The Black Phone
Yet another thrilling hit from horror experts Blumhouse Productions, The Black Phone reunites director Scott Derrickson (Sinister) with Ethan Hawke, who plays easily his most chilling role to date. Based on a short story of the same name by the brilliant Joe Hill (Locke & Key, Horns), and adapted by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill, The Black Phone follows the survival of an abducted teenager, as he fights for his freedom with the aide of the serial killer’s previous victims.
After several children in his town go missing, all thanks to ‘the Grabber’, 13 year old Finney and his sister Gwen are on high alert after one of their friends is taken as the next victim. When Finney is taken just days later, his survival depends on the help of the Grabber’s past victims – who he speaks to via a disconnected phone in his prison. While each abducted child holds a clue to his escape, it is Gwen’s clairvoyance that plagues her with visions of the Grabber’s crimes, along with fleeting hints of Finney’s whereabouts.
The film’s breakout stars Mason Thames (Finney) and Madeleine McGraw (Gwen) are standout performances in the film, and are scene-stealing throughout. The reserved Finney and sassy Gwen play off each other brilliantly as siblings, which all in all makes their separation all that more heartbreaking. Starring as his creepiest character yet, is Ethan Hawke as the Grabber – whose calm and collected demeanour is goosebump-inducing. Hidden behind a mask for most of the film, Hawke’s performance relies heavily on his body language, which is equally as terrifying.
As a welcome addition to the horror genre, The Black Phone has just the right amount of character-driven story, along with a lesson in resilience and the strength we find within ourselves. Throw in a few jumpscares (which saw the whole cinema launching out of their seats), a supernatural element, and a movie villain that’ll stick in your head for years to come, and The Black Phone has found its formula. Check it out in cinemas July 21.