The Black Phone

Sometimes you see a film where the most accurate reaction I can describe is "it's just a solid little movie!"

The Black Phone is a perfect example, albeit from a horror lens. 

Trailers and posters before this one's release have been creepy AF, and Ethan Hawke in the villainous role has added more intrigue. Watching brief moments of him in Purge-worthy masks and quirky mannerisms was enough to get me on board in my secret love for indie horror films.

Our film's premise is a simple one, often a definite benefit for horror films so they avoid overcomplicating the "evil" things. In the 70s, in North Denver no less(!), children are disappearing at a fast rate with black balloons often being left behind at the scene. Of course, one of the main children is abducted and we're introduced to Hawke's "The Grabber". 

As is the case with almost any film that features child actors, a lot of my enjoyment comes down to whether or not they're able to be convincing. Strangely, I think child actors have gotten WAY better across the decade+ that I've been doing Rath's Reviews. What felt like a common complaint in my first several years is now often cited as a strength for many films, not to mention all the television examples (e.g. Stranger Things). Leonardo DiCaprio's School-for-Children-Who-Can't-Act-Good-And-Want-To-Learn must be doing great things! In The Black Phone, both children actors, Mason Thames as Finney, and Madeleine McGraw as Gwen, are fantastic and help really sell the material. They feel authentic, and their brother and sister chemistry is genuine. McGraw in particular is such a hilarious, foul-mouthed little girl that I'd easily pay to watch a spin-off of her solving murderous crimes around Denver. Thames goes toe to toe with Hawke (professionally and physically) and does well, while most of the other children actors do fine in limited roles. 

So yeah...these masks are creepy AF

She's hilarious and I'd like more, please!

The Black Phone - hopefully unsurprisingly - is a dark film. It's a creepy white male, abducting young children and eventually killing them. What he does beforehand, we never quite find out, but there's enough that we can insinuate. Because of how dark the material is, I felt from the beginning that I knew the ending would be largely "positive" because if not...well damn that would be hard. Even despite my initial belief (which I'll not confirm/deny here), The Black Phone's tension is REAL. There are a couple moments that are genuine jump scares, but by and large the "horror" of Black Phone is creepiness. One scene in particular, that sees Finney trying to escape a sleeping Grabber, had me on the edge of my seat, mouth agape, and heart racing. 

Obviously, when you're experiencing moments like that, it's thanks to great filmmaking, and director Scott Derrickson has a talented hand here. Some specific callouts would be the editing and pacing, both of which make a 1hr 45ish minute movie feel faster, but also giving scenes plenty of room to breath. There's also a good sense of setting because I was always able to know where everyone was, even in heated moments. 

Really Black Phone's only thing I fault it for is not enough Ethan Hawke and it gets a little distracted at the end. There's a semblance of a mystery about WHO the Grabber is that's never quite solved and Hawke is so magnetic when he's in the film that when he's not, it can feel like it loses momentum. But, like I mentioned earlier, The Black Phone really is the perfect example of a movie that's just quite solid. Would I need to watch it again? Probably not, but my initial viewing was a tense experience where I got what I came for. 

CONS

• Would have liked Hawke to be in the film more
• Tries to build a mystery about who the Grabber is and what's happening in his world but doesn't really explore it
• Feels a bit unfocused near the end

PROS

• Aside from Hawke's supremely creepy performance, our two main child actors nail it
• Denver setting...yay? (for subject matter such as this)
• Sets and maintains a tension-filled, creepy tone
• Balances scares between a few jump-scares, edge-of-your-seat-moments, and uneasy dialogue
• Great direction with expert pacing and editing

Rath's Review Score | 8/10