I love horror movies, but with how many Hollywood churns out these days, even I have trouble keeping on top of them all — and it's literally my job to watch movies! "Black Phone" is one that slipped through the cracks for me. I heard nothing but good things about it, then dragged my feet long enough for a sequel to come out. With "Black Phone 2" hitting Netflix last week, I figured it was finally time to see what all the fuss was about. The original "Black Phone" is on Netflix too, making it the perfect weekend spooky double feature.
It became immediately apparent why “Black Phone” became such a hit: Ethan Hawke delivers a truly unsettling performance, the gritty '70s vibes are immaculate, and director Scott Derrickson pushes its threadbare setting to its most terrifying potential. The premise is simple but affecting: A masked killer (Hawke) terrorizes a small town, abducting kids and trapping them in a soundproof basement where, unbeknownst to him, a disconnected black phone connects them to voices of his previous victims. And they're eager to get revenge.
