The Black Phone – Simple Yet Effective Retro Horror

Every once in a while, sometimes a film comes along that is such a breath of fresh air that it could be reinvigorating. The Black Phone, based on the short story of the same name by Joe Hill, is one of those films. While not an original film by any means, the way this horror/thriller assembles familiar elements of the genre together makes for a compelling watch that is not only tense but also surprisingly emotional. Though it arguably doesn’t explore what is an interesting premise in a deep enough way, what the film achieves here more than makes up for it thanks to strong filmmaking alongside a duo of real finds in relative newcomers Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw who deliver phenomenal performances and ground the film as a brother and sister. Ethan Hawke is absolutely terrifying in limited screen time as the film’s big bad known as The Grabber. Ultimately, the latter lags behind as he is relegated to being merely a plot device which is not a slight to Hawke. However, one can’t help but still want more (though there may be more coming based on the film’s success at the box office).

The Black Phone takes place in a late 1970s close-knit Colorado town terrorized by a man known as The Grabber (Hawke) who abducts children and later murders them. In the midst of that, Finney (Thames), is a 13-year-old boy with a history of being bullied at school and abused at home alongside his sister Gwen (McGraw) by their alcoholic single-father Terrence (Jeremy Davies). The major chatter across Finney and Gwen’s school was The Grabber and who his next victim was going to be as their friends and fellow classmates kept disappearing mysteriously. As far as the children were concerned, it was more a matter of when than if his black van loomed large, seemingly showing up everywhere. In spite of the inevitability of it all, the film does a great job at creating tension through its score and cinematography. It was only a matter of time until Finney was next but there was just something about him and Gwen that were different. The two were very close siblings who supported each other through it all and that dynamic was an absolute delight to watch. 

Suffice it to say that Finney’s latest predicament changed up that brother-sister dynamic but that being said, watching he and Gwen go about it was so compelling to watch with plenty of tension to go around. Now locked in a soundproof basement, finding a way out was going to be a challenge for him. The film’s promotional material made it clear that Finney wasn’t exactly alone as the allegedly malfunctioning black rotary allowed The Grabber’s former victims to communicate with him and offer help to escape the room. Over the course of these conversations, the film reveals their heartbreaking fates. In the end, The Black Phone was at its best as a coming-of-age story of Finney. Though that trajectory was a predictable one, it was still a powerful one, coming into his own and emerging through adversity. Meanwhile, the clairvoyant Gwen went on a journey of her own. However, that side of her needed more development. Nevertheless, watching her try to figure out with the added urgency of her missing brother made for some more powerful moments as she did not want to be alone.

On a filmmaking level, the grainy retro style and its authentic 1970s setting and its classic score were a definite plus and endearing as the film uses classic techniques to create tension and suspense on top of an overall creepy atmosphere. At the end of the day, what holds the film together was its performances, primarily by Thames and McGraw as Finney and Gwen. Showing incredible range, both kids are up to the task as they are taken through the ringer emotionally. Their chemistry is just incredible to the point that the power of their bond went beyond words. However, most will probably gravitate to Hawke who looks to be having the time of his life as The Grabber, showing range while delivering a comically-unhinged performance in spite of being mostly behind a mask.

Overall, The Black Phone is an unexpected gem that could have been so much more.

still courtesy of Universal Pictures

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.