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Fred Walton did it again. Along with the original, When a Stranger Calls Back has one of the most frightening openings of all time. Unnerving, alarming, and damn scary. Once again my girlfriend could not watch this one. It's too bad that Walton made the same mistake that he did in the first one: failure to live up to the beginning. The rest of the movie isn't that good. Actually, it's not good at all. Although it's not as lacking in the middle as the original and this psychopath is more interesting than the last, it's still not good. I kinda wish that they would have delved more into his character. Watch it for the beginning alone and you will not be disappointed.

Made for television sequel of Walton's 1979 thriller ,When a Stranger Calls, surprisingly lives up to the original film in almost every way.

Jill is now a PI herself, and with the help of her old friend hopes to save a young woman who believes she has been terrorized by a maniac for years.

When a Stranger Calls Back mirrors the original film very much, but it's in a good way. It packs much of the same kinds of suspense and atmosphere of the original film, all the while telling a new and interesting mystery. Of course much of this is owed to director Walton, who returns to do another bravo job of molding this film.

Charles Durning and Carol Kane reprise their original roles well.

Intriguing and well-done all the way, When a Stranger Calls Back is a good sequel that isn't hampered by its television limitations. Those who enjoyed the original film will undoubtedly find it a worthy sequel.

*** out of ****

"When a Stranger Calls Back" is really a sequel to "When a Stranger Calls" and not just a remix. The 2006 "When a Stranger Calls" is actually a remake of the first twenty or so minutes of the original 1979 version which was the superior part of the film. The 1979 original drifted aimlessly for the middle third of the movie before regaining much of its momentum for the final third.

The made-for-cable "When a Stranger Calls Back" has some excellent scenes that do actually scare the heebie-jeebies out of the viewer. The use of the door rather than the telephone during the first part introduced a new aspect of the crazed psycho, that he could throw his voice. For this viewer the creepiest part occurred with Charles Durning encountering the monster in the alleyway. The cinematography with the camera zooming in on the creature all in black lurking in the darkness showing his blazon eyes before closing them for a full blackout is truly amazing. The angle of the shot showing Durning attempting to discover the hidden evil with the noir-like rain silhouetting his features is a stroke of cinema genius.

That the producers were able to reunite two of the key figures in the original after fourteen years makes "When a Stranger Calls Back" even more relevant as a sequel. Carol Kane and Charles Durning reprise their roles as babysitter Jill Johnson (Jill as in kill) and John Clifford respectively to great effect. The chemistry between the two is still present.

"When a Stranger Calls Back" is also more believable than the other two Stranger films. For instance, the babysitter does check the children first thing the way a real babysitter would do. "When a Stranger Calls Back" is not as brutal as the other two. In the made-for-cable sequel the children simply disappear. In the other two, there is no weapon found, meaning the the killer ripped the bodies to shreds using his bare hands.

If you enjoyed the 1979 flick, you should enjoy this one and the 2006 remake. All three are above average for mad slasher type suspense films.

The headline above seems to sum up some of the other reviewers' opinions of this film and I totally agree with them: I liked this sequel better. I will always remember this film for the first 20-25 minutes which really scared me the first time I saw it. It gave me the creeps, and always will if I don't watch it too often.

After that, the movie settles down, and the excitement leaves, but it still keeps you interested, picking back up again at the end with another suspense scene.

This is a "scare" movie - a sequel - that works although there are a few noticeable holes in the storyline. I liked the camera-work in here with the closeups of the door lock or the phone, the slowness of camera movement here and there to build suspense, etc. The ending, in which the killer blends into a wall, is very neat.

The main actors are interesting to watch and a main plus is the lack of profanity, especially surprising with Charles Durning in the film. The "R" rating had to be for a couple of topless waitress scenes.

Jill Schoelen gets third billing and she's the star of the movie. Carol Kane, the star of the first film: When A Stranger Calls, helps out on this case, too, and it's nice to see her again.

When A Stranger Calls Back is without a doubt one of the most underrated films of all time. It is better than it's predecessor (which was also a very entertaining film). However, what makes this film more enjoyable and scary is the fact that the tension is kept throughout the film, as opposed to the first one where only the beginning and end are suspenseful. In When A Stranger Calls Back, the beginning, middle, and end are filled with some of the most frightening scenes I've ever viewed and keep the film going at a steady, entertaining pace. And the ending is mind-blowingly creative and scary. The characters are all well developed, the script is tight, and the direction is superb. I won't reveal anything about the plot, but all I can say is that once you see this film, you will be drawn in by its originality and suspense. Kudos to underrated writer/director Fred Walton for making one of the best suspense thrillers you'll ever see. (****)out of(****)