The Black Phone
UNIVERSALAfter leaving the Marvel Cinematic Universe during pre-production of Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Scott Derrickson has returned to the world of horror with The Black Phone, a supernatural thriller based on the short story of the same name by Joe Hill. Derrickson. Derrickson re-teams with co-screenwriter C. Robert Cargill to tell the story of Finney (Mason Thames), a student abducted by a serial killer dubbed “The Grabber” (Ethan Hawke) who uses a phone, inside his captured room, to communicate with the killer’s victims, who give him advice on how to escape the room and kill The Grabber. Meanwhile, Finney’s sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), is having dreams about The Grabber’s previous victims, which gives her clues on her brother’s whereabouts.
The Black Phone juggles many plot elements in its expository first half, establishing an emotional core that doesn’t quite pay off when it ends. Finney gets bullied by obnoxious-looking boys –the ‘70s…an era of weird hairstyles – who get viciously beat up by her sister who is always there to defend him. Madeleine McGraw’s previous roles have not been very impressive, but she is absolutely phenomenal in The Black Phone. Her comedic timing is not only impeccable – she has the film’s best recurring joke involving praying to Jesus – but she’s also able to brilliantly hold her own during its more harrowing moment. A scene in which she gets beat up by her abusive father (Jeremy Davies) isn’t an easy watch, but McGraw’s dramatic power is in full force. She’s able to deftly balance strong emotions in ways her previous roles didn’t allow her to do, and it’s great to see her giving her all in every single scene.
It’s just a shame that the movie forgets about her for a good chunk of it when Finney has been kidnapped. And when it does go back to Gwen, it isn’t as riveting as Finney’s story and feels like it belongs in a completely different film. The aesthetic vibes are different, especially with how Derrickson keeps the pace moving when Gwen is on screen, compared to the slower, more methodical scenes where Finney talks on the black phone with dead spirits. For instance, when Gwen discovers that one of her dreams is real, she calls the police and Pink Floyd’s On the Wall blares through the speakers.
The montage is brilliant, as it beautifully marries Brett Jutikewicz’s cinematography which has all the flair of a 1970s horror film and the vibe that the late ‘70s exudes in people’s collective memory with the best piece of music Pink Floyd has ever composed. However, compared to the languishing sequences where Finney talks on the phone and interacts with The Grabber, Gwen’s scenes feel like they belong in a Conjuring film, a detective thriller, and, finally, a Tobe Hooper-esque 16mm movie. None of these aesthetic flourishes amount to anything in particular, other than a passable tribute to Derrickson’s favorite horror movies.
As mentioned, the film takes a good amount of time before it gets to the part where Finney gets abducted by The Grabber. Once it does arrive there, Derrickson takes his sweet time to culminate to a satisfying finale. Some may appreciate the methodical pace, as Finney talks to one victim at a time to not make the same mistakes they did, and to learn more about The Grabber, while others may find it boring. But the payoff is incredible – especially its final fifteen minutes. Without revealing anything, let’s just say that it’s chock full of surprisingly cathartic moments that brought the best out of Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames.
Hawke is particularly chilling as The Grabber. He is having an amazing year at playing psychopaths, with his role as Arthur Harrow in Moon Knight being some of the best work he’s done in years. The Grabber isn’t on the same deep and psychological level as Harrow, but one can’t deny that he isn’t frightening, especially when he tricks Finney with “magic” or when he approaches the camera with a terrifying gaze through his piercing eyes. But the real star of the film is Thames, who is the film’s revelation. He not only embodies the attitude of a teenager living in 1970s America but shares the same acting talents of a young Corey Feldman in films like The Goonies and Stand By Me. And this is said with the highest possible praise – Thames is brilliant from the film’s first frame to the last, particularly during the climax where he shines the most.
But since The Black Phone has lots of pacing issues and keeps cutting back to scenes that belong in a completely different movie, Derrickson and Cargill’s script isn’t as taut, or as scary, as it should be. The concept is interesting, and the performances certainly help elevate the material, alongside some truly riveting music from Mark Korven that immediately recalls the synth-heavy rhythms of John Carpenter, but a more focused script would’ve helped The Black Phone become one of the scariest studio-driven horror films since Andy Muschietti’s It. Nonetheless, it is a decent effort, and a good enough theatrical experience, providing someone doesn’t answer their damn phone and talk on speaker in the middle of the film which happened here. It shouldn’t be reminded, but when going to the theater, don’t talk, and definitely don’t talk on the phone, even if it may be a conceptual thing to do for The Black Phone. Let Mason Thames speak on the titular phone, and enjoy the ride.