Reviews on movie The Black Phone (29)

Welcome to Stephen King's planet. And while the Maine horror master’s name is not directly related to the film, it’s clear that its creators were inspired by King’s boy initiation. So, the first half-hour of the film is devoted not so much to acquaintance with the characters as to the description of teenage frustrations. Here and the attack of hooligans, and beating children by the father, and failure in a responsible match. With such a heavy burden, many enter life. And around the turn they are waiting for life with ridiculous tricks and sets of black balls.
Will our hero learn to overcome stress and defend himself? Can you learn to suppress your fears? Throughout the film, he will be in mortal danger. The lines associated with the maniac, as well as with the astral world, are secondary. Acquaintance with a criminal is just another test in the life of the main character.
This tape is simple. Putting the hero in a bizarre, obviously implausible situation, the authors show the viewer an inspiring fairy tale about “rebirth”, fortitude and the ability to overcome complexity. There is no place to wait for help except in oneself. And there's a lot of bravado in that message. This is great to take away from the story itself, reducing the tape to fairly simple truths.
As a result, we get something clear and monosyllabic in the aesthetics of Stephen King. The ease and accessibility of the presentation somewhat lubricates the rather complex psychological design of the tape, simplifying it and formulating a purely genre composition.

6 out of 10

Scott Derrickson, a director familiar with the dark side of cinema through the films Sinister (2012) and The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005), returns with a new horror film, The Black Phone. In a duet with co-author C. Robert Cargill, he adapted the story of Joe Hill, son of Stephen King, creating an atmospheric but surprisingly mediocre piece.
The plot takes place in 1978 in a small town where a serial child kidnapper nicknamed Grubber (Ethan Hawke) operates. The protagonist is a 13-year-old boy named Finney (Mason Thames), who becomes one of Grabber's victims. He is kidnapped and locked up in a soundproof basement: there is an old black phone in the corner. Even though the phone is not connected, it starts ringing, and Finney receives calls from previous Grubber victims who are trying to help him escape.
The film really creates a dark and depressing atmosphere thanks to the camera work of Brett Jutkiewicz and the sinister music of Mark Corven. However, despite the crew’s best efforts, the script proves to be the film’s weakest link: Finney, his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) and father (Jeremy Davis) don’t get the attention they need to develop their characters. Their motivations and actions are so flat that they are comparable only to the plot of an advertising brochure.
The storyline of a kidnapped child aided by supernatural forces is not only predictable but painfully familiar. Sudden appearances of ghosts and other cliches of the genre cause not horror, but yawning. It seems that the filmmakers have collected all the clichés and carefully packaged them into one film. Do you want a scene where you see something terrible in the mirror? Please. What about the classic scene where a creepy face suddenly appears in the dark? Help yourself.

The beginning of the film stretches like chewing gum on a shoe, and at some point you begin to doubt whether it was worthwhile to start this viewing at all. But finally, the actions begin to develop, and then it turns out that logic decided to take a vacation: the improbability of what is happening and the ridiculous actions of the characters cause bewilderment, not fear.
However, despite all the flaws, The Black Phone boasts an excellent Ethan Hawke game. His Grubber is the embodiment of all the worst nightmares, wrapped in a terrible mask and generously seasoned with madness. But even his talent is not enough to pull the whole film.
This adaptation could be a real hit, but stumbles at every turn. Yes, it has a grim vibe and outstanding performance by Ethan Hawke as Grabber; but that’s not enough to make up for the predictable plot, lack of character development and clichés. This call from the past is best left unanswered.

Scott Derrickson is not a very talented director, whom I sometimes love immensely, and sometimes I just hate for being gray. From the very banal 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' he somehow evolved to the really scary 'Sinister'. Then he pissed off Marvel fans in Doctor Strange. Now I decided to play a fan of Stephen King and to revive his obsessions in a hundred and twenty million times.

