The work not only upgrades the level of excitement but also goes deeper into mental obsession and generational psychological trauma.
The film continues to revolve around the two brothers Finn (Mason Thames) and Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) - children who survived the horrifying kidnapping in part 1. seemingly escaped their nightmare, both had to face the "ghost" The Grabber - the murderer who now became a supernatural being haunting them in their dreams.
Derrickson cleverly depicts Finn and Gwen's journey as an inner battle, where they are forced to face the pain of the past to save each other and themselves.
If the first part focuses on the thrilling elements, the film Black Phone 2 expands the theme to psychological depth: pain is passed from parents to children. Finn tried to hide his injury by violence, repeating the vicious cycle of a drug addict father, while Gwen was torn by her ability to see the past through a prophecy dream. The scenes of the girl facing the soul of her mother and the former victims of The Grabber not only evoke fear but also contain emotional tragedy.
Technically, the film creates a strong impression with a gloomy, retro scene from the 1980s. Derrickson uses Super 8 plastic film for supernatural scenes, creating blurred, distorted frames - evoking a feeling of both nostalgia and horror. The scary scenes were elaborately staged: from the body floating on the ice lake to the scene of Gwen blaming in the phone room, all of which made viewers suffocate.
Ethan Hawke returns as The Grabber, this time more crazy and haunting, reminiscent of the classic A Nightmare on Elm Street. In addition, Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw showed remarkable progress in acting, bringing emotional depth to the two main characters. The appearance of Miguel Mora as Ernesto also helps the film have gentle, humorous moments to reduce stress.
Not only a pure horror film, the film Black Elephant 2 is also a metaphor for her lack of heredity, about how people fight to escape the "harmful inheritance" of their family. The film both captivated the audience and left a behind-the-scenes impression when it ended. With a rating of 84% of Fresh Sour Chives on Rotten Tomatoes and a revenue of over 80 million USD in North America, the movie Black Legend 2 deserves to be the most impressive horror work of 2025 both scary and humane.
The Black Phone 2 will be released in Vietnamese theaters from October 31, 2025.
