Director – Scott Derrickson (Doctor Strange, Hellraiser: Inferno)
Starring – Mason Thames (Walker, For All Mankind), Madeleine McGraw (Pacific Rim: Uprising, Ant-Man and the Wasp), and Ethan Hawke (The Purge, Daybreakers)
Release Date – 2021
Rating – 4/5
I know Blumhouse releases are hit and miss with me but when I find one I like I really fucking love them. However, if it’s one I don’t care for I find myself completely miserable while I struggle to finish it. I was on the fence when news broke that a short from author Joe Hill was being turned into a film starring Ethan Hawke. I was worried that it was going to be another dud from Blumhouse. However, as the release date approached and the trailer started making it’s rounds I was actually excited to check it out.
A few weeks ago I received an email regarding a press package for the physical release of the film. I reached out to them and they were kind enough to provide me with one. It arrived with some black balloons, some missing persons posters, and the film which was locked. I had to uncover the combination to unlock it which was easy after watching the trailer. I then watched The Black Phone twice in just as many days. It was an amazing film and I’m thankful I was able to check it out.
**spoiler Alert** The film follows a young teenage boy names Finney (Thames) who finds himself abducted by a serial kidnapper and murderer known as The Grabber (Hawke). He tries to escape but soon finds that his efforts are useless. That is until a black phone on the wall starts ringing with the ghosts of The Grabber’s former victims on the other end helping him so he doesn’t become another phantom on the other side of the phone. **Spoiler Alert**
The Black Phone has it’s fans and those that love to hate it. It’s not as polarizing as Malignant and some other films that were released post-Covid but those that hate it sure do love to hate it. With that being said, I fucking loved it. It was a fantastic film that I could see myself watching several more times before I tire of it.
The acting in this one is fucking fantastic. The entire cast delivers unforgettable and top notch performances. The cast is young but they show talent well above their years. I loved the casting and the energy we get in each scene. Also, Hawke delivers my favorite performance of his to date. I loved the personality and how his character didn’t really follow other cliches like most horror films do.
The story for this one is not what I was expecting but it’s extremely well written and holds your attention from scene to scene. I loved how the story on paper sounds extremely corny and awkward but once it is transferred to the screen it becomes a serious horror film that keeps you glued to the screen regardless of how many times you’ve watched it. I loved the dialogue, the character development, and how everything comes full circle within the film.
Finally, the film has some make-up effects and a few shots of visual effects but the deaths are not as memorable as the film is. This is the only disappointing aspect of the entire film in my opinion. Overall, The Black Phone may not topple X as my favorite horror film of the year but it’s easily in my top 5 picks for the year. I fucking loved it and I don’t see why the film got the hate that it does. I highly recommend checking this one out.
