Day 16: Black Phone 2 - A Supernatural Return.
Having rewatched the original Black Phone last night, I knew I had to check out Black Phone 2 as soon as possible. To my surprise, it was actually showing today at Movietowne. Now, you might be wondering why this franchise even needed a sequel, and honestly, I couldn’t tell you either. But hey, we love movies over here, so that just means more for me to watch inno.
After the first film, I had no idea where the story could go next. With The Grabber gone, the options felt limited. Maybe a family member or a copycat would take up his twisted work. But that’s not what Black Phone 2 does. It takes a turn that few would see coming, especially if you skipped the trailer. The Grabber is back but not how you would think. He’s now like our boy Freddy Kreuger, haunting his victims from a parallel world, which seems to be a spirit realm.
Image Courtesy Universal Studios.
This movie takes us to 1982, a few years after Finney (Mason Thames) became the only survivor and killer of the man who grabbed headlines nationwide as a brutal child killer. Just like any survivor, Finney struggles with what he experienced. He lashes out at the people at school, he uses marijuana and alcohol to numb the pain and just tries his best to ignore the ringing phones, so that he can try to move on with his life. Although he was the main character of the first film, it’s actually his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) who pushes the story forward.
Gwen’s ability really takes center stage this time. She’s pulled into a new and unsettling mystery connected to her family’s past. Her dreams lead her to Alpine Lake, a Christian camp where her mother once worked as a counselor back in the 1950s. It’s a clever move to bring their mom into the story, since the first film barely touched on who she was or what she went through.
Gwen, Finney, and Ernesto (Miguel Mora) set out for Alpine Lake, determined to uncover what really happened there and finally bring the truth to light. Oh, and before I forget, Ernesto is the younger brother of Robin, one of The Grabber’s victims from the first film. His role isn’t huge, but his connection to that tragedy adds a layer of shared pain that ties all three characters together.
With The Grabber now existing in the spirit realm, he feels more like a Freddy Krueger–type figure than anything else. That’s not to say the filmmakers copied Freddy’s powers, but the influence is definitely there, even as they put their own spin on it. He’s still terrifying, no doubt about that, but his reintroduction comes a bit too late. The movie spends so much time exploring the mystery behind Alpine Lake that when The Grabber finally steps back into the picture, it all feels a little rushed. It’s not a deal-breaker by any means, but the pacing might throw some viewers off.
The Black Phone 2 stands out as one of the stronger horror releases of the year. With solid performances, striking visuals, and a bold new take on its main villain, it manages to expand the story in ways that feel both fresh and meaningful. Beyond the scares, it’s a film about lingering trauma, family, and how the past refuses to stay buried, all wrapped in a story that still delivers plenty of tension and atmosphere. It may stumble a bit with pacing, but what it gets right easily outweighs the flaws. If you’re a fan of the first movie or just love a good supernatural thriller, this one’s worth the trip to the cinema. So, grab some friends, hit up the cinema, and see what horrors await on the other end of the line.