Film Review: Black Phone 2

Editors: Ciara Teefey

Four years after escaping the Grabber, Finney Blake is struggling with his life after captivity. When his sister Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at winter camp, the siblings become determined to solve the mystery and confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death and more significant to them than either could imagine.

Director: Scott Derrickson

Genre: horror, thriller

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

From left, Finney and The Grabber in the movie “Black Phone 2” Credit: Sabrina Lantos/Universal

The Black Phone 2, starring Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw, a sequel to The Black Phone and is a film mixing both the horror and thriller genres together and exploring new realms of possibility. It sees our main characters, Finney Blake and his sister Gwen, battling against a sinister evil that cannot be seen or touched. Despite Finney vowing never to be involved in the grabber’s mess again, it all changes once his sister begins receiving calls through her dreams.  

One of the things I particularly liked about this film was the use of the dream realm against reality and the visual change we saw on the screen, signifying the difference between the two, to make it easier for audiences to follow along. From the very beginning of the film, Derrickson has managed to captivate and enthral audiences.  

For me, it felt as though there was some sort of supernatural element tied in with the horror, giving the genre a fresh twist. It felt like watching the first Nightmare on Elm Street, with the motif of the grabber communicating with Gwen through her dreams.  

Like many great sequels, this film pays perfect homage to the history set up by its first instalment, whilst remaining new and showing the audience something different, whilst staying true to the main message of the first film.  

Finney, played by Mason Thames, in "Black Phone 2". Credit: Sabrina Lantos/Universal

Amongst the cast, breakout stars Mason Thames and Madeleine Graw deliver such raw and authentic performances that will have you laughing, crying and on the edge of your seat with fear. In my opinion, they are two actors that should be on everyone's radar.  

My only critique of this film is that it felt as though Finney became a sort of side character within his own story, and I would have loved to have seen some small tweaks in regards to that, there were a few scenes where i felt as though he had sort of been shelved and shoved to the side when that should not have been the case. 

Other than that, it is a film I recommend seeing in cinemas at least once because the atmosphere it creates is so tense and eerie and an experience that cannot be missed.