One-story suburbs of Denver, balloons, masked killers, a retrospective of the American dream, yellow raincoats, smart out-of-age teenagers, ghosts looking around the corner, the tragic death of a parent - it is easy to track down unwalked trails for King fans here. "Black phone" - arranged in the genre of a banal box with a surprise from a stall with newspapers. Here even a synopsis to write scary, one extra word, and the film will lose the last intrigue.
The main attraction of Derrickson this time is the kindest Ethan Hawke in the role of a mentally unhealthy villain, a paedophile and a hoaxer. I can't say it was convincing. But the fantasy, the message and the idea are clear - in "Black Phone" they are engaged in a postmodern parody, although they certainly planned an homage.
Black Phone did well with the atmosphere of the dull 1970s, which, by the way, is not a comfort zone for King. He saw the nascent introversion in the light of the well-fed and happy 1980s, so he shoved horror into the hysteria of the celebrating crowd. He hid it around the corner of a beautiful, drowning in vegetation street, which frightened him. A feast in the midst of a plague has never been as terrifying as a sudden plague at a feast.
It's lyrics, though. Derrickson's movie was as good as it wasn't. King's attributes - on the spot, parodies of all children's horror stories in the style of "Stranger Things" - are available. And as a passing fanfiction in the "Community of Admirers of the Literary Genius Blah Blah Blah" this film will go hurrah. There is no movie magic, no fear (except for a couple of boos), no attempt to frame a stereotypical borrowing idea. It’s like the same question when writing any thesis – so what are your research goals and objectives?
As a result, the Black Phone is a local product with a slightly fermented shelf life. A diploma for this in the course of directing, of course, would be issued. I would have forgotten who and why.

Black Phone is a project that is of interest for two reasons.
First, the plot story is very close to the novels of Stephen King: a small city, a maniac, superpowers, trapped children – it may seem that the King of Horrors still had a story on this topic.
Secondly, the director is Scott Derickson, who has had a hand in creating such horror films as Sinister and The Six Demons of Emily Rose, as well as the fantastic thriller The Day the Earth Stood Still. With such a track record, the author should definitely give a chance.

Outside Denver, 1978. That's just the local teenagers are not up to the discussion of new musical trends - in the city there is a maniac (So Hawk), who kidnaps children. It does this on an industrial scale. At one point, the queue reached 13-year-old Fin (Mason Thames). But he, unlike the other victims, was in a much better position - unexpected allies come to his aid.

Despite the presence of ghosts and mediums, the film is a classic thriller about escape from a maniac. Supernatural entities are only additional levers for the main character, which he uses for his liberation. Nevertheless, the authors manage to create a sense of tension. It does not seem that the hero will still get out of this mess, because he is helped by many already dead peers.
The most curious here looks the same killer performed by Ithaca Hawk. A sick man who spills his complexes on defenseless schoolchildren. And the actor brilliantly appears before the audience in the guise of such a madman.
It is not that Black Phone turned out to be a genius in the plot, script or acting plans. This is just a good fantastic thriller, convincingly playing the card of Stephen King. All fans of the writer’s work, as well as other fans of similar stories, will surely appreciate the film.
8 out of 10

The film came out quite quietly, as “quietly” was appreciated, and in vain, because I crossed it out of my lists several times, based on the overall assessment.
Of Joe Hill's creations, she read "The Horn" and was left delighted, "The Land of Christmas" and cast in the middle. I can’t appreciate this book, but the action of the film definitely attracts attention. Everything is simple here: the late 70s, a dysfunctional family, leaflets with a missing school, an unknown person, a basement ... And it seems that all this and other events are very reminiscent of “It”, but the fabulousness here is less and there are no stupid screamers, as well as stupid main characters with jokes about mothers.
The main character looks very similar to Björn Anderson at a similar age (“Death in Venice”) and plays well. I like the lack of tantrums on his part, although he is scared, he tries to think with his head. I often thought how I can behave in such a situation, because the screams and screams that like to shove in such stories are alien to me.
The boy's sister is just as good at playing the role, in it you see a real child. The fight scene with her is very cool. However, I did not fully understand the role of her abilities in the plot. You can simply remove them and it will not affect the outcome. It's just a storyline that's not needed here.

What the film needs is violence, as strange as it may sound. In films about children, children are not beaten, because the ratings are generally bad, but that is the essence of the film about kidnapping. In reality, they are beaten, and hematomas do not go away overnight. However, the creators of the allowed minimum inserted, and thank you.
Of the minuses, I can note only a few small moments, on which you do not focus your attention much, and an embellished ending. I know how it was supposed to end. It's made for children. It would be interesting to see something alternative. Not the opposite, but for an adult audience.

