The newesthorrorfilm from director Scott Derrickson,The Black Phoneisn’t necessarily a ‘scary movie’ in the conventional sense of the horror genre. Just as the horrors conveyed in a film likePanic Roomis through real life suspense and tension, this film does the same with a hint of the supernatural. It treads a fine line with a plot that is both real to the audience and otherworldly. When a young boy is kidnapped by The Grabber, played by Ethan Hawke, he communicates with the lost spirits of children who were prior victims in order to find a means of escape. This concept, based on a short story written by Joe Hill, is original and compelling, and conveys real world fears of abduction and loss.
The Black Phonehassome jump scaresthat work to shock the audience, but the true horror lies in the trauma that is conveyed through the relatable characters. This is an intelligent thriller that takes its time to establish its narrative and tension. While the jump scares are present, they are few and far between. The true horror lies in trauma from the characters that is forced to evoke an emotional response from the audience.
Character Buildup in The Black Phone
Scott Derrickson’s horror films, which includeSinister(also starring Hawke) andThe Exorcism of Emily Rose, take their time to establish character motivation and relatability.The Black Phonededicates the entire first act to setting up the dynamic between the characters and connecting them to the audience. The key characters, Finn (Mason Thames) and Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), are the heart of the film. The brother and sister’s bond is fully realized, and as their experiences get darker and darker, the trauma they experience hits much harder because of their relatability with the audience.
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Situational Horror in The Black Phone
With The Grabber’s next potential strike looming over the characters, there is an overarching tension that is felt throughout the first act. However, the horror that is conveyed goes further than The Grabber, extending to what is displayed in the characters' home lives. From abusive parents to bullying in schools, there is a real depiction of childhood trauma inThe Black Phone. These sequences are more unexpected, so they do leave an emotional impact due to the realness of the situation. Seeing a child be beaten by their abusive parent is not an easy image to take in. However, it is meant to establish the aforementioned character motivations that are crucial to telling the storyabout coming of ageand overcoming adversity.
When Finn is kidnapped by The Grabber, it visualizes one of the biggest fears we have as humans. Being overpowered by a sinister psychopath is a terrifying scene to witness as an audience member, and watching a child endure this is even worse.Derrickson also makes the effective decisionto implement many POV shots from the perspective of Finn, especially when being taken and waking up inside The Grabber’s domain. This fully immerses the audience into the moment and taps into their true fear.
Ghosts From the Past in The Black Phone
As Finn communicates with the dead children taken by The Grabber, we start to see a bit moreof the ghostly supernatural elementsbeing utilized in the film. While this might be a bit jarring from a seemingly grounded film about real traumas, the supernatural does not take the entire spotlight inThe Black Phone. They simply act as an aid for Finn and provide a bit of supernatural assistance.
However, the film realizes that Finn is truly in control of his own destiny and all the help he receives is informative and not practical. Meaning, he is essentially on his own after receiving information through the titular black phone. The audience is forced to clench their fists and ache while this young boy has to figure out his escape with his own two hands.
Who is The Grabber in The Black Phone?
The Grabber,played brilliantly by Ethan Hawke, is a representation of everything parents and children have feared from early childhood. For Finney, The Grabber represents the evil he has experienced with his abusive father; the fight to overcome the powerful hold his father has over him drives his story forward. Finney is the character audiences find themselves relating to, as he is the central protagonist. 4
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Audiences have seen more coming of age stories than can be counted, but Derrickson does an impeccable job of realizing this arc in a way that is believable. The film puts Finney in this position where he is forced to confront a powerful entity that has represented everything that has put him down. Finney, as we all would, is forced to strengthen and fight against The Grabber and his own trauma, fully realizing his arc.
The Grabber is as real a character as can be. From his manner of snatching his victims, to his presentation, hits an emotional cord with audiences. There is something about his character that is just unsettling. The brilliant choice of masks being interchangeable to reflect his mood is a standout for the film.Ethan Hawke’s villainous performanceteeters from youthful ignorance to powerful psychopath. The mask he wears symbolizes the emotions he wants to express. When there is a frown, the audience feels it. Taking from John Carpenter’s originalHalloween, the most effective scares can be conveyed in the simplest of ways. If there is a grounded connection to the audience, and it feels real, there will be effective tension.The Black Phoneconveys that tension with not just scares but a dark reflection of true trauma.
