Writer/Director Scott Derrickson returns after a six year hiatus to direct ‘The Black Phone.’ Though his last directorial foray was 2016s ‘Doctor Strange,' Derrickson is best known for 'Sinister' and he returns to his wheelhouse of horror with phenomenal results.
‘The Black Phone’ is a taut thriller with a creative supernatural bent. Derrickson's horror as well as filmmaking sensibilities have all been refined. He pulls from his toy box of techniques that he has accumulated over the years and uses them to their maximum effectiveness. The entire crew executes everything with impeccable finesse.
Ethan Hawke’s performance as ‘the grabber’ is sublimely twisted, but it is the child actors, particularly Mason Thames (Finney) and Madeline McGraw (Gwen), that really flex their acting chops.
The script is the quintessence of a great script. It is crisp, efficient, and economical. It wastes nothing it introduces. Every dramatic punch hits, every intended sentiment is evoked, and every bit of humor lands.
Much like the original ‘Halloween’ the unnerving atmosphere is amplified by nerve racking score from composer Mark Korven. It gets far enough under the skin that it chills the soul.
‘The Black Phone’ will eventually join the pantheon of classic horror films as it is already one of the best of the new decade.
MY RATING 4.25/5 STARS
Check out other Blumhouse titles like 'Paranormal Activity' and 'Sinister' available for checkout at The Brown Deer Public Library
