Black Phone 2 – Review

Cert – 18, Run-time – 1 hour 54 minutes, Director – Scott Derrickson

Still tormented by his experiences with The Grabber (Ethan Hawke), Finn (Mason Thames) and his sister (Madeleine McGraw) volunteer at an isolated youth camp with links to the serial-killer, who may be back from the dead in dream form.

The dead killer attacking via dreams against the backdrop of an isolated youth camp, the influences of A Nightmare On Elm Street and Friday The 13th are worn clearly in this follow-up to 2021’s The Black Phone. Supernatural elements are heightened, largely for reasons of bringing back Ethan Hawke’s The Grabber, and they help to bring about some of the best, and bloodiest, sequences. While not physically appearing for past victim Finn (Mason Thames) – still experiencing trauma from his experiences in the last film – The Grabber taunts him over the phone, although Finn often picks it up to tell whoever is on the other side, another presumed victim, that he can’t help them, and appears to his younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) in her dreams.

Effects of attacks begin to bleed into the real world, as those around Gwen at the snow-covered youth camp – shut off for the season due to a snowstorm – try their best to help her despite not seeing what’s attacking. When stretching out such sequences, especially towards the film’s climax, Derrickson finds his stride on the directorial side of things. Allowing for the bloodshed to eek out and have more of a sustained impact in the face of the rising threat.

Yet, it takes a while to get here with all the build-up the film has in bringing all of its elements together. While justifying the more supernatural leanings and re-introducing us to the characters is understandable, the pacing of the first act feels a good deal slower compared to what follows. It’s something that leaks into the remainder of the run-time as certain instances feel almost disconnected, or at least slightly wandering, as moments of dialogue bridge between the more upfront horror; likely not helped by the fact that certain interactions with less-developed characters can feel rather clunky.

However, Black Phone 2 doesn’t quite fluctuate. Once it gets going, which does take some time, it finds itself on a largely consistent course that’ll give slasher fans some enjoyable spills. Hawke’s presence provides additional chills, especially when at his most upfront in terms of threat, his grinning devil mask hanging over the characters. Scares may not be anything intense, but there’s still enough that clicks within the film, and its bursts of horror to see it through with enough engagement to rise above the heavy influences.

Whilst slightly disjointed and slow to get to its core, Black Phone 2 has enough slasher action and spills to see it through with solid effect that doesn’t lean too much into its inflences to avoid pure copy or imitation.