Black Phone 2

(dir. Scott Derrickson)

By: Dave Hughes

Scott Derrickson has directed some of the most unsettling horror films of the 21st century.  From Sinister (2012) to The Black Phone (2021), he has consistently delivered chilling visuals and creative scares that keep the audience guessing. Now, Derrickson returns to the director’s chair for Black Phone 2, a creative gamble that revisits a world where the main villain is gone and reality itself feels uncertain. Though not without its flaws, Black Phone 2 largely succeeds thanks to Derrickson’s imagination and a committed compelling cast. 

The sequel takes place four years after the events of the first film and is set in the 1980s. Finney, played once again by the returning Mason Thames (How to Train Your Dragon), is still haunted by the Grabber and the trauma he endured while being abducted. His sister Gwen, played by Madeline McGraw(American Sniper, Toy Story 4), takes on a larger role this time around and becomes the emotional core of the story. Her recurring dreams connect her to other victims of the Grabber and his past. The sibling bond between Finney and Gwen creates an emotional punch that will have viewers invested in the story from the beginning. 

Derrickson’s taste for horror is on full display with Black Phone 2. This time around he draws inspiration from several classics but perhaps none so much as the Nightmare on Elm Street series. Derrickson turns the Grabber into a figure who haunts the dreams of his victims. This choice expands the mythology of The Black Phone in a way that is both surprising and fits well into the scope. The phone that connects Finney to the dead children in the first film, now becomes a way for the Grabber to communicate with both Finney and Gwen. Derrickson’s choice to expand Gwen’s role and give her a psychic connection to the children also sets the stage for a showdown with the Grabber. 

The film’s core is the standout performances. Madeline McGraw and Mason Thames are  excellent in their roles creating a familial bond between the characters that many audiences will be drawn to. Each character is equally traumatized by the events of their past but it has not hindered their connection. The chemistry and connection between the two feels genuine and real. Another standout is Ethan Hawke (Training Day, Sinister) as the Grabber. While best recognized for dramatic and romantic work, Hawke brings a darker more sinister energy this time around as the Grabber. His growls and screams are the recipes of nightmares. Even the way the Grabber moves around a room is creepy and makes audiences uneasy about what his next move will be and what he will do next. 

The film’s plot meanders a bit from the end of second to the third act where too many additional threads dilute the tension and distract the viewer from the story’s strong emotional core . Once the protagonist’s goal becomes clear, the story takes quite a while to get to its resolution. These moments allow for nice character development but after the first act of the film is white knuckle tense, this segment of the film feels like a bit of a side quest to get to the main goal. Audiences may lose interest but the riveting conclusion should pull them back in. The supporting cast outside of the main three characters also feels underutilized and does not serve the story other than bringing in sounding boards for our main characters to reflect on their own struggles. Jeremy Davies (Twister), as Finney and Gwen’s father, even struggles to find a place in this story. 

Target Score 7.5/10: Scott Derrickson creates a much more confident Black Phone this time around. With a compelling cast and a more terrifying version of the Grabber, audiences will not regret answering the call of Black Phone 2.