The Black Phone 2 has been one of the most highly anticipated sequels, and puts viewers back into the scary world of the Finney Blake and The Grabber. The film is a continuation of the 2021 film Black Phone with a new spin to it, it relies on the dream world like the 80’s hit Nightmare on Elm Street. The movie is directed by Scott Derrickson, and picks up in the year 1982. The movie stars Mason Thames (Finney Blake), Ethan Hawke (The Grabber), and Madeleine McGraw (Gwen Blake). This is four years after Finney Blake escaped the masked killer, The Grabber. Finney now struggles with trauma and belonging, while his younger sister, Gwen, begins to have scary visions from the events that took place four years prior.
Black Phone 2 adapts the series into a more supernatural feel set in a camp during a harsh winter. Many compare the film to the iconic film A Nightmare on Elm Street. In the first film we watch the grabber die by the hands of Finney, yet he returns to haunt and harm the Blake family. The Grabber gives Gwen these visions and continues his mass killing spree, despite not even being alive.
The film has gotten pretty balanced reviews across a few sites. But, it is often on the positive side, with a score of 72-75% on the Rotten Tomatometer, and a score of 83-86% on the Popcorn meter. However, some critics argue that the sequel doesn’t have enough suspense and emotion that made the first film so good. Scott Mendelson of TheWrap stated, “Even if you disagree with the ‘making the story and world less realistic and/or more interconnected makes it less compelling’ school of thought, Black Phone isn’t scary or suspenseful. The nightmare sequences… boast R-rated images and modest rubber-band tension”.
Black Phone 2 is a great representation of a franchise adapting rather than putting out the same exact film as the original. This film connects with fans of the psychological and supernatural thriller vibes of films, and also fans of iconic 80’s horror films. Horror franchises tend to put out the same exact movie over and over again, yet the Black Phone 2 comes up with new and refreshing changes to the franchise. Despite not having outstanding reviews, the Black Phone series is not afraid to make drastic changes within their franchise. The producers plan to make this a franchise by producing a sequel, if it doesn’t get great reviews or feedbacks then it will end the ideas of a franchise.
