Monsters can be real or imaginary. Whether they exist in the same place or time is irrelevant because they are everywhere — awake or dreaming, they lurk and menace us, they haunt us, scare us and take away our power. They make us feel small and helpless — until we remember we aren’t. That is the realization at the heart of The Black Phone . A boy is reminded of his strength by those who failed to survive. Now, several years later, he’ll have to be reminded again, but in Black Phone 2 , his life isn’t the only one on the line.
Finney’s ( Mason Thames ) PTSD is obvious, even if no one is willing to address it. He self-medicates with marijuana, while Gwen ( Madeleine McGraw ) tries to make sure he doesn’t fall off the deep end. The problem is he still gets phantom phone calls, and she still has clairvoyant dreams. When both become worse, they decide to go to the source: a winter camp in the mountains called Alpine Lake. Snowed in by a blizzard, they’re forced to once again face The Grabber ( Ethan Hawke ), who’s re-emerged from an icy hell. In death, he may have finally found a way to get what he always wanted from Finney.
It would be wrong to assume Freddy Krueger has a monopoly on dream killing. There’s no doubt he’s one of the most well-known ghostly fiends, slashing his way through dozens of teens since 1984. But done right, a new villain could be added to the list of potentially lethal nightmares. The Grabber earns his spot by tormenting Finney and Gwen in familiar — but also unique — ways. Most notably, after a few years of practice, he’s learned how to affect the real world from the dream realm, which is deftly characterized by its grainy appearance.
The first movie set a high bar. It was spine-chilling to watch the child killer toy with his would-be victim. Each ring of the broken black phone in the bleak basement was unnerving yet hopeful as the dead boys tried to help Finney from beyond the grave. Now, the dead boys are just as unsettling, but they’re the ones in need of help. They desperately try to send messages to Finney and Gwen through the ice and snow, but The Grabber is on the same channel.
This film is part sequel, part origin story. To make sense of current events, they must unravel what happened in the past, not just with The Grabber, but with Finney and Gwen’s mom (Anna Lore), too. She’s the source of Gwen’s premonitions, as well as her fear that the visions will drive her mad. Understanding everyone’s connection to Alpine Lake may be the key to putting the killer to rest.
Attempts to break the tension with the occasional laugh are a welcome respite. Gwen’s verbal sparring with one half of the camp’s uptight Christian managers never disappoints. She’s even more vulgar now, regularly spouting unconventional yet creative curses whenever the slightest opportunity presents itself.
In addition to Alpine Lake’s two front office staff ( Maev Beaty and Graham Abbey), the camp’s owner, Mando ( Demián Bichir ), serves as a well-meaning resource of historical information. His niece, Mustang ( Arianna Rivas ), is an out-of-place cowgirl not afraid to jump into the fray or provide some narrative support. While she may be Finney’s potential love interest, Gwen has Ernesto (Miguel Mora). He happens to be one of the dead boy’s little brothers and a believer, which makes him a valuable if peripheral ally. In the end, it’s up to Finney and Gwen to do the heavy lifting.
Luckily, Thames and McGraw didn’t stop acting and were available to reprise their roles. They’ve grown with their characters, creating an intimate continuity with their fictional personalities. Audiences are immediately reminded of the connection they made four years ago with two scared kids and empathize with their despair over having to go through it again.
It’s rare for a sequel to match its predecessor, but this is one of those rare occasions. Director Scott Derrickson and his co-writing team return to create a film that’s equally creepy, while also successfully reimagining a classic horror technique.
Black Phone 2 opens in theatres Oct. 17.
