I wasn’t a huge fan of Scott Derrickson’s “The Black Phone,” so I went into its sequel with relatively low expectations. To my surprise, the film won me over with its new approach and continuation of the story.
The film takes place four years after the events of “The Black Phone.” Siblings Finney and Gwen, played by Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw, are still dealing with the traumatic events of the previous film. When Gwen’s supernatural dreams worsen, it leads them to a small church camp haunted by the Grabber’s spirit.
Gwen becomes the main character in the sequel as the film explores her dreams and her relationship with her dead mother. This shift was a great choice, as the dream sequences are the most memorable parts of the movie. They’re filmed in 8 mm, which is not only a fun and creative choice, but the graininess adds to the hazy ambience of the dreams.
The film also increases the overall gore and horror. While the first film deals with the abduction and murder of children, an already disturbing topic, it wasn’t too graphic in its visuals. This is not the case in the sequel, which does not shy away from violence towards children.
Ethan Hawke returns as the Grabber, a villain more intimidating in the sequel due to his new zombified appearance and supernatural powers. There are elements of the movie that can be compared to “A Nightmare on Elm Street.” In his supernatural state, the Grabber has many similarities to Freddy Krueger, as he is only able to cause damage to the characters in Gwen’s dreams.
To some people, this could feel like a cheap rip-off, but as a fan of the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise, it didn’t bother me too much; as a matter of fact, I quite enjoyed the dream chase sequences involving the Grabber and Gwen.
Another improvement in “Black Phone 2” is its setting. Going from the suburbs to an isolated church camp in the snowy mountains of Colorado is not only visually more interesting, but also creates a more foreboding atmosphere that adds to the movie’s grislier tone.
While the sequel has its improvements, there were times when the script was lacking. A lot of the dialogue, especially from Gwen, seemed unnatural and a forced attempt at replicating what kids said in the 80s. Some of the side characters felt like overplayed, one-dimensional caricatures who didn’t serve the story in any meaningful way.
What I respect most about the movie is that it tries something different from its predecessor, and actually seems to be a thought-out sequel that attempts to expand the world and characters in the series. When cash grab sequels are pumped out all the time, it’s nice to see one that feels more natural.
