Black Phone 2 is The Perfect Sequel to a Great Starter
Black Phone 2 is the kind of sequel one would expect from a movie of the quality of The Black Phone. It is the perfect introduction to the horror genre for those who might be too afraid to dip their toes in that lake.
If you simply watched the trailer for Black Phone 2, you would have thought the movie was ten times scarier than The Black Phone (2021). However, truly experiencing the movie will prove that it is not the case. Everything we loved from the first one is included and heightened in this sequel. The only difference is we see more blood and injuries, but they make sense within the storyline we’re being told this time around.
The plot of the movie and the character development go perfectly hand-in-hand with everything we learned during the first movie. The big twist and reveal of what actually happened to Finney (Mason Thames) and Gwen’s (Madeleine McGraw) mother makes sense. Even though we could never have predicted that something like that would be revealed, the story lines the news perfectly. It entangles the siblings’ destiny with the Grabber (Ethan Hawke) even further.
But through the twists, revelations, blood, and injuries, what stands out the most is the way the film so smoothly transitions between Gwen’s dreams and the “real world.” If we’re honest, nothing can be called real or unreal because it all happens within the same realm. Even though Gwen sees things in her dreams, those around her can perceive it, see the injuries, and fight the Grabber as well. For all intents and purposes, however, things happen in Gwen’s dreams and in the real world.
The way the screen turns grainy when Gwen is dreaming helps viewers differentiate what we’re seeing and where it is happening. But it is also important to separate when the two get combined. The final moment when they kill the Grabber again is a combination of Grace’s dream and reality, so the grainy transition helps mix the two perfectly. The sound also becomes echoey and low, pushing the feeling of danger and fear further within the audience.
This editing choice, combined with the soundtrack, creates the perfect environment for viewers to feel the same fear Finney and Gwen are feeling. The beauty of it is that when both siblings stop fearing the Grabber, we, as the audience, do too. These choices connect us so deeply to the characters that we feel absolutely everything they feel: the fear, the relief of watching him die for good, the sadness for their mother, and even the happiness Gwen feels when she hears her mother is in a beautiful place.
While The Black Phone focused more on Finney’s story, Black Phone 2 makes Gwen shine. Even though her scenes in the first movie were memorable because of her sense of humor, her scenes in the sequel are memorable for the incredible talent McGraw displays. Every scream, tear, facial expression, and movement is carefully calculated and delivered for viewers to feel her emotions. We fear for her, but we know she is strong enough to survive everything she’s facing. McGraw’s performance is rare excellence, perfectly suited to the horror genre.
Black Phone 2 is a puzzle of smartly made choices that make this movie stand on the level of the first one. A choice that stands out is that of bringing Miguel Mora back to play Ernesto, Robin’s brother. There is something special about bringing the final boy who helped Finney stay alive to protect Gwen. It feels like a full-circle moment. Robin helped Finney, and Ernesto helps Gwen. Mora delivers a calmer, heartwarming, and peaceful performance that contrasts with his work in The Black Phone. Robin was tough, strong, and fearless, whereas Ernesto is a gentler version of this. Both characters, however, bring out the best in the siblings.
If we are here to talk about character development, Terrence must be mentioned. The alcoholic, angry, violent father who left the siblings unprotected is nowhere to be seen. Instead, we get an overprotective, sober father who cashes in a favor to rescue his children stuck in a storm. He is now a father who listens to his daughter talk about her dreams and puts in the effort to help them escape the demons that are hunting them. He has grown in a way that not many do, allowing the siblings to be themselves fully.
Black Phone 2 is the kind of sequel one would expect from a movie of the quality of The Black Phone. It is the perfect introduction to the horror genre for those who might be too afraid to dip their toes in that lake. While there are jump scares, the tension lies more in knowing what is happening and how to defeat it than in scaring viewers. It is a great continuation of this universe and its characters, allowing them all to shine the way they deserve to.
Black Phone 2 is now playing in theatres.
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