“ Black Phone 2 ” is all you want in a horror series

Most often, horror consequences are weak imitations of the original, a cheap and fast cash entered which strikes the same beats in a slightly different way. Black phone 2 is not that. It is a sequel that changes and raises the original in a way you never expect. You learn more about the world, the characters, the killer, and in the end, it is almost as if the original was just a table frame for the horrors of its follow -up.

Once again made by Scott Derrickson, based on a script of him and C. Robert Cargill, Black phone 2 resumes four years after the original. In this film, Finney (Mason Thames) was kidnapped by the Grabber (Ethan Hawke), which he finally killed with the help of the ghosts of the other victims of the Grabber, and the paranormal capacities of his little sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw). The bravery and the courageous personality of Gwen were the highlights of this film, but it was largely relegated to the sidelines. Here, not only do we get more from it, Black phone 2 is mainly his film, and it’s better for that.

The original film also killed the Grabber quite definitively, so when Gwen begins to dream of a former set of murders, and Finney begins to receive telephone calls from him, things change instantly. They no longer deal with a real person in their neighborhood – it is now something more scary and a story that dates back decades.

Black phone 2 has a lot to establish at the beginning and, for this reason, it takes a while to start. We spend time with Finney and Gwen in their high school, which is more violent, but also more romantic. We see what the events of the first film have made them and the world around them. There is also the brand new story, which focuses on a winter camp that Gwen continues to dream. The film must clearly establish why this brother and sister would gladly go in this camp, knowing the horror that could wait. Finally, there is a very good hook, but it then requires even more exhibition to be honored.

Once Black phone 2 Earns at the camp, however, everything changes. Not only in history, but in the nature of the film itself. The first Black phone was largely a supernatural thriller where we have joined our nails hoping that Finney and the ghosts could thwart the Grabber. Now, the Grabber is dead, therefore its contact with the brothers and sisters is a brand new brand of horror. And when you filter this through Gwen’s dreams, there are more than a few nuances of Freddy Krueger along the way.

Beyond that, the film borrows fairly generous (but never distracted) from other classic horror films of the 1970s and 1980s. The snowy setting is reminiscent The brilliant; that it is a camp near a lake is reminiscent Friday 13. (In addition to Nightmare on Elm StreetThere are other winks and headlinations everywhere.) All this works in tandem to do Black phone 2 The transformation of a thriller like the original into a more slasher film feels seamless. It works beautifully and allows blood to start flowing in a way that goes far beyond the original film.

More importantly, the best thing about Black phone 2 is Finney and Gwen. Their relationship was the best part of the original, and here they are together for the whole film. Thames is excellent as a hardwood, a boy completely changed by everything he has experienced. But the real star is McGraw, whose dream warrior of the mouth of the mouth and religion is funny, heartbreaking, heroic and delicious at the same time. Whenever we are with one of them (or preferably both), the film also shines brighter. Add Demián Bichir as a camp leader, Jeremy Davies returning as a father, and the star of the original film Miguel Mora – who played the Kick -Ass Robin in this film and returns here as brother Ernesto – and you have more than enough to bring to bring Black phone 2 at completely new levels.

And it goes to all new levels. Without spoiling, Black phone 2 Not only evolves the nature of the franchise, but it also adds more mythology and depth. We learn things here that recontextualizes everything we have seen in the original, which yes, has largely to do with how and why the Grabber has become so incredibly bad. For this purpose, Ethan Hawke is still so terrifying, even if we see it especially in the mask.

Black phone 2 Can take some time to start, but its main performance, its primary relationship and its twists are worth it. It is filled with great moments of horror, a few laughs and even a nice emotion to attach everything together. The first film was certainly solid, but it is excellent. The rare continuation which surpasses its predecessor.

Black phone 2 I had its world premiere at the Fantastic Fest 2025 and opens everywhere on October 17.

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