‘The Black Phone’ Review: Sublime Horror at its Finest

It’s been nearly a decade since its release and Sinister still remains one of my favorite horror movies from the 21st century. It was the debut team up from director Scott Derrickson and writer C. Robert Cargill, and from that moment on I was hooked into following anything they would both be attached to. The Black Phone is the latest horror masterpiece from the duo, and it’s a scary, smart, and sublime film that will chill you to the bone, with “The Grabber” joining the ranks of Jason, Michael Myers, and Leatherface as one of horror’s all-time greats.

Five children have all gone missing in a small suburban town in Colorado in 1978. Rumors spread about a man with a black van and black balloons, dubbed “The Grabber”, who has been abducting the children. While walking home from school one day Finney (Mason Thames) becomes victim number six and finds himself locked in a soundproof room with little more than a mattress and a disconnected phone on the wall. As  Finny struggles knowing he’s about to face the same fate as the previous five children, the phone mysteriously rings and to his surprise it’s one of the missing kids on the other line who offers help in escaping the Grabber. While each kid provides clues and assistance in how to get away, it ultimately is up to Finney to piece everything together and survive.

The Black Phone feels like an escape room thriller. Finney finds himself waking up in a seemingly empty room, but each one of the previous kids have left behind something to help him escape. Finney is smart, but he doesn’t see himself as that strong a person. He’s bullied at school and has to be rescued by his friend Robin (Miguel Cazarez Mora), who ends up being victim number five. Even at home he is unable to stand up to his abusive and alcoholic father (Jeremy Davies) and protect his little sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) from being beaten. How can he escape from the Grabber when all these other stronger kids failed? Especially since Ethan Hawke is absolutely terrifying in the role.

The Grabber’s signature look involves a disturbing white devil mask that is broken up into two parts; one for the eyes and one for the mouth. While the upper portion always remains the same, he is able to switch out the mouths with a happy smile, a sad frown, or even a blank face. Make no mistake, every face is sufficiently creepy in their own right, although the frown is particularly terrifying. There’s tension in not knowing which mask is going to make an appearance whenever he shows up. Sometimes it’s just the bottom portion, too, allowing viewers to get a better glimpse at his soulless eyes. Hawke is brilliant in the role, delivering so much pent up rage, anger, and devilishness that you can see bubbling just beneath the surface even though his face is hidden most of the time. It’s almost as if the mask is the only thing that is keeping the full demon at bay. It’s all just a sick game to the Grabber, and Finney can be killed at any moment.

As grounded as The Black Phone is, the supernatural elements also fit perfectly into its plot. Finney is able to communicate with the dead through the black phone because of a gift his mother had where she saw premonitions through her dreams. It’s the same gift that his younger sister Gwen shares. When Finney is taken, Gwen tries to use her ability to help find him, although her dreams are far from straight forward. There isn’t much explanation as to why their family is gifted with these supernatural abilities, but frankly it doesn’t matter all that much. They’re helpful, but it’s not like they’re some MacGuffin that’s going to save the day. Ultimately that rest on Finney’s shoulders.

That’s what makes The Black Phone such a smart horror thriller. Finney has to gain the confidence to save himself. The voices of the other dead victims can offer him advice but ultimately it’s up to Finney to act. Even with their help, there’s still the lingering question of whether or not it will be enough to escape the Grabber’s grasp. With how it all unfolds, everything feels earned, both by Finney and the Grabber. There are no cheap scares or overused tactics. It’s horror at its finest.

Horror fans will no doubt be please with The Black Phone as it’s one of the best films in general so far this year. It’s more tense than downright scary, but make no mistake, this film will still make you jump out of your seat. It’s horror done right and is great to see Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill back in the co-drivers seat together.