Quartile rating: 7.5/10 · 1 rating
Shown from the perspective of a young submariner with unusually sensitive hearing and uncannily precise sound recognition. The fate of many often depends on his ability, and one time, whilst highly stressed, he makes a incorrect call which put his entire crew in mortal danger. Trying to regain the confidence of his comrades, he conducts an unauthorised investigation of an apparent plot which, it turns out, risks escalating into a nuclear apocalypse. Suddenly working under pressure with the fleet admiral, they must do whatever is necessary, even the unthinkable, to prevent a nuclear war, since a confirmed nuclear strike order cannot be countermanded.
The Wolf's Call is a taut French submarine thriller that distinguishes itself through its focus on a sonar operator's extraordinary hearing as a narrative device, giving it a fresher perspective than most genre entries. The cinematography and production design are genuinely exceptional for a European thriller — the claustrophobic submarine interiors are rendered with impressive technical authenticity and visual craft. The plot is competent and gripping but follows familiar escalation beats common to nuclear-threat thrillers. Acting is solid across the board with François Civil delivering a credible lead performance, though no one transcends the genre. The ending, involving the uncountermandable nuclear strike dilemma, is genuinely tense but resolves in a way that feels slightly convenient given the stakes established.