Studio: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
Release Date: 12/23/2025
Rating: R
Film Grade: C+
The Story: Four years have passed since Finn was abducted by the Grabber, but the events continue to haunt him, at least figuratively. The resulting behavioral problems have led him down a road of casual drug use as a coping devise, echoing a similar choice by his father. At the same time, his younger sister Gwen has been literally haunted with dreams of Grabber’s other earlier victims.
As things get progressively worse, Gwen comes up with a solution that could free them both from their past and present demons.
My Take: The first movie came out of nowhere and was surprisingly solid. Based on a story by Stephen King’s son, Joe (Hill), it took added supernatural elements to an abduction story, adding an extra layer of creepiness onto something already disturbing. The success of that first movie left Hill feeling like the Grabber had all the makings of a new horror icon, prompting ideas for a follow up. While the original was a thriller with supernatural elements, this outing crosses over into the supernatural mystery genre in this prequel/sequel.
Much of that earlier film’s team is back, including director Scott Derrickson who once again cowrites the script with C. Robert Cargill, along with some story input from Hill. Also returning are the primary actors reprising their roles. Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw bring a natural maturity into the roles of Finn and Gwen as they’ve grown over four years, shaped by the events of the first film. While Finn was the primary character in the last one, Gwen is the clear focus for this installment, as she deals with her growing abilities. While Ethan Hawke returns as the Grabber, his part here could have used more screen time and development. Joining the cast is Demián Bichir as Mando, former criminal, now leader of a Christian youth camp. The character adds the perspective an elder who is metaphorically haunted by happenings of the past. He’s the grounded anchor to the movie in the second act but fades into the background in the third.
Production values are good, with filming in Canada contributing real snow and a perfect camp setting, while the final act is shot mostly on a soundstage that blends a photographic background with set elements in a convincing way. Designs feature a nostalgic element in the 80s style clothing, cars, a background video of the old Night Flight TV show, and those ubiquitous Walkman headphones with the orange foam earpads. There are some interesting images woven into the movie worth noting, such as the subtle skull formed by frost on a window, reminiscent of Charles Allan Gilbert’s macabre All is Vanity optical illusion.
A snowstorm plays a role in the movie, creating an additional element of danger, but it’s not convincing. While it’s described accurately, with characters not being able to see far down the road, the visual representation is weak. This may not hit the same way for those in warmer climes, but the conditions shown on screen don’t feel formidable enough to reach into threatening territory. It also misses other opportunities to heighten the horror aspect, like having the phone lines go down, which would have enhanced the feeling of isolation.
While not important enough to qualify as a crucial thematic element, organized Christian religion is part of the movie. In the commentary, Derrickson mentions that one of the criticisms he faced was that it made Christianity look cool, which he found amusing considering his own current disdain for it. I have to give him credit for not infusing the story with his own personal bias. This is atypical for a Hollywood production where religion is often shown with contempt, or from a derogatory, and sometimes even evil, perspective. All he’s done is give one of the characters a spiritual background, hardly worth objecting to. While it’s too early to give this significance, it may be an early indication of a pendulum swing in the current culture. That said, this won’t be confused with an Angel Studios film in any way. The religious aspect is never preachy and mostly superficial, serving primarily as window dressing to the story.
Visuals: While most of the film was shot digitally, flashback and dream sequences switch to actual Super 8 film to recreate grainy, fuzzy, partially obscured imagery of the mind, which works well. Digital footage is often dominated by icy blue hues, with blacks looking closer to dark gray rather than the deep, deep inkiness we crave. This is a good, but not outstanding presentation.
Audio: The movie features an Atmos soundtrack, but it’s as perfunctory as the story. Tops and wides are mostly used for music but not much else. There’s an opening montage sequence with all kinds of sounds, but strangely enough it doesn’t take advantage of the extra Atmos speakers. I could not find any scenes that passed my bird test, despite birds chirping and a hooting owl at different times.
The musical score was written by Atticus Derrickson, son of the director. It’s dominated by harsh dissonance and heavy bass, working excellently to set the mood of the movie. Many of those sequences are accompanied by pops, and crackling sounds, adding to the tension. There are also a couple of effective jump scares that are punctuated by the soundtrack. Pink Floyd’s Another Brick in the Wall Part 1 is used during a snowstorm driving montage, adding a feeling of being disconnected from reality and signifying a narrative shift to the second act.
Special Features: Derrickson reveals a lot of details about making the movie in his commentary. There’s a really interesting section where he talks about the Super 8 footage and how they used masked-off 16mm film for some parts to allow for special lenses and then added some digital jitter to blend with the actual Super 8 shots. It’s a good package of extras.
- Deleted Scenes: Gwen and Ernesto Talk in the Library, Mustang Talks to Group, Mando Talks About the Camp Closing, Mustang and Gwen Talk in the Chapel, Ernesto and Gwen Kiss, Gwen Prays, Ken and Barb Ask Gwen and Finn to Come Back
- Dialed In: The Cast of Black Phone 2 – Get to know the actors whose creative decisions and personal connections breathe life into a wide range of characters.
- A Story Carved in Ice – From breathtaking stunts to grotesque prosthetic work, a look at the immense creative and technical effort required to bring this visceral, edge-of-your seat thriller to life.
- Frozen in Time – Dreamlike settings collide with unnerving terror in this behind-the-scenes look at the frightening set of Black Phone 2.
- Feature Commentary with Director/Co-Writer/Producer Scott Derickson.
Final Verdict: While the first movie had a fresh and original feeling about it, this one feels derivative and slight. It’s not a bad movie and a little above average for the horror genre. The acting and directing are fine as is the mood, setting, and musical score; the flaw lies in the shallow plot that features a straightforward story posing as a mystery that is solved by the audience long before the characters.
While the horror elements work well, fans of the first may share my bittersweet reaction as we catch up with the earlier characters but leave a bit disappointed with how little is actually done with them. Instead, this feels more like an installment from another franchise that leans heavily into the blending of nightmares and reality, hung on the frightening villain behind the truly horrifying mask.
It’s worth a watch for those that enjoyed the first but doesn’t fully live up to its promise.
Interesting Production Fact: All of the Super 8 footage was shot by producer/second unit director Maggie Levin, wife of Scott Derickson, creating a true family affair.
The trailer below contains a huge spoiler for the first movie, so I highly recommend not watching until after you’ve seen the original.
My Review System:
JVC DLA-RS3100 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
Elite Screens Sable Frame B2 117” Width with Infinitely Variable Height
Monolith by Monoprice HTP-1 16 Channel Processor with Dirac Live
Monolith by Monoprice 7x200 Watts Amp
Monolith by Monoprice 3x200 Watts + 6x100 Watts Amp
JBL Studio 590 for Left, Center, Right, Wides, and Rears
JBL Studio 580 for Side Surrounds
JBL Studio SCS 8 for Tops
JTR Captivator 1400 Subwoofer X 4
Panasonic DP-UB420 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
NVIDIA Shield Android TV - 4K
Xbox One X
HTPC Running madVR (work in progress)
Remote: URC MX-780
Mini DSP 2X4 HD controlling all subwoofers
APC S15 Power Conditioner with Battery Backup
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