Review: Black Phone 2 Interesting ideas that never fully grab your attention”

The first “Black Phone” film masterfully balanced supernatural and human horror, crafting a compelling thriller that captured the audience’s attention. The story follows Finney (played by Mason Thames), who is kidnapped by “The Grabber” (Ethan Hawke). To escape the horrors he faces, boys who were victims of the masked madman reach out to Finney through a disconnected phone in the basement, where he is being held captive. Spoiler alert: Finney ultimately kills “The Grabber” and escapes.

Now, nearly a decade later, Finney is once again haunted by his captor, who is seeking revenge. This time, he is not only targeting Finney but also his sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw).

“Black Phone 2” presents many intriguing ideas; unfortunately, it doesn’t execute them very well. To bring “The Grabber” back, Gwen dreams of his first victims. Since their bodies were never found, he gains the power to exist in the mortal world and haunt Gwen in her dreams. However, the story falters because he is somehow able to inflict harm on others who are not present in the dream. While this concept could work, it diverges from the initial setup of the story.

Gwen is shown multiple times in a dream state, sleepwalking. A simple fix to the storytelling could have involved Gwen being driven mad by these dreams to the point where it appears she is suicidal—a plot point that is introduced but never fully explored. Additionally, “The Grabber” could have been haunting Finney simultaneously to create tighter connections between the characters.

There’s also a Christian element in this film that is never fully developed. If the filmmakers had explored this aspect more thoroughly, the notion of spirits harming people from beyond would have been more believable.

The film effectively showcases the “dream states” in a clever manner. When Gwen is dreaming, the visuals adopt a Super 8 film style, which helps to distinguish the dream world from reality. Another standout aspect of the film is Demián Bichir’s performance as Mando. He truly captivates the audience whenever he appears on screen. There is so much lore surrounding his character that we never fully explore; honestly, a prequel focused on him could have resulted in a more compelling film.

“Black Phone 2” had many interesting ideas, but unfortunately, none of them were fully developed. The story is convoluted and confusing. While there were some great moments, the film as a whole felt underwhelming. The first “Black Phone” was eerie and haunting, leaving a lasting impression long after the credits rolled. Unfortunately, “Black Phone 2” does not grab the same level of engagement.