GlitchGoblin
Well-known member
Blumhouse's Black Phone 2 Stumbles, Adding Unnecessary Complications to a Simple Horror Formula.
The highly anticipated sequel to The Black Phone, which became a surprise hit after its 2022 release, finally arrives as a desperate attempt by Blumhouse to revive their once-horror-focused filmography. Unfortunately, the movie feels more like a calculated cash-grab than a genuinely terrifying horror experience.
With its 1970s setting and small-town atmosphere, Black Phone 2 initially pays homage to classic Stephen King adaptations, but quickly devolves into a messy, overstuffed narrative that prioritizes unnecessary plot twists over genuine scares. The film's villain, the Grabber, is marked by a queer-coded undertone that's awkwardly handled, while Ethan Hawke's portrayal feels flat and lacks the campiness that made his character in the first film so memorable.
The story follows Finn (Mason Thames) and his sister Gwen as they face off against the Grabber once again at an alpine Christian camp for kids. However, the addition of a supernatural element involving Elm Street and dreams only serves to muddy the waters, making it difficult to take the Grabber seriously as a frightening villain. The film's attempt to add depth to its characters by introducing backstories and moral panics falls flat, with the added religious theme feeling like a contrived attempt to appeal to a wider audience.
Visually, the movie is a mixed bag, with an 8mm texture that feels more like a stylistic gimmick than a genuine attempt to create atmosphere. The pacing is also slow, making it difficult to get fully invested in the story. The cast, aside from Hawke, struggles to make an impact, and the film's unscary set pieces feel like a chore to watch.
In the end, Black Phone 2 feels like a low-lift effort that fails to deliver on its promise of a compelling horror sequel. With its convoluted plot, lackluster scares, and poor pacing, it's a must-avoid for anyone looking for a genuinely terrifying movie experience.
The highly anticipated sequel to The Black Phone, which became a surprise hit after its 2022 release, finally arrives as a desperate attempt by Blumhouse to revive their once-horror-focused filmography. Unfortunately, the movie feels more like a calculated cash-grab than a genuinely terrifying horror experience.
With its 1970s setting and small-town atmosphere, Black Phone 2 initially pays homage to classic Stephen King adaptations, but quickly devolves into a messy, overstuffed narrative that prioritizes unnecessary plot twists over genuine scares. The film's villain, the Grabber, is marked by a queer-coded undertone that's awkwardly handled, while Ethan Hawke's portrayal feels flat and lacks the campiness that made his character in the first film so memorable.
The story follows Finn (Mason Thames) and his sister Gwen as they face off against the Grabber once again at an alpine Christian camp for kids. However, the addition of a supernatural element involving Elm Street and dreams only serves to muddy the waters, making it difficult to take the Grabber seriously as a frightening villain. The film's attempt to add depth to its characters by introducing backstories and moral panics falls flat, with the added religious theme feeling like a contrived attempt to appeal to a wider audience.
Visually, the movie is a mixed bag, with an 8mm texture that feels more like a stylistic gimmick than a genuine attempt to create atmosphere. The pacing is also slow, making it difficult to get fully invested in the story. The cast, aside from Hawke, struggles to make an impact, and the film's unscary set pieces feel like a chore to watch.
In the end, Black Phone 2 feels like a low-lift effort that fails to deliver on its promise of a compelling horror sequel. With its convoluted plot, lackluster scares, and poor pacing, it's a must-avoid for anyone looking for a genuinely terrifying movie experience.
and honestly it was such a letdown 
i loved the first one so much but this sequel felt like they were trying too hard to be smart and scary instead of just being creepy 
the grabber's supposed villainous twist was super awkward and the whole elm street thing was just confusing 
the only good part was ethan hawke but even he couldn't save it from the slow pace and lackluster scares 
gotta say, blumhouse needs to stick to what they're good at making simple yet effective horror flicks 
I gotta say, I was super hyped for Black Phone 2 but honestly, it feels like they were just phoning it in (no pun intended) 
. The Grabber's vibe is kinda weird and the supernatural Elm Street connection doesn't add anything to the story. And can we talk about Ethan Hawke's character? I mean, I love him, but he's not as iconic as his first film role 
. Overall, it feels like a cash-grab sequel that fails to deliver on its promise 
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! I went in expecting another creepy thrill ride from Blumhouse, but what I got was a jumbled mess of a movie that tried to be everything and nothing at the same time 
. The Grabber's vibe just didn't land for me - I mean, who thought making him queer-coded would be a good idea when it feels so forced? 
And don't even get me started on the pacing... slow and plodding is not my cup of tea 
like the grabber's vibe is supposed to be queer coded but no one does it justice 
and ethan hawke's character just feels like a total cop out compared to his first film 
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and don't even get me started on the pace of this movie i was literally counting down the minutes until it ended 
i mean, blumhouse is all about cheap thrills but this one takes the cake - a grabber with a queer twist that's so awkwardly handled it's cringeworthy 
and what's up with the elm street supernatural thingy? it just adds unnecessary complications to an already simple horror formula 
. I mean, I loved the first one, but this sequel is like, totally not what I wanted 
. They tried to add too many new plot twists and it just gets confusing 
. And Ethan Hawke's character? Meh, I miss the old campy vibes from the first film 
. Can't wait for a better horror movie to come out! 
. but maybe its a bit too much for black phone 2 to handle? 8mm texture? sounds like a cool visual effect tho 
gotta admit, i was hyped for this movie, but now im kinda disappointed 
. And don't even get me started on the pacing - I was checking my watch like 3 times during the movie 
... I'm still gonna see Black Phone 2 tho, 'cause I loved the first one so much 
but overall i gotta agree, this sequel is a total miss 
and that queer-coded undertone is just awkward fam. the story's just all over the place, trying to be too many things at once. and what's with the elm street stuff? it's just a weird add-on 
And don't even get me started on Ethan Hawke's character, his portrayal is so flat compared to his first film. 
. But this sequel just feels like they took all the good stuff from the original and mashed it up with a bunch of random elements that don't really work together 
The movie was so slow and the pacing was all over the place. I swear, my kid fell asleep halfway through it 
. Overall, I'd say this one's a miss for our household 