Black Phone was one of the best horror movies I saw in 2022. From the concept alone, I was excited about it and wanted to see it. The movie was not only incredible but also put Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw on my radar. Their performances were amazing, and little did I know we would be reunited with them again in Black Phone 2.
The movie takes place four years after the events of the first one, and we see how Finney (Thames) and Gwen (McGraw) have moved forward since their encounter with the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Finney has a tougher skin than he did in the first movie and is overly protective of his sister. Gwen seems well-adjusted since the incident, but because of her visions, other kids in school stare at her and call her a “witch”. Finney, on the other hand, has gained a reputation for killing the Grabber and is tested by other boys in his school.
In school, we meet Ernesto (Miguel Mora), who is the younger brother of one of the Grabber’s victims, Robin. Robin was Finney’s friend and was also played by Mora in the first movie. The three look out for each other, and early on in the film, we get to see this dynamic between them. The first time we see Finney in this movie, the scene is reminiscent of the first time we met Robin in the first movie. Gwen is having visions of boys whom the Grabber killed, and these visions lead to them getting a job at a youth camp. The film begins with a child from the camp talking to someone on the phone. This scene is the first piece in the puzzle.
The dream sequences in the film pay homage to A Nightmare on Elm Street. When Gwen is having a dream, the film’s image quality becomes grainy, and the images appear choppy. The audience sees images cut together, but does not get the full scene. This technique plays with the audience’s mind, making you imagine what the Grabber is doing to his victims. These images are also more pieces to the bigger puzzle introduced at the beginning of the film.
As opposed to a straight horror film, Black Phone 2 plays more like a mystery with horror elements. The storyline for this film expands on the events of the first one and gives us more insight into the world of the Grabber. By continuing the story of Finn and Gwen, we see how the events of the first film changed the siblings. Finn’s mental health has taken a toll due to not being able to talk to anyone about what happened to him. In a beautiful moment, we see the family connect over certain events that have occurred in their lives. These emotional moments help the movie and are also where Madeleine McGraw shines. This is her movie, and she steals all of the scenes she is in.
The moments with the Grabber are not as intense as in the first movie, but are still frightening. Their appearance has changed since the first one, and they have more power this time around. We learn more about them and where the source of their power comes from. There are about three big moments with them in the film, and their brutality is on full display in each one. In the vein of Jaws, seeing less of the Grabber is more than enough, this time around. The conclusion to the mystery and the Grabber feels a little rushed in the final moments, but it is still satisfying.
Final Thoughts: Black Phone 2 is equal parts Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street. While there are homages to these two horror franchises, the difference lies in the way the story is told. Using grainy footage to differentiate the dreams from reality is a great touch and a perfect way to keep the audience invested. Mason Thames shines again as Finney, but it is Madeleine McGraw who steals the film with her emotional moments that help connect both movies. Black Phone 2 is a fantastic expansion of the first movie.
Violence: There are moments in this that will not be suitable for younger kids. There are brutal acts of violence inflicted on the Grabber’s victims, which might cause nightmares. The images of the aftermath of some of these murders are also pretty gruesome.
Kid-Friendly: There is the use of drugs in Black Phone 2 by way of Finney smoking marijuana. The language used in the movie is not suitable for younger kids. This movie is rated R and earns it with language and violence.
Four-time Academy Award® nominee Ethan Hawke returns to the most sinister role of his career as The Grabber seeks vengeance on Finn (Mason Thames) from beyond the grave by menacing Finn’s younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw).
As Finn, now 17, struggles with life after his captivity, the headstrong 15-year-old Gwen begins receiving calls in her dreams from the black phone and seeing disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake.
Determined to solve the mystery and end the torment for both her and her brother, Gwen persuades Finn to visit the camp during a winter storm. There, she uncovers a shattering intersection between The Grabber and her own family’s history. Together, she and Finn must confront a killer who has grown more powerful in death and more significant to them than either could imagine.