Crafting a successful film sequel is far from a menial task. In addition to the challenges inherent to all modes of filmmaking, creators must walk the delicate line of honoring previous material while also providing a fresh experience for viewers. The horror genre is no stranger to such struggle, as very few sequels within this category manage to garner mass critical acclaim. Through this lens, Blumhouse Production’s “Black Phone 2” provides a fascinating case study. 2021’s “The Black Phone” stands as one of the most critically and financially successful horror films of the decade thus far, and is especially commendable given its stature as an unknown IP released in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Then, naturally, the question arises of whether “Black Phone 2” can achieve a similarly unexpected feat by overcoming the aforementioned horror sequel curse and supplying a thoughtful, creatively emboldened extension of its predecessor.
Set in 1982, four years after the events of the first film, “Black Phone 2” continues the story of Finney Blake (Mason Thames), a teenage boy with the ability to communicate with souls trapped in purgatory via telephone calls. Finney’s clairvoyant younger sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), starts having visions of murders that occurred at a nearby lake camp over two decades prior. In an effort to expunge her troubling dreams, Gwen convinces Finney to accompany her in working for the camp with the underlying motive of uncovering the mystery surrounding the grounds. Upon the siblings’ arrival, things immediately go awry as the area becomes enveloped in a relentless snowstorm. To make matters worse, Finney receives a call from the scornful soul of the Grabber (Ethan Hawke), the masked serial killer whom Finney presumably put to rest in the first film. Held captive by the ongoing storm, Finney, Gwen, and the camp’s other attendants must survive the Grabber’s onslaught of vengeful violence and, in the process, unearth the truths of what happened at the camp all those years ago.
Strikingly unafraid to revel in the supernatural aspects of its premise, “Black Phone 2” promptly distinguishes itself from the much more grounded, thriller-like approach of its predecessor. Shifting the narrative backdrop from the late 1970s to the early 80s, the film successfully creates a nightmarish atmosphere not unlike the slew of fantastical horror from the decade it is set within. The palpable sense of dread felt throughout is largely owed to the confidence imbued in Scott Derrickson’s direction, which sees a marked improvement over the admittedly stagnant, muddied greys of the prequel. Dynamic color grading, kinetic camerawork, and the mystique of the sequel’s wintry locale interweave seamlessly to more deeply entrench viewers in the film’s chilling outlandishness. The dream sequences are a particular highlight, differentiating themselves with cinematography that effectively mimics the charming imperfections of old-school cameras, complete with intense contrast, heavy film grain, shaky movement, and sporadic visual hiccups.
Unfortunately, several other components of “Black Phone 2” are more of a mixed bag, mostly due to the shoddy writing underpinning it all. One of the less favorable continuums of the series so far, the screenplay by Derrickson and his long-time collaborator, C. Robert Cargill, leaves much to be desired. Dialogue is noticeably inconsistent, jumping from adequate to lifeless to just plain bizarre. The latter is especially true for the character of Gwen, accentuated by Madeleine McGraw’s occasionally awkward line delivery. Meanwhile, Mason Thames and Ethan Hawke’s respective performances as Finney and the Grabber are highlights, but are still notably dimmed by the script’s lack of character. By extension, the film exhibits a lackadaisical attitude towards adding depth to its limited cast.
This attitude is most odd, considering the precedence the film places on psychological horror as opposed to visceral gore. There is an underlying theme of trauma encapsulated by the Blake siblings and their past experiences; Finney’s captivity under the Grabber in the first film has evidently left him scarred, while Gwen views herself as a mentally unstable outcast as a result of her psychic abilities. It does not take a brilliantly creative mind to imagine the wealth of character intrigue that could be derived from this setup, but the film seems rather disinterested in employing it. Similar negligence manifests in spurts throughout the entire screenplay, whether that be the clunky logic surrounding Gwen’s clairvoyance or the addition of characters that serve little to no narrative purpose.
However flawed it may be, “Black Phone 2” makes a commendable effort to expand the series in a way that avoids simply retreading familiar territory. The film’s core is surging with conceptual creativity, but without a refined script, its artistic vision consistently finds itself muddled by an unbalanced foundation. The talent on display bears a level of competence that allows for momentary thrills, but not quite enough for the film to resonate long after the phone is hung up.
“Black Phone 2” is out now, only in theaters.