{"id":2096274,"date":"2025-10-16T21:36:26","date_gmt":"2025-10-16T21:36:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2096274"},"modified":"2025-10-16T21:36:26","modified_gmt":"2025-10-16T21:36:26","slug":"black-phone-2-is-full-of-retro-horror-vibes-but-are-critics-feeling-grabbed-by-the-sequel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/black-phone-2-is-full-of-retro-horror-vibes-but-are-critics-feeling-grabbed-by-the-sequel\/","title":{"rendered":"Black Phone 2 Is Full Of \u2018Retro Horror Vibes,\u2019 But Are Critics Feeling Grabbed By The Sequel?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div data-article-body=\"true\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><i>When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.<\/i><\/p>\n<figure class=\"relative mb-4\">\n<div class=\"relative\"><button aria-label=\"View larger image\" class=\"group absolute bottom-3 right-3 size-10 md:size-[50px] lg:inset-0 lg:size-full lg:bg-transparent\" data-ylk=\"elm:expand;itc:1;sec:image-lightbox;slk:lightbox-open;\"><span class=\"absolute bottom-0 right-0 rounded-full bg-white p-3 opacity-100 shadow-elevation-3 transition-opacity duration-300 group-hover:block group-hover:opacity-100 md:p-[17px] lg:bottom-6 lg:right-6 lg:bg-white\/90 lg:p-5 lg:opacity-0 lg:shadow-none\"><svg viewbox=\"0 0 22 22\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"size-4 lg:size-6\" width=\"22\" height=\"22\"><path d=\"M12.372.92c0-.506.41-.916.915-.916L21 0l-.004 7.712a.917.917 0 0 1-1.832 0V3.183l-6.827 6.828-1.349-1.348 6.828-6.828h-4.529a.915.915 0 0 1-.915-.915M1.835 17.816l6.828-6.828 1.349 1.349-6.829 6.827h4.529a.915.915 0 0 1 0 1.831L0 21l.004-7.713a.916.916 0 0 1 1.831 0z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/button><dialog aria-label=\"Modal Dialog\" aria-modal=\"true\" class=\"fixed inset-0 z-4 size-full max-h-none max-w-none bg-white hidden\"\/><\/div><figcaption class=\"relative text-sm mt-1 pr-2.5\">\n<p>Credit: Universal Pictures<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">For those who like to turn up the scares this time of year, there are plenty of <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/upcoming-horror-movies-scary-movies-220820797.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:upcoming horror movies;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">upcoming horror movies<\/a> set to hit the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/upcoming-movies-2025-movie-release-130453990.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:2025 movie calendar;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">2025 movie calendar<\/a> this month and beyond. Among those is <em>Black Phone 2<\/em>, the sequel to the 2022 <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/upcoming-book-screen-adaptations-read-140405103.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:book-to-screen adaptation;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">book-to-screen adaptation<\/a> of a Joe Hill short story. Scott Derrickson has returned as director and co-screenwriter, with Ethan Hawke back as The Grabber. Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw and Jeremy Davies also reprise their roles. So what are critics saying?<\/p>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cinemablend.com\/movies\/the-black-phone-reviews-are-in-see-what-critics-are-saying-about-ethan-hawkes-new-horror-flick\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:first movie got positive feedback;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">first movie got positive feedback<\/a> from critics \u2014 including <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cinemablend.com\/movies\/the-black-phone-review-scott-derrickson-and-ethan-hawke-are-a-match-made-in-horror-heaven\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:4.5 out of 5 stars from our own Corey Chichizola;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">4.5 out of 5 stars from our own Corey Chichizola<\/a> \u2014 so how does the sequel measure up? Well, it\u2019s \u201cbetter,\u201d <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/movies\/articles\/stephen-king-seen-black-phone-161544297.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:if you ask Stephen King;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">if you ask Stephen King<\/a>, and in <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cinemablend.com\/movies\/black-phone-2-review\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:CinemaBlend\u2019s review of Black Phone 2;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">CinemaBlend\u2019s review of <em>Black Phone 2<\/em><\/a>, Nick Venable would agree, saying the follow-up is \u201chaunting, hypnotic, and surpasses all my expectations.\u201d He gives it 4 out of 5 stars, writing:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Black Phone 2 is Derrickson\u2019s most mature film to date and sits among the few horror sequels that outperforms its predecessor in just about every way. The cast, headed up once again by Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw, takes it to the next level in the same way that the story does, convincingly giving Finney and Gwen the chance to prove themselves as genuine heroes on top of being survivors. And of course, Ethan Hawke commands attention every time he\u2019s on screen donning tweaked versions of The Grabber\u2019s already iconic mask.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nme.com\/reviews\/film-reviews\/black-phone-2-review-ethan-hawke-blumhouse-mason-thames-3897796\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Jordan Bassett of NME;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Jordan Bassett of NME<\/a> also rates it 4 out of 5 stars, saying <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.yahoo.com\/entertainment\/movies\/articles\/black-phone-2s-scott-derrickson-171652166.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Scott Derrickson goes even bigger;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Scott Derrickson goes even bigger<\/a> with the sequel, dialing up the menace for a flick that\u2019s bloodier than its predecessor. The critic says:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">The sets are lusher, the kills gorier and the baddie (played with venomous glee by Ethan Hawke) is nastier still. This is a horror that\u2019s in love with scary movies; a post-modern remix of genre classics filmed through an arthouse gauze that never obscures its goofy sense of humour.