I found out about the Black Phone by accident. A small excerpt of the film was given to me in recommendations on one video hosting. I was interested in this film, but I never got to see it, and put it in a long drawer. After a while I returned to this film and was disappointed.
I heard that Scott Derrickson specializes in horror, but this particular movie was mediocre. Maybe it's a good thing he never made the second Doctor Strange.
The film is positioned as another film about a maniac who kidnaps children. At the same time, for the entire tape, the viewer will not explain why he does this. You will find an ordinary story, which can be placed in a good short meter.

I didn't see the movie as such. Instead of an oppressive atmosphere, the picture is stuffed with "screeners". It would be more accurate to say the surprises with the accompanying sudden sounds-frighteners that make you shudder. In addition, there is nothing in the picture that you can cling to. To me, it's extremely cheap to scare the viewer with such a reception. However, some people like it the opposite.

The whole picture is permeated with religious overtones and for me personally this is a clear disadvantage, but not because of the very presence of it, but because of the way it is used. And how the picture ended, I was very confused.

From the main fantastic element oozes the idea of revenge, but this is a well-tailored plan, which is again clearly tied to religious overtones.
I liked the cast. The kids played well and the brilliant Ethan Hawke... Unfortunately, he has nothing to play here. Yes, his voice is amazing, and his mask is interesting, but as a maniac he is unattractive. He's not scary, he's not nasty, he's not sympathetic. It's empty. You look at him and you have no emotions.
Musical accompaniment, one of the most important elements of horror here is rotten. Does not make you empathize with the main characters, does not make you fear a maniac, does not give emotional settings to the stage ... except for one moment. Ending. I haven't seen such a cheap method of empathizing in a long time. Anyone who has seen the movie will understand.

It's a mediocre movie to me. It is faint and empty. It promotes extremely dubious ideas, does not cause emotions and looks secondary. Of the pluses here only Ethan Hawke and the main characters.
I think it's an average movie that deserves its six points.
6 out of 10

In general, it seems that the film was directed by a schoolboy. Here and wet fantasies about how you become the coolest guy in school - girls flow, hooligans press against the walls, and a complete misunderstanding of how the world is arranged, where the tiles are put directly on the ground, you can dig a hole in full growth with your bare hands, and with the lid of the toilet bowl you can generally punch a giant hole in the concrete wall. True, the main character always puts his determination in the wrong direction, so the most ordinary window at a height of two meters is not of any interest to him. Timekeeping is tightened so much that the first half hour does not happen at all, half of the film is occupied by a storyline that is not in the original and which, suddenly, does not take any part in the development of the plot. Just a useless piece of timekeeping and without which everything would have ended as it is.
The original is a short story that at least has a logic that explains why the kidnapper doesn't kill Finney, and a phone tube in an empty basement is the only thing you can do to protect yourself. In adaptation, this looks far-fetched because GG is surrounded by heavy and sharp objects.

' Black Phone' Scott Derrickson's attempt to reanimate 70s horror. Did this attempt fail or was it successful? This is in this review.

The picture caught my attention with its synopsis - a maniac takes teenagers into a soundproof basement and then kills them until he meets the main character, called to stop the maniac. By luck, in the basement there is a phone on which the hero calls previous victims to help him get out of the clutches of Grabber (the same maniac).
The film is based on the story of Joe Hill. I don’t know how there is in the original source, I didn’t read, so I will judge exclusively on the cinematic work of the director ' Doctor Strange'. The picture is a kind of nostalgia for horrors of the late 70s, early 80s. In those days, horror films were frightened not by the abundance of insides spilled on the screen, but by their atmosphere and the main villain. This maniac who has no motivation, but has a goal and means. Here, such a maniac is played by Ethan Hawke, who is probably the best thing in the film at all. He is charismatic, frightening and moderately insane. About the game of a maniac with masks we will talk a little later, until about what Derrickson, in my opinion, did not succeed.
The director did not create that atmosphere. Rather, it turned out: a dark basement with a black phone, frightening voices in the tube, occasionally barking dog, a rainy street with references to ' It' and all the attendant. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work the way it could. All these elements do not create a holistic, but rather an imbalanced picture that does not squeeze the good that is. Probably a couple of frightening moments is only in the unexpected appearance of Grabber inside the basement and, in fact, in himself.
What's totally atmospheric is the mask game I mentioned earlier. Thanks to the magnificent acting performance, Ethan Hawke even under the mask of a demon manages to pull over the blanket, settling in the picture at least 3 of the personality of Grabber. The first is a calm girl who feeds Finney (the protagonist played by Mason Thames) and talks to him. The second is a cruel one who wants to kill the boy. The third (and perhaps the strangest) is philosophical. A person without one of the parts of the mask, who is constantly searching, as if trying to justify himself. There is nothing to justify...

