In one of the surprises of the year, Scott Derrickson has revisited The Black Phone with a seemingly impossible sequel, given the unambiguous finality of the first film. This continuation follows Finn and Gwen years after their confrontation with the Grabber, with Gwen experiencing disturbing dreams of boys being stalked at Alpine Lake Camp.
This is one of those horror sequels you only get once every few years, if that. It’s a sequel that takes the essence and themes of its predecessor and commits to doing something completely different in both narrative and tone. Derrickson pulls absolutely no punches when it comes to thrusting what was once an isolated one-off horror story into potential multi-film franchise territory. He’s opted not to play it safe, instead delivering on an idea that’s ambitious and completely out of left field. While different, Derrickson and crew have done an exceptional job at ensuring this continuation is seamless and not like a messy genre-swapping cash grab (looking at you M3GAN 2.0). It’s also not just that this sequel is different, but that it’s definitively better – it’s deeper and more complex, highlighting emotional character arcs and memorable scares aplenty.
In comparing the two films, this sequel adopts a different style and approach to the horror and narrative. The first is very barebones in its story and quite simplistic in its approach to horror – it’s not predictable, but it’s very much a claustrophobic, small-scale and suspense-filled terror. This, on the other hand, is a multi-layered psychological horror with a doubling down on the supernatural angle and a greater focus on thrills as well as traditional scares. I love both films for what they are, but the growth that this sequel exhibits across nearly every category is why I can’t help but love it more. As with the first film, this isn’t a jumpscare-filled adventure, with Derrickson putting the focus on tone and atmosphere as opposed to cheap scares. There are two very blatant jumpscares, but outside of that he takes the approach of overwhelming the senses to instill terror in the audience. Through score, sound and visuals, he creates an environment that’s as overwhelming as an obnoxiously loud extractor fan, and it’s wonderful.
This film is packed full of dream sequences from the perspective of Gwen, and it’s these dream sequences spread throughout that are absolutely phenomenal. These moments get progressively more insane, immersive and horrifying throughout the film and I loved every single minute. The way Derrickson creates a spine-chilling atmosphere in the dream sequences is a horror fan’s delight. In contrast to the crisp visuals of the rest of the film, the dream sequences are shot on 8mm film, giving them a very specific grit and grain, with film burns and stutters aplenty. This has two purposes; it lets us know when we’re in a dream, and also enhances the terror of those scenes. The visuals are layered with muffled, almost inaudible dialogue and a static track that helps give off that sensory overload feel. These experimental horror sequences offer plenty of surprises and make for my favourite moments. Part of me wishes the entire film would be like this, but I love the novelty of anticipating the next grainy dream sequence.
What’s beautiful about this sequel, much like the original, is that it’s not all about the scares. There’s a great reliance on family drama and character-focused storytelling, both in regards to Finn and Gwen’s respective arcs. Finn may be the lead on paper, but this really is Gwen’s movie. She’s the most integral to the narrative, with every story and horror element moving through her. As a result she exhibits an incredible amount of growth, pulling on the heart strings at multiple key points through the movie. Finn and Gwen’s bother-sister bond is a strong focus of the story, with multiple sequences taking a break from the horror to flesh out their connection. I love the dedication to not only tell a chilling narrative, but one that’s also gives its characters an emotional focus.
Mason Thames (Finn) was great in the first film, but he’s an actor who has grown immensely in the last few years, delivering a performance here that’s even more compelling and raw. His character is dealing with a lot of pain and PTSD, and Thames reflects that brilliantly through the many subtleties of his performance. Madeleine McGraw (Gwen) stole the show with her limited screen time in the first film, and now she has been given even more time to shine… and boy is she incredible. So much of the terror and the impact of the horror is reliant on her reactions, and she really lets out her inner scream queen. It’s a grounded performance and one that nails both the horror and emotional content across every scene. Also returning for this sequel is Ethan Hawke as the Grabber, and this film is a testament to the chilling presence of Hawke. Every line of dialogue that comes out of his mouth sends a chill down my spine – he’s menacing and terrifying to watch, developing his villain even further to the point where he could become an iconic horror icon.
In the end, Black Phone 2 has successfully shocked, surprised and impressed me in more ways than one. It builds on the depth of its story and characters, while doubling down on the horror and crafting a gripping, spine-chilling atmosphere. Derrickson has taken big swings with how he’s approached this narrative, and every single risk stuck the landing. I mean, the film also has a throwback opening credits sequence that’s just straight-up awesome and sets the tone early. With riveting, terrifying dream sequences, compelling characters and a brilliant crafting of tension, Black Phone 2 is one of the best horror thrill rides of the year.
9.1/10
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