The Black Phone(2022)

The thing about adapting a short story for cinema is that we tend to get a great deal of padding to get it to the duration. This film is certainly guilty of that, with the first half hour spent on way too much character establishment that really has very little to do with the gist of the story. Once it does get going though, it's a cleverly crafted and well put together scary movie centred around "Finn" (Mason…

Reviewed on June 25, 2022

With supernatural dread lifted directly from the likes of _Stir of Echoes_ and _The Sixth Sense_, _The Black Phone_ features a breakthrough performance from Madeleine McGraw while Ethan Hawke’s hauntingly memorable turn as The Grabber is felt in a hair-raising sense; like someone who has unknowingly snuck up behind you and waits in your peripheral for that dramatic reveal. _The Black Phone_ is a solid, pulse racing…

Reviewed on June 26, 2022

FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://www.msbreviews.com/movie-reviews/the-black-phone-spoiler-free-review "The Black Phone carries a horror premise with a supernatural touch full of potential, but it plays too safe by betting on a narrative that's too simple, predictable, and repetitive. Scott Derrickson elevates his work with a distinct style, and the fact that the main focus belongs to the protagonists development…

Reviewed on June 27, 2022

The Black Phone is a paranormal abduction thriller that balances the tension/despair of being trapped and the ghost elements very well. The movie does a great job setting up the main characters in the beginning that gives you a relationship with them and genuine desire for them to succeed. There are a few plot points that are a little questionable, but are they are minor nitpicks and didn’t pull me out of the story…

Reviewed on July 5, 2022