In North Denver, back in 1982, Finney is still trying to shake off the terrifying memories of being the only one to escape a nasty serial killer called the Raptor. To cope, he’s turned to things like smoking pot to mellow out. Meanwhile, his sister Gwen isn’t having it easy either. She’s haunted by dreams about kids trapped under a frozen lake and hears her mom—who passed away ages ago—reaching out to her from the past.

Gwen digs deeper into these creepy visions and thinks they’re linked to an old camp where their mom used to work back in the ’50s. So, she ropes Finney and her sort-of boyfriend Ernesto into becoming counselors at this snowy place called Alpine Lake. Once there, they stumble upon stories of missing children that hint at something shady, even though the Raptor’s been dead for years.

The first movie, Black Phone, wrapped up pretty nicely without really needing a follow-up. But since it was a hit, here we are with Part 2! And sure, if bringing back a dead serial killer sounds wild, just think of Freddy Krueger—the infamous dream-haunting villain of the ’80s? Seems only right since this sequel takes us straight back into those days too!
So, Derrickson and his writing buddy C. Robert Cargill took a story from Joe Hill, who’s Stephen King’s kid, but really only kept the characters. They kinda walk this line between nodding to older horror icons and doing their own thing with real dedication and power. The result? A dark, dreamy vibe that’s more than just copying—it’s like they’ve leveled up into something really conscious and powerful.

Derrickson’s been around in the horror scene for a while, and he’s smart enough not to just mimic old ’80s horror stuff or fall into the sequel trap of repeating himself. If you caught “The Black Phone” before, you know how it was all about that tight space tension. But here in part two? It’s more about open spaces—imagine snowy fields and frozen lakes giving off that same chilling effect as those creepy cramped spots in the first film. There’s still some shout-outs to those scenes though.

There is one chunk of the movie that takes its sweet time explaining things—like character backstories and stuff—which can kind of slow down the suspense. But honestly? Before and after that bit, Derrickson nails it visually. He’s great at crafting tense moments with a mix of artsy style and cleverness that hits you right in your feelings while you’re sitting there on the edge of your seat!
This movie pretty much dives right into the endless struggle between Good and Evil, and it’s pretty ruthless about it. It’s got this cool mix of spooky vibes and some unexpected mystical and religious stuff going on, which you didn’t see a lot back then. Story-wise, maybe not much new stuff, but the way they set things up—and throw in some well-timed jump scares—keeps you on your toes.

The trio of main characters from the last flick is back at it. Mason Thames and Ethan Hawke are solid as ever, doing what they do best. But it’s really Madeleine McGraw who steals the show as she plays this psychic little sister. She’s just fantastic and makes her character really believable with layers and depth that are hard to pull off!