The Black Phone

 

The Black Phone

The Black Phone is described as a supernatural horror film. It is more like a gritty ghost story. The film  is about the Grabber abducting teenage boys. One boy, Finney, is trapped in the basement of the Grabber’s home. From the disconnected black phone on the wall he gets calls from other deceased missing boys.

The supernatural part is Finney’s interaction with ghosts, as for horror compared to other movies it was mild. Nothing  in the film makes you cover your eyes or jump out of your seat. As for tension it was more in the rubber band area. No matter how dire the situation you have a good notion of the outcome. The ending is muscular with Finney achieving new heights of bravery.

Mason Thames plays Finney. He delivers a convincing performance of a mild mannered kid transformed into a survivor. Ethan Hawke plays the Grabber. This is one of the most underutilized role of his talents. Aside for his sardonic voice, there only is a brief moment when you see his full face. For the entire film he wears a mask . He is creepy and malevolent; a great actor should be seen. It is never explained why he is grabbing these boys; we assume he is just a psychopathic killer (why not abduct girls). A back story would have made the character more interesting. An appealing character is Finney’s younger sister played by Madeline McGraw. She is clairvoyant and foul mouthed. She has a strained  relationship with Jesus.

The story was written by Joe Hill, son of Stephen King. Good to know the legacy continues. Rather than paying $16 for a movie ticket you may want to wait for a discounted streaming option.