What does Scott Derrickson have in store for his return to the horror genre?
Derrickson took a trip into the Mystical Arts with his MCU film, Doctor Strange. After an unfortunate divorce between the filmmaker and Marvel Studios over the direction of Multiverse of Madness, Derrickson decided to adapt a frightening and eerie short story for the big screen. Joe Hill’s “The Black Phone” is an impressive tale from Stephen King’s son and the story is ripe for expansion. Supernatural abilities, abducted children, and a serial killer…sounds ripe for some horror.
How does Derrickson expand on this short story in delivering The Black Phone?
For a film that is just over 100-minutes, there are some spots that feel a bit repetitive and drawn out. Specifically, the second act is where you can feel the short story origins of the film and where things are drawn out. Our protagonist, Finney, gets a supernatural call from beyond the grave from a previous victim, gets a new key to escape, and attempts, and fails. Rinse…dry…repeat. This process does all come together in the end, but it does feel a bit labored along the way. There is also plenty of setup (more than you might expect) as Finney and his sister Gwen deal with bullies and abuse from their drunken and depressed father. But the film does pack quite a bit of thematic heft centered around sibling connections, religion, and dealing with grief.
Does Derrickson balance the different supernatural and horror elements well for the film?
Many people might be surprised about the lack of scares in the film. There are a few of them related to the presence of the former victims of The Grabber (the serial killer in the film). There are a few regarding some of Gwen visionary dreams as well. Some of the tensest moments are Finney answering the titular phone and his interactions with the spirits of dead boys. Gwen’s dreams are unnerving as well as they move from the victims’ childhoods to their brutal abductions (all shot in old school home video format).
The eeriest elements of the film are most certainly the presence of Ethan Hawke’s The Grabber. His masks are frightening the warped demeanor he has.
Derrickson goes more for atmosphere and tension over traditional scares.
What other ways is Derrickson able to inject personality into his filmmaking?
The dreams (as mentioned before) are shot on old home video cameras giving a vintage look that helps bring the period setting to life. The camera work is sharp and impressive. There is a visceral and brutal nature to the film that is maximized by the way that Derrickson shoots it. There are some uncomfortably tragic and brutal sequences throughout the film that pack an extra punch. The earlier scenes feature intense bullying and abuse from a parent and are not sheltered from the audience. But the biggest jolt of personality to the film is the unnerving score of Mark Korven and the impressive choice of needle drops for the film. “On the Run” from Pink Floyd…enough said.
What about the cast that brings this film to life?
Mason Thames does a fine job with his emotional beats and physical expectations (Finney is a role that is quite demanding for a child actor). Madeleine McGraw just might steal the show with his energetic and towering turn as Gwen. Her sharp delivery of dialogue (including some choice words to Jesus) and committed strength make for a breakout turn. Jeremy Davies (of Lost and Saving Private Ryan fame) delivers an uncomfortable and believable turn as the abusive yet tormented father of our siblings. But it is Hawke who will be talked about for time to come. With only 20 minutes of screentime, Hawke does unnerving and terrifying work. His eyes tell it all along with his voice which he manipulates to great effect. The main thought is to ignore the terribly worthless and witless police in the film (absolute worthless).
Are you ready to go on a crazy ride with this thrilling adaptation?
This is quite the return to the genre for Derrickson after his time making comic book movies.
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Derrickson shows plenty of talent and injects his serial killer tale with plenty of humanity and supernatural elements. There are moments that will make you feel sadness, fear, and love.
