Lifetime delivers a new thriller, “The Killer Is Calling,” with a familiar premise but a few welcome twists. The focus on a 911 operator, Faye (Janaya Stephens), trapped in a deadly game of cat and mouse with a mysterious killer, is a setup we’ve seen before. However, the remote island setting adds a welcome frisson of claustrophobia, and Stephens’ performance elevates the material.
The plot relies heavily on the classic thriller trope of the killer taunting the protagonist with cryptic phone calls. It’s a well-worn device, but it works reasonably well here, thanks to some tight pacing and a script that, while not exactly groundbreaking, avoids the worst clichés of the genre.
Stephens carries the film, conveying both Faye’s competence as a 911 operator and her growing fear as the killer’s net tightens. Rob Stewart co-stars.
“The Killer Is Calling” premieres Sunday, January 19, 2025, at 8:00 PM on Lifetime.