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\/articles\/black-phone-2-movie-review\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Matt Donato of IGN;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Matt Donato of IGN<\/a> gives it a \u201cGood\u201d 7 out of 10 and says <em>Black Phone 2<\/em> is proof that horror sequels don\u2019t have to be retreads of the original and can instead go further to push for standalone appeal. Donato continues:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Black Phone 2 is an effective sequel that boils over with reinvigoration. Colorado&#8217;s blustery winter conditions paint a pristine snowcapped backdrop for The Grabber&#8217;s origins, where he forces Finney and Gwen to confront their demons from beyond the grave. It&#8217;s more about how survivors process trauma than it is a woodland killing spree, but that doesn&#8217;t prevent white powder from being splattered with blood like a Jackson Pollock painting. Black Phone 2 might take a beat to reach top speeds, but once everything&#8217;s singing in harmony\u2014from The Grabber&#8217;s supernatural revenge plot to Gwen&#8217;s harnessing of her medium-esque powers for good\u2014it\u2019s more than a worthy follow-up.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\"><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/variety.com\/2025\/film\/reviews\/the-black-phone-2-review-1236543100\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Peter Debruge of Variety;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Peter Debruge of Variety<\/a> is one of many critics to find parallels between the <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cinemablend.com\/news\/2461471\/upcoming-blumhouse-horror-movies\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:upcoming Blumhouse horror;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">upcoming Blumhouse horror<\/a> and <em>A Nightmare on Elm Street<\/em>, due to how dreams are involved in both movies. The critic notes that while <em>The Black Phone<\/em> is about the threat of violence and abuse, its sequel deals with the trauma of surviving these things, not just for the victims but for their families. Debruge writes:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">It\u2019s remarkably scary, considering the deliberate pace and how few people actually die in Black Phone 2, which I credit to how all bets are off when dealing with dreams. The movie strives to apply logic, inviting laughs (which are not unwelcome in the tense genre), but ultimately succeeds by devising a formula where two threats \u2014 ghosts and serial killers \u2014 come calling.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Not all of the critiques are so positive, though. <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/screencrush.com\/black-phone-2-review\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Matt Singer of ScreenCrush;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Matt Singer of ScreenCrush<\/a> says he was not grabbed by this horror flick and its outdated technology. He rates the movie 4 out of 10 and says:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"mb-4 border-l-2 pl-5 italic text-tertiary\">\n<div class=\"\">\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Derrickson fills his frame with retro horror vibes, but he relies on them for too long and with too little variation. Translating the visual language of 8mm home movies into a dream is a cool idea the first time Black Phone 2 does it; by the eighth time the film goes back to that well, it starts to feel as old as a rotary telephone. There\u2019s just not enough imagination on display in these sequences or the Grabber\u2019s methods to keep them engaging over the course of a two-hour movie.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p class=\"mb-4 text-lg md:leading-8 break-words\">Overall, critics seem to have enjoyed <em>Black Phone 2<\/em>, as it stands at 78% on <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.rottentomatoes.com\/m\/black_phone_2\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\" data-ylk=\"slk:Rotten Tomatoes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas\" class=\"link \">Rotten Tomatoes<\/a>\u2019 Tomatometer. If you enjoyed the first movie and want to catch up with Finney, Gwen and The Grabber, the sequel will be in theaters starting Friday, October 17. If you haven\u2019t seen <em>The Black Phone<\/em> (or want a refresher), the movie is available to stream with a <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/tech.yahoo.com\/streaming\/articles\/peacock-subscription-plans-price-included-140420036.html\" data-ylk=\"slk:Peacock subscription;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas;outcm:mb_qualified_link;_E:mb_qualified_link;ct:story;\" class=\"link  yahoo-link\">Peacock subscription<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Universal Pictures For those who like to turn up the scares this time of year, there are plenty of upcoming horror movies set to hit the 2025 movie calendar this month and beyond. Among those is Black [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2096275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[378804,395944,312614,312982,395943,378803,395942,354977,378805,52282],"class_list":["post-2096274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-black-phone","tag-corey-chichizola","tag-ethan-hawke","tag-horror-movies","tag-jeremy-davies","tag-joe-hill","tag-madeleine-mcgraw","tag-mason-thames","tag-scott-derrickson","tag-stephen-king"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Black-Phone-2-Is-Full-Of-\u2018Retro-Horror-Vibes-But.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2096274","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2096274"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2096274\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2096276,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2096274\/revisions\/2096276"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2096275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2096274"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2096274"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2096274"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}