Scott Derrickson returns with Black Phone 2, a sequel that delves deeply into both the trauma from the first film and the terror that remains in its wake. Four years after Finn’s disturbing experience with The Grabber, he’s struggling to find his place in the world. Mason Thames’ Finn silently struggles, trying to numb his pain by smoking and hiding the depth of his trauma. While his sister Gwen, once again played by Madeleine McGraw, becomes the heart of the story as she dreams about her mom and three missing boys at a youth camp. Together, the siblings are pulled into a mystery that refuses to let the dead stay dead.
The Grabber
Where the original film gripped us with its atmospheric tension in one central location, Black Phone 2 expands beyond the walls of The Grabber’s basement in more ways than one. During the Q&A after the film’s screening, writer C. Robert Cargill told the audience that he was inspired by an idea for the sequel from horror author Joe Hill. His script fleshes out the lore surrounding The Grabber and his connection to this family. Thus, it takes us on a journey to discover just how entangled these three are. The film still carries a visual uneasiness from the first film, even more so as Derrickson leans into what you can’t see and the truth that lies beneath the surface.
Finn and Gwen
It’s the performances that take this film to the next level. Thames and McGraw grow into their roles with maturity that makes their bond believable. Jeremy Davies’ presence as their father adds complexity to their shattered home life, grounding the supernatural elements with the raw pain that’s palpable throughout. Derrickson’s direction keeps the film sharp, balancing a slow burn with moments of literal ice-cold dread.
Technically, the film shines. The setting of the Colorado snow-covered mountains, combined with its sound design, creates a sense of isolation. Even Pär M. Ekberg’s cinematography highlights the theme that hell isn’t fire, but ice. Once the world is built, Derrickson hits us over the head with a horrifying truth: dead is merely a word. Black Phone 2 is less about shocking you and more about haunting you. It’s a well-crafted, unsettling sequel that honors its origins while carving out new ground, solidifying The Grabber as one of modern horror’s most enduring nightmares that lingers beyond the film’s credits.
