Black Phone 2 (2025)
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Premise: A sequel to the 2021 film. Several years after Finn and Gwen (Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw) escaped the child killer The Grabber (Ethan Hawke), Gwen experiences supernatural visions. They visit a campground that holds the secret to The Grabber’s past.
What Works: Black Phone 2 successfully builds upon its predecessor. The first film was an intimate story of a boy imprisoned by a child killer while his sister had visions. The second installment does the job of a sequel to expand the story and deepen the characters. Finn deals with the social and psychological repercussions of being a survivor while Gwen’s visions have become more vivid and may reveal links between their late mother and The Grabber. The story personalizes the conflict and the revelations change and deepen the meaning of the events in the first movie. Teen slasher films often have a coming-of-age angle and that’s done well here with Finn and Gwen maturing and looking out for each other. Black Phone 2 is quite creepy. The use of shadows and sound are quite effective. The story is set in the winter and the harshness of the weather adds to the atmosphere. Ethan Hawke returns as The Grabber and he has created a memorable horror villain. His line delivery is menacing and The Grabber’s presence is felt throughout the movie.
What Doesn’t: Black Phone 2 takes awhile to get going. The story begins with no immediate threat. Finn and Gwen’s troubled homelife has improved, the Grabber is dead, and no one is in danger. Once the characters arrive at the campground things take off but it takes a while to get there. The sequel pushes the story into a more fantastical direction with The Grabber manipulating the line between the physical and spiritual worlds. The story’s internal logic doesn’t always make sense especially in the climax. Black Phone 2 owes a lot to the Nightmare on Elm Street series, especially Freddy’s Revenge and Dream Warriors. Viewers who are familiar with the Elm Street films will recognize a lot of concepts and images.
Bottom Line: Once it gains momentum, Black Phone 2 is a satisfying sequel. It’s a bit too long but Black Phone 2 expands the story and the characters. It’s a good scary mix of supernatural mystery and slasher horror.
Episode: #1070 (October 26, 2025)