Written by Cameron Geiser

After the refreshingly small scale and gritty nature of The Black Phone, especially with how that film ended, I was perplexed when hearing that work had begun on a sequel. However rest easy folks, Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill have given us a worthy sequel that isn’t afraid to go a little bananas in its execution of terror at times- and that’s a good thing. One of the best aspects of the first film were the characters, those performances from competent child actors, and their dialogue. While this one may not have as many snappy comebacks, what the script does with the world built from the pages of that film here is truly delectable. Cargill and Derrickson have expanded not only on how this world operates in relation to the supernatural, but also in the backstory and family of the two main characters Finney (Mason Thames) and his younger sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw). Yes, this time around it’s four years later and the focus of the film lies more with Gwen, though Finney is involved pretty much every step of the way.

When Gwen starts receiving grisly visions of three boys being pursued and murdered in a wintry camp setting she sets out to solve the mystery with Finney and Ernie (Miguel Mora), the older brother of Robin in the first film, who was also portrayed by Mora. Gwen now sleepwalks through her visions blending the real world with that of the dead, where entities that have passed on lurk in the shadows. It’s no secret that the Grabber (Played again by Ethan Hawke) returns in this film- his mask is all over the marketing and trailers, but it’s his focus and intensity this time around that make him that much sharper of a villain. There was a playful awkwardness to his performance in the first film, whereas now he’s an outright spirit of retribution fully intent on exacting his revenge. While he is a compelling force to contend with, it’s in his new intangibility as an undead Slasher that he becomes more than before, bolder, more confident, and honestly I thought he was scarier this time around.

*Black Phone 2* is a scarier and more captivating film than its predecessor, even when it gets more out of control.

I personally enjoyed this one more than the first film even though it is a bit more unwieldy and goes bigger in many aspects. While the lines of how things work between the real and the supernatural are blurrier now, I thought the slightly more Gonzo antics of the Grabber were A) more visually interesting this time and B) closer to that of other established icons in the genre. While the Nightmare on Elm Street influences are easily identifiable Black Phone 2 wades into new waters and maintains the integrity of the characters while deepening the storytelling established in the first film. I may also be influenced by the shift in tone here as well, this one is more lighthearted overall even though things can get insane in the third act. This film is more akin to the recent Halloween trilogy while the first film was closer to Derrickson’s Sinister when it comes to tone. Black Phone 2 serves as a solid sequel that earns its keep. The film series could end here and be perfectly acceptable, but to be honest with you, I’d watch another one if they make it.

Cameron Geiser is an avid consumer of films and books about filmmakers. He'll watch any film at least once, and can usually be spotted at the annual Traverse City Film Festival in Northern Michigan. He also writes about film over at www.spacecortezwrites.com.