The Calling (2014) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film takes place in Fort Dundas, a small rural town in Ontario, Canada. The setting is characterized by quiet streets, a close-knit community, and surrounding forests that create a secluded environment. This remote location is essential to the story, enhancing the atmosphere of isolation and contributing to the suspenseful tone.

• fort dundas
• ontario
• small town
• setting
• location

The movie is set in the present day, specifically the early 21st century. This contemporary setting allows the story to incorporate modern elements like online forums and current medical treatments, grounding the narrative in a realistic timeframe and connecting the themes to present-day issues around terminal illness and digital communication.

• present day
• contemporary
• time period
• modern setting

The theme of resurrection centers on Peter's obsessive drive to bring his brother back to life through a resurrection prayer. The film explores whether this represents a divine miracle or a dangerous obsession, raising questions about life after death, sacrifice, and the moral boundaries between spiritual belief and scientific intervention.

• resurrection
• resurrection prayer
• peter
• faith
• miracle

Mortality is a central theme, with characters confronting terminal illness and the desire to cheat death. The story delves into the emotional drive behind wanting to revive lost loved ones, highlighting human vulnerability and the moral dilemmas surrounding death, sacrifice, and the desperate measures people take to alter their fate.

• mortality
• terminal illness
• death
• sacrifice
• grief

Hazel Micallef, played by Susan Sarandon, is an experienced and gritty police inspector who is haunted by her past, particularly the loss of her child. She is determined, intuitive, and emotionally complex, often battling her own demons while investigating dark crimes. Her resilience drives her pursuit of truth and justice throughout the film.

• hazel micallef
• susan sarandon
• detective
• police inspector
• protagonist

Peter is driven by the loss of his brother and his obsessive desire to resurrect him using the resurrection prayer. His actions stem from grief and a twisted sense of duty, making him both an antagonist and a sympathetic figure who believes deeply in the power of prayer to defy death.

• peter
• killer
• antagonist
• resurrection
• grief
• motivation

Father Price, portrayed by Donald Sutherland, is a wise and conflicted priest with deep knowledge of Latin and religious rituals. He offers spiritual guidance to others but faces his own moral dilemma about whether to intervene in Peter's dangerous resurrection plans. His character symbolizes faith, morality, and the potential for sacrifice.

• father price
• donald sutherland
• priest
• faith
• morality
• religious guide

The remote setting of Fort Dundas enhances the film's suspense by creating geographical isolation. The small-town environment with its close-knit community and surrounding forests contributes to the story's atmosphere of seclusion, which plays into themes of local legends and the psychological tension driving the narrative.

• isolation
• small town
• fort dundas
• remote
• suspense
• setting