‘Black Phone 2’ Review: The Grabber Returns for Bigger, Darker Sequel. “The Black Phone” was a box office success when it was released in 2022. It also didn’t hurt that it was praised by both critics and audiences. So, it’s no surprise that it got a sequel.
“Black Phone 2” is set in 1982, a few years after the events of the first film. Finney (Mason Thames, “How to Train Your Dragon”), the sole survivor of The Grabber, is still traumatized from his time being held captive in the serial killer’s basement. He copes by smoking and picking fights with anyone who has anything snarky to say. His younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), isn’t doing much better. Although she wasn’t physically held captive by The Grabber, she’s still haunted by strange visions.
When Gwen starts seeing visions of missing children beneath a frozen lake, she and Finn head to a snow-covered youth camp to get answers.
One of the most notable changes in “Black Phone 2” is how heavily it leans into the supernatural. The first film had some supernatural elements—eerie phone calls from beyond—but the story stayed mostly grounded. The sequel embraces the paranormal, especially with Gwen’s abilities and how they connect to the overall mythology of The Grabber, who returns, by the way, to inflict more terror.
Black Phone 2 ‘Pick Up The Phone’ Rotary Phone Popcorn Bucket at AMC Theatres
The new direction Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill take the story is heavily influenced by other horror movies, especially the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise. Thankfully, “Black Phone 2” isn’t just a collection of nods and homages. The film doesn’t deviate far from common horror genre tropes, but the film somehow still feels like its own thing.
All the performances are solid this time around. The returning cast delivers, especially Hawke, who seems to be relishing at the chance to take the Grabber to stranger places—even if his screen time is limited. The new cast members also do a good job, including Demian Bichir as Armando, a caring camp supervisor. But the standout is McGraw, who has to do more heavy lifting this time around as her character takes a more central focus.
The film struggles with pacing, and the first half is incredibly slow. It’s also a bit too long. The first movie clocked in at around 1 hour and 45 minutes, and even that felt long. The sequel is just under two hours—and, at times, you feel those extra minutes.
With this movie, Derrickson and Cargill try to expand the mythology but end up sacrificing the villain in the process. The Grabber gets sidelined in a way that makes him less menacing. The film also has a few too many over-the-top moments that feel like an attempt at camp but just come across as silly.
“Black Phone 2” is a flawed film, but at least it’s one of those rare sequels that tries to just repeat what was done in the film before it. Not all of the big swings work, but it still manages to be an entertaining time.
Black Phone 2
Directed by: Scott Derrickson
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Demián Bichir, Miguel Mora, Jeremy Davies, Arianna Rivas
114 minutes
In theaters Oct. 17
‘Black Phone 2’ Review: The Grabber Returns for Bigger, Darker Sequel
Ashley Carter is a journalist with extensive experience covering entertainment. She’s a member of the Critics Association of Central Florida and reviews movies on her YouTube channel, Ashley Talks Movies.
