Director/Co-Writer Scott Derrickson and Co-Writer C. Robert Cargill return with another story about dead children based on Joe Hill's 2014 short story The Black Phone, which is more of a thriller than a horror movie.
Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) is a shy teenager who lives with his little sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), and his abusive father (Jeremy Davies). Finney does what he can to protect Gwen at her father's house. Meanwhile, Gwen defends Finney against the bullies at school. The loss of his mother still haunts them, but they are still each other's strength.
Adapted from Joe Hill's short story of the same name, "The Black Phone" is a violent horror movie spirit that captures the emotions of the audience as quickly as the film's antagonist kidnaps children in broad daylight. . Ethan Hawke stars as a masked kidnapper (nicknamed "The Grabber") who terrorizes a suburban Colorado town in the 1970s. Hiding behind the facade of a bumbling wizard, he lures children in with kindness before overshadowing their world with a mace and a swarm of characteristic black balloons. The story is told from Finney's perspective as the audience gets a glimpse into his home and personal life before he becomes the kidnapper's latest victim.
Hill's tale is a creepy basic framework, allowing Derrickson and Cargill to develop the characters deeply. Finney and Gwen have an admirable relationship where they protect each other from the dangers that lurk inside and outside their home. Thames brings a tender sense of vulnerability to Finney, but his character arc is exactly what audiences want to see from an underdog leading man.
“The Black Phone” is a nerve-wracking horror layered with themes of friendship, family, and witty depictions of resilience. Every aspect of the film is emotionally compelling, addressing timeless fears with razor-sharp precision. Derrickson and Cargill's collaborative vision navigates horror down multiple paths, playing on traditional forms of strengths and weaknesses through aspects of religion and familiarity. The duo who brought "Sinister" to audiences now deliver a movie with a grim but entertaining reminder that terror is omnipresent, but sometimes you can find a lifeline in the darkest hours if you just listen.