Ethan Hawke Is Back In Black Phone 2 & Bone-Chillingly Scary Is An Understatement

Ethan Hawke Is Back In Black Phone 2 & Bone-Chillingly Scary Is An Understatement

By
Pamela Obeid

The horror renaissance is showing no signs of slowing down, and I for one am screaming.

The latest welcome iteration to the genre of films designed to make you crap your dacks is Black Phone 2, the Ethan Hawke-led follow up to the 2022 original.

A word of warning: this is not for the faint-hearted. It’s scary as hell, mildly nauseating, and laced with fear. However, if you’re a fan of the white-knuckle terror that horror connoisseurs Blumhouse Productions are known for, then you’re in for a treat. 

Here’s everything you need to know about the film. Proceed with caution.

What’s this one about?

Black Phone 2 takes place four years after the events of the first film. Finn (Mason Thames), now 17, is struggling with the aftermath of being abducted by The Grabber (Ethan Hawke), even though he killed his kidnapper and escaped. 

And as it turns out, The Grabber is out for vengeance from beyond the grave, targeting Finn’s headstrong younger sister, Gwen (Madeline McGraw).

Gwen begins receiving calls from the black phone in her dreams, and seeing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp known as Alpine Lake. 

Determined to solve the mystery, Gwen persuades Finn to visit the camp and end their shared torment, but on the way discovers an earth-shattering connection between their family history and The Grabber himself. 

The events that ensue? Well, they’re nothing short of blood-curdling.

Who’s cast in Black Phone 2?

Four-time Academy Award nominee Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, and Madeline McGraw are only the start of this iconic, multi-talented cast. 

One notable newbie to the cast is Academy Award nominee Demiàn Bichir, who stars as the camp supervisor of Alpine Lake. You might recognise the name from other horror hits such as The Nun or The Grudge. 

Original cast members are also making a return, including Miguel Mora as the brother of one of The Grabber’s previous victims, and Jeremy Davies as Finn and Gwen’s father, Terrence. Here’s hoping he gets his act together this time ‘round. 

With the original film being released in 2022 and receiving widespread critical acclaim, it’s high-time for a sequel set to rival it. With a cast like this, there’s no doubt it’ll be just as much of a smash (and terrifying) success. 

Okay, so it’s genuinely scary?

Yes. Quite literally, yes.

There’s a lot of stylistic choices in this film that dial up the horror factor so much more. Transitioning between Gwen’s dreams and reality is done oh so terrifyingly, with grainy, shaky handheld footage seamlessly switching into the crisp, static shots you’re used to seeing in the cinema.

Plus, the music choices themselves are horrifying. Think low, trembling sounds mixed with high pitched, jarring noises to have even the most stone-cold fella quivering in their boots.

I reckon it goes without saying, but if you found the first one scary, it’s defs even more terrifying this time. 

“This film is more graphic. It’s more violent. It’s bloodier,” director and co-writer Scott Derrickson told Collider earlier this year. “There’s a severity and extremity to it that goes beyond the first movie. It’s definitely a horror film.”

Finn and Gwen definitely aren’t kids anymore, folks. They’re full-blown teenagers, and they’re out to end the torment once and for all — with no holding back on all the gory bits.

Solve the mystery and scare you and your mates shitless by seeing Black Phone 2 when it drops, only in cinemas October 16. Grab your tickets now. 

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