The Black Phone (2022)
The Black Phone is the story of a small town terrorized by a shadowy boogeyman. Set in Colorado in 1978, the film recounts the story of a boy who is abducted by a serial slasher. The kid receives supernatural phone calls from the ghosts of his abductor’s previous victims.
Ethan Hawke plays The Grabber, a superficially charming psychopath who abducts and murders young boys. Hawke wears a mask for nearly the entire film, but he uses his voice and body language to convey his character’s innate creepiness. The Grabber drives around town searching for victims in a dark van filled with black balloons. I think today’s kids would be instantly suspicious of anyone driving a vehicle that looks like this – it practically screams “CHILD PREDATOR” – but I guess kids were more naïve in the ‘70s.
The main character is Finney, played by Mason Thames. He’s a teenage baseball player who lives in a Denver suburb with his sister Gwen and their abusive alcoholic father. Several of his classmates mysteriously disappear and the police believe that a serial killer is responsible. Finney is accosted by a masked man who drugs him and forces him into his van. He awakes in a bare soundproof basement with an old-fashioned black phone attached to the wall.
The Grabber is forced to leave Finney alone for long periods of time because the killer’s brother, who is unaware of his nefarious activities, is visiting upstairs. But he seems confident that Finney won’t be able to flee. He has designed the basement to be impervious to any escape attempts.
Help From Beyond the Grave?
The Grabber insists that the phone in the basement doesn’t work, but Finney keeps hearing it ring when he is alone. Is he going crazy? Finney eventually receives several calls from the killer’s previous victims, who give him tips on how to defeat the maniac. Meanwhile, Finney’s spunky sister Gwen (Madeline McGraw) launches her own plan to find and save him.
The Black Phone short story, which is part of Joe Hill’s 20th Century Ghosts collection, is only a few pages long. A direct film adaption would have been thirty minutes, tops, so the movie adds lots of extra plot details. The main difference is that Finney’s sister is a much more significant character in the movie.
Gwen has dreams and psychic visions about The Grabber. The cops don’t believe her, of course, and her dad thinks that she’s mentally ill. He discourages her from using her powers by beating her with a belt. But nothing is going to stop Gwen from trying to find her brother. Madeline McGraw gives an entertaining performance as an eccentric girl who is both deeply religious and exceptionally foul-mouthed.
Rating
Like the story it’s based on, The Black Phone is a simple, straightforward tale. There’s nothing particularly complex or profound about it, but it’s a fun and creepy ride with strong performances from its young cast.
Rating from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 10 (masterpiece) 7.5
