When Scott Derrickson first made waves by penning the second installment of the “Urban Legend” series and then stepping behind the camera for the “Hellraiser” saga, many might have written him off as just another filmmaker who leaves a mark on established franchises without delivering anything truly memorable—fading quietly into the background. But sometimes, it just takes the right project to break through. After five years of anticipation, Derrickson struck gold with his sophomore directorial effort, the chilling possession thriller “The Exorcism of Emily Rose.” It’s arguably one of the best possession films out there—though, to be fair, that’s a modest accolade in a genre flooded with clichés where everyone simply rinse and repeat, sticking to the same formula.
He then took a detour with the remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still,” starring Keanu Reeves—a film that, while not groundbreaking, didn’t bother me, and I remember liking it alright back when I saw it in theaters. But it was when he returned to horror that Derrickson truly found his stride. “Sinister,” a modest Blumhouse production, quietly became a low-key “modern horror classic”, terrifying audiences and introducing a new iconic figure in the genre’s pantheon. His follow-up, “Deliver Us from Evil,” arrived with less fanfare.
Then came “Doctor Strange.” This blockbuster put Derrickson back in the spotlight, riding a wave of success. Yet, instead of chasing bigger and flashier projects, he chose to scale down with “The Black Phone,” an intimate thriller set mostly in a single location. With a gripping premise, a sinister antagonist, and sharp execution, the film proved Derrickson has a great knack for building suspense and storytelling on any scale. Fast forward to four years of cinematic silence, the man is back with the long-awaited(????) sequel. And coming in, I came in with some expectations. You see, historically, sequels always aim to go bigger—bigger in scale, scope, and ambition. Sometimes this works brilliantly (“The Godfather II,” “T2,” “The Dark Knight,” “Toy Story 2”); other times, the film stumbles and falls short or crashes and burns (“American Psycho 2,” “Son of the Mask,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation”).
“The Black Phone 2” follows this familiar pattern, swinging for the fences with a mix of original ideas and clear nods to the iconic “Nightmare on Elm Street” franchise. The Grabber is back, continuing his chilling spree of murder and torture—but now, he haunts the dream realm, where the fragile boundary between nightmare and reality dissolves, intertwining the two in unsettling ways. This leap into the dream world doesn’t feel as outlandish as it might seem, especially since the otherworldly presence already seeped into our reality through the mysterious phone in the first film. One of the film’s standout choices, which I truly loved and shows some ambition on Derrickson’s part, is shooting the dream sequences on Super 8 and 16 mm film.
Also Read: The Black Phone (2022) Movie Review: Almost delivers on the Klutzy hi-jinks of the genre
This stylistic decision gives the dream world its own eerie texture, amplifying the surreal atmosphere. Combined with loose camerawork and experimental editing, many scenes feel like you’re trapped inside a relentless nightmare you can’t escape. Derrickson’s direction of the kills is particularly striking—there’s something about this raw, grainy approach that makes the horror hit even harder. Add to that a haunting, ominous score that whispers doom from the shadows, and you get genuinely unsettling moments.
On the acting front, the cast delivers solid performances. Maddy brings back the fiery spirit that made her the standout in the original, while also diving deeper into Gwen’s complex emotions—fear, dread, and determination all collide in her portrayal. Mason has grown as an actor significantly since the first film. Where he once seemed overshadowed, he now leaves a strong impression—commanding attention and conveying the heavy burden of trauma and survivor’s guilt with surprising nuance. That said, I can understand the criticism about his introduction: being presented as a volatile, drug-addled figure without much buildup feels abrupt, almost jarring. Jeremy Davies, as the formerly abusive father now in recovery, brings depth to his limited screen time. His performance carries the tremors of regret and fragile hope, and while his material is compelling, the film only grazes the surface of his arc. A deeper exploration—especially during the pivotal revelations—could have truly highlighted his dramatic range.
Handsome Hawke remains a terrifying presence as the antagonist, delivering psychological and physical torment with chilling intensity—and the makeup work, especially near the climax, is impressively gruesome. The supporting cast holds their own, rounding out a great ensemble – though come to think about it, I could have done it without the irritating, self-righteous Christian couple, which honestly I don’t feel added anything but a tiresome, clichéd presence. They could have worked as comic relief, but instead they just linger on the sidelines—seemingly included only to stir up some superficial conflict by accusing Gwen and her friends of being “Satan worshippers” or something equally absurd. Honestly, cutting them out altogether wouldn’t have changed the film in the slightest.
Now, I said I liked the film’s ambition, and that’s true, but I also feel this sometimes works against it. The premise is straightforward, but the experimental flourishes occasionally feel overdone, disrupting the flow rather than enhancing it. Some scenes come across as stitched together, lacking smooth transitions that would have made the story more cohesive. On a personal note, I wished for a larger cast of characters—more victims for the Grabber to torment—because the story’s potential for a grander scale feels somewhat restrained. Imagine Camp Crystal Lake, but with Freddy Krueger stalking the campers. That would’ve been awesome, amirite?!
All in all, “The Black Phone 2” has its moments and fulfills its basic promise, but it ultimately left me wanting more. Instead of fear, I felt underwhelmed, though there’s enough here to make it worth a watch, especially on streaming. With some tightening and bolder choices, this sequel could have truly soared.
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