled and frightening. The violence is realistic without being gory, and the plot does not depend on the utter stupidity of the characters. Devil May Call is not a masterpiece, or perfect, but it is a very solid thriller. Highly recommended.

The DVD

Video:
Video is 1.78:1 widescreen, and for the most part looks really good. The image is clear and sharp, with good contrast. The shadows are deep but not obscuring. This is mostly shot at night, but the action is always clearly visible.

Sound:
Audio is Dolby digital 5.1 channel, and is also of high quality. The sound design is well done, but there is not a lot of call for half heard noises, etc. that are sometimes vital in thrillers. Dialogue is always audible, and no hiss or other problem can be heard. English and Spanish subtitles are included, but no alternate language track.

Extras:
There are a number of extras included. They are:

Trailer Gallery
Trailers are included for Final Prayer, Speak No Evil and Gnome Alone.

"Monstrous Nature" Short Film
At just over fifteen minutes, this short film is about a nun who is kidnapped and taken into the woods by a man, who has a secret. The short is okay, but not exceptional.

Composing the Score with Nicholas Pike
Composer Nicholas Pike demonstrates the wheel harp, a recently invented instrument, which he used to create the score. This is a short featurette, but very interesting.

Devil May Call Trailer
The trailer runs to 1:44, and is decent.

Director's Commentary
The commentary with Jason Cuadrado is interesting. He discusses how the story for the film changed when they had an actual location, usually to take advantage of a cool element or view. He also talks about his experience with the actors, and how they worked with a consultant to make sure that English was realistic in her representation of a blind woman. Cuadrado is engaging and has a lot of anecdotes that would be of interest to those that aspire to get into low budget filmmaking.

Final Thoughts:
Devil May Call is not a new story, but it is an old story told very well. It has both an exceptional protagonist and antagonist. It has tension, scares, a plot you don't have to strain your credence to accept, and a great climax. This is a fun movie. Check it out.