‘The Black Phone’ Review: Joe Hill’s Haunting Thriller Comes to the Big Screen

The team behind Sinister is back for another skin-crawling venture into the darkness. Director Scott Derrickson (Dr. Strange) and co-writer C. Robert Cargill (Sinister 1 & 2) are back with the supernatural thriller The Black Phone. Based on the short story from Joe Hill (Heart Shaped Box) by the same name and starring Ethan Hawke (‘Moon Knight’), Mason Thames, Madeline McGraw, and Jeremy Davies (Saving Private Ryan).

In the Colorado suburbs, a child kidnapper is on the prowl. Set against the backdrop of little league games and children riding their bikes. There are telephone poles and shop windows littered with missing person flyers. Given the name “The Grabber” (Hawke) by the local papers, which is whispered through the school halls and playgrounds. 

Finney (Thames) is thirteen and still trying to navigate his adolescence. He does so by playing sports, watching midnight horror movies, avoiding bullies, and taking care of his alcoholic father, Terrence (Davies). His sister, Gwen (McGraw), is happy-go-lucky and her brother’s most prominent defender. She also has dreams that sometimes come true despite the harsh rejection by her father.

When Finny wakes up in a soundproof basement, it’s clear he’s The Grabber’s latest victim. With only a mattress bolted to the floor, a toilet, and an old black phone that doesn’t work in his “cell,” things don’t look good. Then the black phone rings. On the other line is one of the former victims, and despite not knowing his name, he can bestow a little wisdom from his time in captivity.

Most of The Black Phone is the Grabber testing Finny to make specific choices so he can finish his ritual. As the days pass, the black phone continues to ring, each time a different victim is on the line giving out warnings, advice, clues on how to survive or, possibly escape. With each failed attempt to lure Finny to be a “naughty” boy, The Grabber grows more frustrated and distraught with this latest abductee. It’s masterful how instincts, that would have doomed Finny, are subverted by wisdom passed from the dead.

As the cat and mouse game continues, Gwen uses her visions to narrow down her brother’s location. Working with the local detectives, who believe her, because she has details that weren’t in the papers. It’ll take strength that Finny didn’t know he had, and the advice from his slain classmates to try to do something they could not. Survive.

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The Black Phone looks like when you go through your parent’s photo albums. The rich, almost sepia tones lull you into a false sense of security that we tend to bestow on “simpler times.” In contrast, the basement cell appears almost black and white, with all that sunshine, innocence, and freedom stripped away. It’s such effective use of the color pallet to convey stark emotional changes. The stakes are high, as multiple children are murdered throughout, and let’s be honest, Cargill and Derrickson took out a whole bunch of families in their last horror contribution. No one is safe.

What they do so well is give us a brief yet emotionally compelling flashback into each victim’s life before they disappeared. Told through the dream visions of Gwen, we can see the boys’ family life, personality, strength, and passions. Those quick vignettes tell us everything we need to know, and when they contribute to Finny via the phone, it makes sense what they were able to discover during their time in the basement. It also puts life to each of the dead, for better or worse, and their loss has a more significant impact than just victim number.

Finny has a lot to carry, and Mason Thames does it like a seasoned pro. Playing scared while also presenting as tough isn’t easy and often comes off silly. When child actors play well above their age emotionally, it can be a stretch, but given the home life where the roles of child and guardian are reversed, he’s had to grow up faster than most. It shows in his performance and feels earned. 

The true heart of the movie is Madeline McGraw. Her chemistry with Thames as brother and sister hit me in the heartstrings, because it felt authentic. She’s loyal to her bother, foul-mouthed, and can dream of pasts and futures, but never loses her childlike innocence. She steals the movie despite not being in the original short story. It was incredible casting and welcome addition that elevated the stakes and narrative.

Let’s talk about Ethan Hawke. Going full-on villain here, he is a frightening figure. Wearing a series of masks throughout, so much of his performance is through body language and his eyes. He’s giving a mime-like physicality that’s both theatric and mentally telling despite what his mask’s expression may be showing. I loved it. It’s such a departure for him; maybe because of that, the character is much more terrifying. Speaking of masks, the great Tom Savini (Friday the 13th, Dawn of the Dead, Creepshow FX artist) created the multi-stage mask for the movie.

From a standout short story in a collection of gems, to a faithful yet expanding adaptation, The Black Phone is one to watch. With stellar performances from some breakout child actors and a heart-pounding villain turn from a seasoned pro, the tension will keep you squirming. With just the right amount of the supernatural to have you jumping at shadows, and a crime thriller to keep you engaged. Scott Derrickson has proven again he’s got a seat at the table with the rest of the masters of horror. Just because the phone doesn’t work doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pick it up when it rings. 4.5/5

The Black Phone is now available to rent on Prime Video, Vudu and is in theaters everywhere. Check out the trailer below and be sure to stay tuned to ScaryNerd for all things horror, sci-fi, fantasy and everything in between.

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