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The Matrix (1999)

Is Kol woke?

The Call (2020)

Movie

Released: January 1, 2020

Wokeness Score

2/10

Not woke

No political or woke messaging whatsoever. Focuses entirely on story, characters, fun, or escapism.

Key Summary Points

  • Pure thriller plot with time manipulation and twists drives the narrative.
  • Focuses on personal trauma and family abuse without political overlay.
  • Natural casting and setting reflect story needs, no ideological representation.

Wokeness Analysis

The Call (2020 South Korean film) is a straightforward psychological thriller centered on time-bending phone calls between two women in 1999 and 2019. Its narrative explores personal trauma, family abuse, consequences of altering the past, and the cycle of violence through a horror lens, without injecting progressive social or political messaging. The story focuses entirely on plot twists, character survival, and suspenseful entertainment rather than commentary on identity, marginalization, or ideology. Lead roles feature two Korean actresses in a domestic setting reflective of the film's cultural context, but these elements serve the story organically without emphasis on diversity, inclusion, or social justice themes. Reviews highlight its genre strengths, twists, and performances, noting undertones of Korean family dynamics and trauma but no forced agendas or indoctrination. The film prioritizes escapism through its high-concept thriller mechanics over any messaging.

Plot

In 2019, Seo-yeon visits her estranged, ill mother in rural South Korea and discovers an old phone in the family home that connects her to Young-sook living in the same house in 1999. The two women, both dealing with difficult maternal relationships, begin altering each other's timelines through their conversations, leading to dramatic changes in their realities. What starts as a bond of support spirals into horror as actions in the past unleash unintended consequences, including the emergence of a serial killer, forcing Seo-yeon to confront escalating dangers across time in this tense psychological thriller.

Analyzed by AI on September 21, 2026