Blumhouse's attempt to revive The Black Phone franchise with its sequel has fallen flat, as it tries to milk a mediocre horror foundation for all it's worth. Writer-director Scott Derrickson and co-writer C Robert Cargill have taken the series in an unconvincing direction, turning a flesh-and-blood villain into a supernatural one that never quite materializes.
The Grabber, played once again by Ethan Hawke with a swishy flair, is now a ghostly figure with abilities to cross over from dreams to reality. However, his unsettling presence is consistently undermined by convoluted and confusing rules that hinder his ability to terrify audiences. Unlike Freddy Krueger, the Grabber lacks humor and genuinely frightening moments, leaving him feeling more like a caricature than a menacing foe.
The sequel's attempts to add depth and backstory to both the protagonist Finn (Mason Thames) and the antagonist Grabber only serve to overcomplicate the narrative, making it feel busier and less engaging. The film also relies on contrived scene-setting and an unnecessary religious element that feels like a desperate attempt to appeal to a wider audience.
The result is a sequel that feels overstuffed and unwieldy, with too much repetition and not enough scares. Even Ethan Hawke's presence can't save the day, as he's often buried under layers of exposition and poor storytelling choices. The film's tone veers wildly from atmospherically grand to cringe-worthy, with an 8mm texture effect that feels like a stylistic gimmick rather than an organic choice.
Ultimately, Black Phone 2 is a low-lift effort that fails to live up to the promise of its predecessor. At just under two hours, it's a needlessly long and unconvincing argument for a franchise that never quite materialized. Unless you're a die-hard fan of The Conjuring or Blumhouse franchises, there's little reason to get on board with this sequel.
The Grabber, played once again by Ethan Hawke with a swishy flair, is now a ghostly figure with abilities to cross over from dreams to reality. However, his unsettling presence is consistently undermined by convoluted and confusing rules that hinder his ability to terrify audiences. Unlike Freddy Krueger, the Grabber lacks humor and genuinely frightening moments, leaving him feeling more like a caricature than a menacing foe.
The sequel's attempts to add depth and backstory to both the protagonist Finn (Mason Thames) and the antagonist Grabber only serve to overcomplicate the narrative, making it feel busier and less engaging. The film also relies on contrived scene-setting and an unnecessary religious element that feels like a desperate attempt to appeal to a wider audience.
The result is a sequel that feels overstuffed and unwieldy, with too much repetition and not enough scares. Even Ethan Hawke's presence can't save the day, as he's often buried under layers of exposition and poor storytelling choices. The film's tone veers wildly from atmospherically grand to cringe-worthy, with an 8mm texture effect that feels like a stylistic gimmick rather than an organic choice.
Ultimately, Black Phone 2 is a low-lift effort that fails to live up to the promise of its predecessor. At just under two hours, it's a needlessly long and unconvincing argument for a franchise that never quite materialized. Unless you're a die-hard fan of The Conjuring or Blumhouse franchises, there's little reason to get on board with this sequel.
. I mean, the Grabber is still super unsettling but it feels like they tried too hard to make him more supernatural and not scary at all 
. And what's up with the rules? It's like they couldn't decide how he was supposed to work 
. For me, it's always been about that tension and the atmosphere of the first one 
. This sequel just doesn't have that same chill 
.
the grabber is literally so underrated and ethan hawke is always a great addition to any horror movie - what was blumhouse thinking with this direction tho?? 
the rules for the grabber's powers are just too convoluted and confusing, it's hard to take him seriously as a villain 
i'm gonna have to rewatch the first one now, maybe i missed something or misremembered 
. I mean, who thought turning a flesh-and-blood villain into a ghostly figure would be a good idea? It just doesn't make sense 
. I loved the first one so much, it was such a creepy and fun ride, but this sequel just feels like they're trying too hard to be all deep and stuff 
. And what's up with the 8mm texture effect? Sounds like some random gimmick they thought would make it edgy 
. Anyways, I'd say skip this one unless you're a total fan of Blumhouse 
ethan hawke's character, The Grabber, is literally just a ghost with no real threat 
and the plot's all over the place 
i mean, who needs that many twists & turns? 
meanwhile this sequel is expected to do what, like 20-30% of its budget in ticket sales 
The supernatural twist was a total misfire and made the Grabber feel like a joke 
At least The Conjuring franchise is consistent, you know what you're getting with that one 
, but I just rewatched Black Phone 2 and I gotta say, it was such a disappointment 
. I'm still waiting for a good horror franchise to come along and scare me again 
The Grabber's supernatural abilities actually sounded kinda cool in theory, but in practice they're just too weird and inconsistent 
. The Grabber's lack of humor is defo a misstep, though... I mean, who wants to watch a villain that's just too serious all the time? 
I mean, Ethan Hawke is still involved and that's always a plus in my book! 
Maybe they can just reboot the whole thing and try again from scratch? 
That'd be a silver lining for fans who loved the first one...and who knows, maybe they'll get it right next time! 
️ ethan hawke is still amazing tho but even he cant save this mess 
ugh, blumhouse needs to step up their game next time 
ethan hawke cant save this one either he's wasted on too much exposition and cringe-worthy dialogue 
. At least The Conjuring films know how to keep it scary and focused, this one feels like they're trying too hard to please everyone