Grabber has absolutely no motivation here. He's like the spirit of a town - he dies as suddenly as he appears in the plot. All attempts to catch him end with announcements of missing children. The police aren't even here. They're just extras walking around in the background. By the end of the picture, it seems that Grabber caught Finn specifically so that the boy learned to stand up for himself. It's nice, but not vital.

Over. Scott Derricksen managed to create a pleasant film for the evening, where there is no hidden meaning, the plot is filled with genre clichés, strange and simple mysticism, and in general quite predictable. The atmosphere is underwhelmed and not broken to catharsis, and the main advantage is, perhaps, Ethan Hawke. Watch for those who missed horror movies from the 80s. The rest - you can safely bypass the side.

6 out of 10

'The black phone' originally aroused some interest. Not bad reviews, like an interesting story, and even So Hawk, whose performances are always nice to watch. But unfortunately, the tape was not as exciting and catchy as I expected.
The story about a kidnapped elusive maniac teenager in theory was supposed to work as a great thriller, the benefit of this had excellent initial data. Good characters, a well-written main character who has problems in communicating with peers, and in the family, who should grow over himself, becoming stronger as a person. Good style and atmosphere, giving ubiquitous 'Stranger Things'. And the plot itself, tied to the abduction of children, in general is very serious, if not cruel.
They have everything they need, but no. For some reason, the film doesn’t work. Or rather, it does not work exactly as it should. The dynamics of the picture are insanely sagging. The narrative is simply sleepy, and it is impossible to empathize with the main character, a boy named Finn. Yes, despite the fact that he is held captive by a very original maniac, he simply cannot believe that he is threatened by anything. There's no suspense, no tension. The presentation of the material, in my opinion, spoils the very idea, not allowing you to feel the horror of the situation.

The tape accelerates only towards the end, when the endless trampling on the spot flows into something that really moves the story. The rotten narrative builds up the pace, and only here you start to worry about Finn, because he begins to do something.
It’s not like ' Black Phone' is a bad movie. It is well shot, there are good acting work and a good story. But I do not consider the tape interesting either. It's just watchable, digestible, nothing more.

The Black Phone is an American horror film directed by Scott Derrickson. Scott has directed films such as Sinister, Doctor Strange, Part 1 and The Day the Earth Stood Still. Derrickson admitted that he had been hatching the idea for the film for 16 years, since he first read the story. Which left him very impressed. This film is an adaptation of a story by Joe Heal. In September 2021, the film was presented at the Fantastic Fest festival. And in wide distribution, the film was released on June 24, 2022. Critics were positive about this film. Given that a good horror movie in our time is rare, this picture can be called excellent. I like a lot about her, and now they rarely make such horror films.
Plot. The film takes place in 1978. For many years, children have been missing in Denver. in the city there were rumors that they were abducted by a certain maniac, who was nicknamed Grubber. The protagonist is Finn. He's 13. He is more afraid to face school bullies who do not give him peace. And his father isn't sugar either. Only his younger sister understands him. Finn still falls into the hands of a maniac and ends up in his basement. It may seem that the guy has no chance to survive, but on the disconnected phone, the guy begins to call the previous victims of the killer.
Actors. There aren’t many characters in this movie, but that doesn’t make it any worse. Starring Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davis, James Ranson and Mason Thames. I was particularly impressed by Ethan Hawke. He played the role of Albert Shaw (Grabber). Ethan during his entire acting career managed to star in many wonderful films. In the same film, he played brilliantly. This is Hawk’s second collaboration with Scott Derickson. Before that, they worked together on Sinister. Even considering that Ethan's character's face is hidden throughout the film, that didn't stop him from showing off his acting skills. If it weren’t for him, the movie wouldn’t be so exciting. Mason Thames plays Finney Blake. For this young actor, this film is a 3 in his career. Before that, he starred in the series Walker, which is famous for Padelaki in the title role. Mason has done well in his role. Often in such films, where a teenager gets the main role, he screws up and the film does not live up to its expectations. The example of the film After our era. I can't pick anyone else out.

