Black Phone 2: A Superb Supernatural Sequel

The Phone is Ringing

Check your voicemails and leave your ringer on, because one of the most beloved modern horror icons is back on the big screen! Black Phone 2 serves as a sequel to 2022’s supernatural scare-fest The Black Phone, itself an adaptation of a 2004 short story by Joe Hill. The original Black Phone film was one of the biggest sleeper hits of the 2020s due to its fantastic reception from the general public and unexpected profitability at the box office. Since then, the movie has been considered one of the best from production studio Blumhouse – who also helmed franchises like M3GAN and the recent Halloween trilogy – leaving the possibility of a sequel completely inevitable.

Now, the series has returned to the big screen, with many of the cast and crew returning for an all-new terrifying tale. In fact, it’s been released just in time for Halloween, a holiday primarily associated with the horror genre. On top of that, this film has received similar acclaim to its predecessor, with critics praising the expansion on the original story, while currently tracking an opening weekend total of around $25 million – similar to what the first film made. With these factors in mind, I was highly excited to check this movie out, though I was not without my skepticisms. 

I absolutely love the first Black Phone movie due to its creative concept, fantastic tension, well-written characters, and menacing antagonist. As such, I was eager to see these aspects come back to life on the big screen. That said, the first movie’s ending was conclusive and did not really open the door for a sequel, so I was slightly fearful that the movie wouldn’t be able to justify its existence. But did I still think this sequel could be a worthy addition to 2025’s fantastic horror movie lineup? You bet I did!

Optimistically, I accepted a calling to Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield on Thursday, Oct. 16, and secured a ticket to the paranormal picture. As the credits rolled, I was left with one question: did this movie cement itself as more than just a corporate cashgrab, or should Blumhouse have hit the “decline call” button before this sequel entered production?

Paying the Toll

Set four years after the events of the original film, Black Phone 2 sees the return of sibling duo Finney and Gwen Blake. Finney deals with trauma following his encounter with a murderer known as the Grabber, who kidnapped him before being killed. Meanwhile, Gwen begins experiencing nightmarish visions of the Grabber’s victims, tying back to a youth camp called Alpine Lake. After heading to the camp to discover the root of Gwen’s visions, the siblings find themselves once again tormented by the Grabber – this time from the grave – resulting in a tense race against time to uncover the truth or die trying.

Directed by Scott Derrickson – who previously helmed the first film and Doctor Strange – the film sees many cast members reprise their roles from the original, including Mason Thames, Madeline McGraw, Jeremy Davies, and Ethan Hawke. New additions to the ensemble include Demián Bichir, Arianna Rivas, and Anna Lore.

Having gone into this movie decently cautious, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this sequel. In fact, I could make the argument that it ranks among one of the year’s most surprising movies. Black Phone 2 accomplishes what any sequel should: it expands upon ideas and concepts introduced in the original, while still finding ways to keep its screenplay unique, resulting in an unpredictable and intense ride. 

The best way I can describe the story is like Blumhouse’s own A Nightmare on Elm Street, with the Grabber serving as the film’s version of Freddy Krueger. He torments his victims when they are most vulnerable, and even comes to them in dreams with a vengeful wrath. All the while, the movie still maintains familiar aspects from its predecessor – primarily the titular black phone, which allows undead spirits to communicate with whoever answers the call. The combination of these two elements results in an effective paranormal story with high stakes and unpredictable twists to keep viewers on edge.

Furthermore, the movie also has a fantastic emotional core to it, especially in how it develops its main protagonists: Finney and Gwen. The story effectively delves into subjects like trauma, guilt, and the after-effects of a horrifying scenario. These concepts can primarily be seen in Finney, who deals with emotional stress after his initial encounter with the Grabber. The film allows its characters to feel relatable and even realistic as they deal with these mental struggles, resulting in effective character arcs and plenty of resounding dialogue exchanges, particularly one which occurs close to the climax. 

Adding more to the stakes of the story is the setting: the Alpine Lake Youth Camp. In concept, this is a much wider location compared to the first film’s isolated setting of the Grabber’s basement. Yet, despite there being a grander landscape and more space to move around, the film still finds a way to keep it ominous. Due to harsh winter conditions, the characters find themselves stranded there for the entire runtime, preventing them from being able to explore additional locations. Combining the setting’s elements such as snow-heavy environments, dark and desolated cabins, and a massive lake completely frozen over, it paves the way for a lot of enthralling sequences, primarily in instances when the Grabber attacks.

Collect Callers

The film’s ensemble cast – both old and new – do a fantastic job at bringing their subsequent characters to life and selling the scares of the situation. Namely, performers who returned from the previous installment stay true to their original traits while finding ways to emotionally expand on them. 

