The Black Phone 2 Review: A holistic improvement
Spoilers ahead for The Black Phone 2!
For context, I wasn't a huge fan of the first film. Maybe it was too hyped up for me, or maybe I was just expecting a different flavor of film, but it was disappointing. I still enjoyed the movie (see my review here for more thoughts), but it didn't cut through for me as much as it did for many.
Thankfully, I found that this was better than the first movie by a pretty solid margin. I think leaning into the more supernatural also retrospectively made me enjoy the first film more, because that film kind of felt like it was a non-supernatural movie except for just a couple of moments, which felt more like plot convenience than a deliberate choice. This film, by comparison, feels a lot stronger and more intentional.
The Black Phone 2 leans into the supernatural more intentionally than its predecessor, and the elements come together to make a stronger, more character-driven thriller with genuinely funny and earnest moments.
The main characters are better than ever in the sequel! I really like the cast here. Like the first film, I felt the characters themselves were easily the best part of the film, even if the Grabber could've used a little more screen time in both of them. There were quite a few times when Gwen made me laugh pretty hard. I love how earnest this film is, with its Christian and familial themes highlighted in a rather beautiful way that contrasts with the film's more horrifying main plot. Gwen's character really brings that great flavor in every scene of hers.
I don't think this is a spectacular movie. Neither this film nor the first really felt scary to me; it was more of a thriller. Obviously, kids who were murdered are a hard thing to watch in any movie, but this is definitely a very light horror movie outside of the one scene where the dude's face is cut in half. I do appreciate that this film is one I could show to my kids as one of their first R-rated horrors, though!
While some films get me caring about the characters and unnerve me a lot more than this film, that's just my personal opinion. This is a fantastically made film, and I totally understand why many people like it more than I do.
The Reel Ranker Verdict
Reel or Unreel? - Reel
The Reel Ranker Score: 68%
Letter Score: B+
Star Ranking: 3.5 out of 5
I'm really intrigued to see what Scott Derrickson and his crew could cook up for a third film, as he's stated he'll do more if he gets a good script. Even though these movies aren't my favorite films ever, I'll happily keep watching them as long as they are put out because they really are just solid, character-driven thrill rides. Derrickson continues to prove he's an effective horror director!
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