While Black Phone 2 was a better movie than Black Phone, it’s still just a basic horror movie.
Black Phone 2 was released in theaters nationwide on Oct. 17. This film is the sequel to Black Phone, which premiered in 2021. Black Phone 2 has received an IMDb rating of 6.3 out of 10, while the original Black Phone holds a higher rating of 6.9 out of 10.
I agree with OH senior William Willkins Jones who said, ”I think the first one is better. The character Finn was trapped in the basement. I thought it had a better story about visions that happen.”
As of Nov. 16, Black Phone 2 has grossed $75 million in the United States and Canada and $53 million internationally, for a worldwide total of $128 million. In the United States and Canada, Black Phone 2 made $2.6 million from Thurs., Oct. 26 previews.
The film then topped the box office on its opening weekend, dethroning Tron: Ares, after making $27.3 million at the domestic box office. That’s all to say that even though the film was popular, that does not mean it was good.
Black Phone 2 movie is about bad dreams that haunt 15-year-old Gwen as she receives calls from the black phone and sees disturbing visions of three boys being stalked at a winter camp. Accompanied by her brother, Finn, they head to the camp to solve the mystery, only to confront “the Grabber,” a killer who’s grown even more powerful in death.
As shown on YouTube, people have a wide range of feelings about the movie. Black Phone 2 has sparked a whirlwind of opinions, showcasing a variety of mixed reviews that reflect its continued narrative.
Some critics argue that this sequel, ambitious and daring, stretches the boundaries of the original film’s chilling mythology, drawing intriguing parallels to classics like Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (’87) and Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (’94). They praise the directors’ bold, creative choices and efforts to elevate the horror genre by weaving new threads into the familiar scenes.
Conversely, some critics express their dissatisfaction, arguing that the sequel fails to showcase the originality that made the first installment so fun to watch. They characterize it as overly complex, lacking the pulse-pounding intensity that enthralled audiences in its predecessor.
Their comparisons to the original are often shadowed with disappointment, indicating that the sequel has gone a different direction from the thrills that made its original an unforgettable experience.
Jones said, “The way the second movie wrap[ped] up, it’s a good conclusion, and it would be repetitive if there were a third movie.”
Agreed. Black Phone 2 is nothing but a basic horror movie, and two is more than enough.
Hello my name is Jydun Browder I am a senior at Oswego high school. This will be my first year on the 42fifty staff. You can contact me by emailing 42Fifty@sd308.org and putting my name in the subject line. We welcome comments on our articles and feedback on our publication!
