Black Phone 2

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Upon reviewing 'The Black Phone,' I think it's safe to say it's one of the better horror films in recent history. It truly impressed me with its unusual take on what would otherwise be a typical kidnapping film with a touch of torture. It introduced a supernatural element that blended a kidnapping movie with something that goes deeper than the real world. It held an eerie atmosphere, the performances were great, and every time things seemed predictable, something else would come along that I didn't see coming.

Over the last few years, however, I never ended up returning to 'The Black Phone' until I refreshed my memory of it before the sequel. I felt like I honestly had to, because the trailers were blowing my mind, and somehow I didn't remember the dream element of the story - you know, half the plot. However, in my defence, it had been a few years. Anyway, upon seeing the trailers, I, like anyone else, figured this could be the answer to reviving 'A Nightmare on Elm Street' without entirely remaking or recasting it. I'm pleased to find out that, at least for me, we were right.

Four years have passed since Finney (Mason Thames) and Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) Blake outsmarted and outwitted a creepy neighbourhood stalker known as "The Grabber" (Ethan Hawke). Slight spoiler alert (because it's clear in the trailer), in this process, Finney manages to kill the Grabber, earning him respect at school that he didn't have before, a lot more self-confidence, and, as a bonus, his father (Jeremy Davies) decided to quit drinking and being a source of pain for the siblings. Now, he goes by Finn, and he's no one to mess with, as he gets a big head about his big escape.

In the meantime, Gwen is starting to have those pesky precognitive dreams again, which last time involved the Grabber's victims, including Finn. This time, they're a little more otherworldly and involve the Alpine Lake murders of 1957, which her Mother, Hope (Anna Lore), also had precognitive dreams about at the time. Through one such dream, Gwen learns this through a phone call her mother makes to her—like some psychic connection across time. These dreams have Gwen trying to convince Finn to take a trip to Alpine Lake in an attempt to find answers about what her dreams mean this time.

Finn agrees to take the trip, knowing firsthand that when Gwen dreams of something, it's crucial. Together, they head to Alpine Lake, along with a young man named Ernesto (Miguel Mora), the brother of Robin (also Miguel Mora) from the last movie, who taught Finn everything he knows about standing up for himself. Upon their arrival, Gwen's nightmares get far more intense and seem to have real-world consequences, much like with an 'Elm Street' movie. Meanwhile, Finn finds himself on a payphone, once again communicating with the dead. This time, it's the vengeful spirit of The Grabber out for revenge against his killer.

I get the feeling that several viewers are going to point out that this is simply "ripping off" 'Elm Street', and to some degree, I get where they're coming from, but even speaking as a diehard "Fred-Head," I'd sooner say that this was probably inspired by 'Elm Street,' giving the concept a unique twist instead of just doing a remake of some sort. For that, I give it credit, and can say in all honesty that I'd take these 'Black Phone' movies back-to-back over the 2010 'Elm Street' remake any day. The similarities are abundant, but there was something about this that really hit the spot for me.

Despite hearing a few negative reviews on it already (and I mean few), I don't have much to criticize here. Maybe I have a bias towards this film, as it pretty much checks off what I look for, including a truly frightening villain, a wonderfully dark atmosphere, expansion on the story and the rules of this particular world, and, once again, solid performances by all involved. I want to see more of this world, but I also hope it doesn't get run into the ground through repetition and that they keep expanding on things. But as far as mainstream horror goes, with the potential for a new horror icon in The Grabber, this is something I really enjoy.

4/5

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