Black Phone 2 is directed by Scott Derrickson from a script he co-wrote with C. Robert Cargill as a sequel to the 2021 film The Black Phone.
Set in 1982, it follows Finn Blake (Mason Thames) as he’s trying to overcome the trauma of being kidnapped by the serial killer The Grabber before defeating him in the first film. When Finn travels to a Christian youth camp with his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), she begins to suffer from nightmarish visions of mutilated children that lead her to a ringing phone which uncovers supernatural horror.
Derrickson’s choice to set the movie at a Christian youth camp creates an entertaining dynamic between the nightmarish visions that Gwen suffers from and the religious reactions to them from the Christian counsellors at the camp. This leads to some genuinely laugh out loud moments of levity, but also a surprisingly touching ending with thoughtful commentary on our fears and desires about the afterlife.
While the horror genre has a storied tradition of possession movies which explicitly deal with Christian fears of demonic spirits, Black Phone 2 is more subtle about the religious connotations of its story. What it benefits most from is the rich visual setting and atmosphere that it creates through a warm, nostalgic despite errie mise-en-scene filled with Christian iconography, wooden bunk beds and dining holes, set against a classic Americana environment.
This is contrasted against Derrickson’s brilliantly crafted set pieces that take place in a snow-covered lake admit the isolated rural setting of the youth camp, where an iced-over lake eventually becomes the fatal battleground for the films final battle.
Most excitingly that final battle comes in the form of some of the most visually brutal horror delivered in recent years will stop Derrickson is masterful at combining fast paced shocking editing with awfully gory close ups to create a truly unnerving but cathartic experience. That comes in the form of hyper violent confrontations which put characters in genuine danger but also punish villains in a way that feels deserve it in its unrelenting and visceral brutality.
In taking a markedly more supernatural shift from the first film, Derrickson deploys the dream-infested aspects of the movie sparingly. In blurring the line between the afterlife, possession, and the real world, Derrickson cleverly allows his main villain to return in a way that is both surprising and raises the stakes of unpredictability and fear.
One sequence in particular reminds you of the unique character and style that Derrickson brings to his films. He’s known for featuring melodic rock songs in his soundtracks, naming early Pink Floyd as some of his favourites that feature across his filmography including Doctor Strange.
A road trip scene features stunning wide shots of the snow-covered landscape along with medium shots of the car travelling through a barely visible road while snow hits the windshield. Finn’s cigarette smoke, warm high-contrast lighting, and a slow-tempo cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Another Brick in the Wall’ reinforce to you the character and style which allow Derrickson’s films to stand out among a film landscape that offers new horror films every other week.
The story also has a refreshing thematic through line about the relationship between anger and fear, and the mental reconciliation required to let go of one’s fears. This is where Mason Thames in particular establishes himself as one of the most impressive and exciting young talents of recent years.
From Thames’ debut in the first movie, to his comedic and adventurous turn in this year’s How to Train your Dragon live-action adaptation, this is the first film that truly solidifies him as a dramatic force. His character is disturbed, frustrated, and beaten down in this film. And Thames manages is all of this with the nuance required to portray a character that since the first film has grown from a naive but clever young boy into a bruised yet brave young man who is hiding thinly veiled fear behind a wall of anger. This paired with Derrickson and Cargill’s script which delivers thoughtful dialogue about how to grow as a person dealing with trauma, delivers a cathartic and refreshing thematic arc for Finn and his family.
Black Phone 2 delivers everything that people want from the sort of brutal horror movies that Derrickson has become known for. All of his signature jump scares, deeply disturbing atmosphere and unrestrained violence paired with demonic imagery are on full showcase. But a stellar cast, and fresh setting that juxtaposes the cooly-lit snow-covered environment against the warm but eerie Christian youth camp keeps the film exciting enough that it offers something truly worthwhile.