For instance, Thames portrays Finney with a mix of confidence and trauma, bravely traversing through the story while also not being afraid to let his emotions take the wheel. As a result, he has some of the strongest dramatic moments in the whole film as he struggles to come to terms with his past. 

Meanwhile, McGraw plays Gwen with a looming curiosity as she eagerly wonders what causes her mysterious visions. As the runtime progresses, she finds herself at the forefront of the Grabber’s attacks, leading to many great moments of terror as she fights for her life and begins unravelling the truth. She also has a standout emotional moment at the movie’s conclusion, which is not afraid to tug at the heartstrings. 

But a horror movie would not be complete without a powerful antagonistic force, which this movie expertly showcases in Hawke’s portrayal of the Grabber. On top of having a terrifying mask design – which sits front and center on the poster – he also boasts a ruthless personality with terrifying interactions. He menacingly torments the residents of Alpine Lake, especially Finney and Gwen, making use of the camp’s various setpieces to enact his vengeance as the story uncovers more about his past. Mixed with Hawke’s brooding line delivery and unpredictable patterns, the Grabber proves himself a force to be reckoned with, despite not being physically alive. 

The rest of the cast, including Davies, Bichir, and Lore, all do fantastic in their subsequent roles, each with their own unique motivation and approach to the conflict. However, some of the new characters do not get much development and ultimately come off as filler. This is especially the case with two camp counselors played by Graham Abbey and Maev Beaty. 

When they are introduced, they are put at odds against Gwen for her psychic visions, but the movie does not do much to develop their connection. But when they finally get the chance to do so in the third act, their characters are pretty much forgotten about, appearing briefly in the climax but not interacting with Gwen – the one they were most at odds with – even once. Though the performers still do very well in their roles, I do wish the film allowed their bond to develop stronger, especially with the internal conflict they set up.

Forwarded to Voicemail

One of the most effective aspects of the first Black Phone was the overall tension and atmosphere, which I am pleased to report the sequel delivers on in its own unique way. The movie establishes a frightening conflict through the Grabber’s unexpected return, which is greatly utilized in not just character interactions, but also in more action-oriented scenes where his victims try to fight back. The movie maintains a consistently frightening tone throughout due to the antagonist’s unpredictability of when, where, and who he will strike next. As a result, it leads to many edge-of-seat moments as the paranormal activity unfolds.

Further helping this concept are the technical aspects of the film, which amplify the horrifying scenario to the eyes and ears. For the latter, the movie implements an effective musical score by Atticus Derrickson – the son of the movie’s director – which feels perfectly dreary and tense to match with the onscreen events. It also has amazing sound design, especially in scenes where the Grabber appears and torments the Alpine Lake residents. Whether it be the ominous ringing of an abandoned payphone, the muffled-yet-understandable dialogue which peers through the Grabber’s mask, or ice stakes ominously shredding across a frozen lake, the film makes terrific use of its sound to truly sell the conflict’s overarching mystery and dread.

Even the setting and cinematography has its own unnerving sense to it. As mentioned previously, the film makes use of a wide environment courtesy of the frozen tundra that is Alpine Lake. However, there’s an additional element to the cinematography which further ups the ante: the dream sequences. Whenever Gwen experiences a vision or the Grabber supernaturally attacks, the film introduces a grainy layer to the camera with occasional static to distinguish the fantastical world from reality. This approach allows the dream sequences to feel as though they have been ripped off of a VHS tape or Super 8 camera, which adds an almost-homemade feel to the tension and allows for an unnerving feel. The cinematography effectively separates the two worlds while authentically spreading fear and keeping the Grabber’s appearances consistently terrifying, both in and out of reality.  

A Demonic Dial-Up

Overall, though some characters may lack development, Black Phone 2 is a surprisingly strong sequel thanks to its expansive story, effective tension, unique cinematography, great protagonist development, convincing performances, and menacing villain. 

This movie justifies itself as more than just another cheap horror cashgrab, finding ways to expand on the predecessor while standing its own ground with new ideas and supernatural scares.

If you’re a fan of the first Black Phone, enjoy paranormal stories, or just want a good horror movie to watch ahead of Halloween, this is a terrific choice for your next watch. Black Phone 2 is currently playing in theaters across the country, including the local Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Mansfield – a less than 10-minute drive from campus! If you want to catch a great horror movie in light of the spooky season, this is a fantastic contender. 

I may not have been initially convinced that this movie was necessary, but its execution and expansion of paranormal ideas make it a call most certainly worth answering. 

My Rating