I watched the Netflix film first, and then thanks to the reviews on that one, discovered this Danish original and watched that too.
The Netflix film is a taught and effective thriller, with a great central performance from Jake Gyllenhaal. It's mostly word-for-word the same as the Danish version. And it's free if you have Netflix!
The Danish version is £2.99 on Amazon. It's less stylish and less melodramatic, but much more believable and affecting. I cared more for all the characters, and despite knowing exactly how it was going to play out, I was hooked throughout. At times I couldn't look away.
The Netflix film adds an unneccesary personal arc, some wildfire-related melodrama, and a set more like a James Bond MI5 office than a 911 (or 112) call centre - all of which reduced the impact and made the film less engaging.
If you're definitely not going to watch the Danish version, the Netflix one is a good bet. If you're ok to watch either, choose this original - it's a lot more suspensful and completely captivating. (Ideally, unlike me, don't watch both!)
Plot summary
Alarm dispatcher Asger Holm answers an emergency call from a kidnapped woman. When the call is suddenly disconnected, the search for the woman and her kidnapper begins. With the phone as his only tool, Asger enters a race against time to save the endangered woman. But soon he realizes that he is dealing with a crime that is far bigger than he first thought.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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Movie Reviews
Watch this one, not the Netflix version
One Man Movie
Jakob Cedergren plays a police officer assigned to a 911 call center who receives a call from a woman who has been kidnapped. The call center is the set for the entire course of the film. The tension is Hitchcock like with enough twists and turns to keep the viewers attention. At 85 minutes the movie moves quickly and the conclusion is a bit disappointing but I recommend The Guilty.
great thrills
Policeman Asger Holm is answering calls at Emergency Services. He's been forced into desk duty for an unknown reason but he expects to get back to the streets tomorrow. He's callous towards the callers until he receives a call from Iben. She seems to have been kidnapped by an unknown assailant.
This is a thriller on the phone. It's very effective with shocking twists and turns. I also really like the change in Asger along the way. This needs one small change in the movie. A call center like that usually has a supervisor walking the floor. As soon as Asger gets the licence plate number, he needs to hand it over to the supervisor so that he could stay on the line with the kid until the arrival of the policemen. I don't like it whenever he hangs up on the callers or put them on hold. I don't think it would be done like that. He needs a supervisor helping him out. Of course in the last act, he could still go into that room to isolate himself and heighten the tension. Overall, this is a great character thriller where all the action happens off screen.