I want to note the atmosphere of the seventies and eighties. It's beautifully rendered, just like in SDM. I also liked the soundtrack, it added tension to the picture. The main problem is the indifference of adults towards children. Children are responsible only for themselves, as shown by the Finn family. In this world, a child can only rely on himself. The film keeps you in suspense until the end. It is impossible to get away from the screens, which is good. I want to draw a parallel with Ono (2017). There are many similarities between these two films. There is still some mysticism, but it was not given much time. Operating at the highest level. And it is also worth highlighting a great combination of several genres at once.

Epilogue. Timekeeping of the picture is 103 minutes. That time passes unnoticed. The budget of the picture was $ 16 million. Fees in the US were $89,887,230. Worldwide, fees were $69,681,000. Total fees thus reached $159,568,230. In my opinion, this film is the best horror movie of 2022. I would definitely recommend watching it.

The Black Phone 2021

In a small suburb of Denver there is a maniac who kidnaps children. Not a single child is found alive or dead, but everyone goes to school and is not afraid of anything.

The main character Finney becomes a new victim of a maniac, although he is already a victim, except that he has an alcoholic father who is not afraid to “apply a belt” to children, so he also has a pear at school for beating by hooligans, but the fate of this is not enough.
In the basement of the kidnapper, a broken phone on the wall begins to ring and Finn talks to the past victims of the maniac, who try to help the hero with advice (at least something).
From the nice things in the movie:

- The entourage of the 80s is beautiful;

- Very beautiful initial titles;

- Chic mask of the maniac and the maniac himself performed by Ethan Hawke (he definitely needs to play antagonists more often).
Of the unpleasant things in the film:

- It is very strange when the boy-coward, being in a locked cellar, immediately becomes super brave and brave in the face of a dangerous maniac in a terrible mask.
- Cops are catastrophically blind;
- Why, where children are so often abducted and posters with missing people are hung all over the city, can a child be kidnapped in broad daylight?
- Why are Sister Finney's magical dreams?
- Mysticism in the film is not explained at all (well, there it is and all).
.

There is an incredible feeling that the story of Joe Heal (son of Stephen King), in which the film is made much more vivid and better than the resulting film adaptation.
The more blood, the better. It is necessary for the crowd to understand you better. (c)

It’s nice that Scott Derrickson returned to the genre of horror thrillers, but there are no horrors, no thriller (and why is there a rating of R?), after the worthy filming of Doctor Strange, a return to the genre (6 demons of Emily Rose, Sinister, Deliver Us from the Evil) failed.

Boring, sterile, toothless.

3 out of 10

The crowd did not understand where the blood was, but clearly understood that it was better to read the story and skip the film adaptation.

It’s been quite a long time (or came out, but I was not aware of) something like this, slightly teenage, with the main characters children who find themselves in very dangerous situations. From something similar in spirit and atmosphere, you can recall 'It', 'Summer 84', well, some Netflix movies that tried ' to leave' on the nostalgia of classical slashers, and were shot in the setting of the 70s-80s.
Therefore, bypassing ' Black phone' it was impossible to pass. In addition, this is a film adaptation of the story of John Hill, the son of Stephen King, and the film adaptations of his father’s works are shot with the cherished regularity, and some of them have gained enough popularity. And now the hands of the filmmakers reached the works of his son ' Master of Horrors'. And after all, the film is not someone out there, but Scott Derrickson, author of Sinister & #39, which many consider one of the most terrible relatively modern horror films.

Unfortunately, in the case of the Black Phone & #39, no skill of the eminent director could deprive the film of the most banal problems, which in the end spoiled the entire impression and final assessment of the film.
I've always believed, and I think it's an integral part of these films, to reveal the identity of the villain. What drives him? What motive? Personality history. Anything to make it easier for the viewer to understand who is confronting the main character: a really dangerous person, or just some idiot in a mask. The only thing revealed in the film is that the masked man is a serial kidnapper and murderer, and that children go missing with enviable regularity.

Not a word more about the maniac.

Why is he wearing a mask? Why are the top and bottom of the mask replaced?
In some moments, there are small fragments where at least something is said about the kidnapper, but these pairs of words are catastrophically few. Children on the phone say that the phone is ringing, but the kidnapper thinks that he thinks it all and he does not hear anything. At this point, you might think that the kidnapper has some psychological abnormalities, but this version breaks down, because nothing like this was said anymore, and in general, the viewer himself has to think up the motivation of the maniac.

In general, there are a lot of weak characters, the storyline and disclosure of which is extremely mediocre.
Example: Relationships in the family of the protagonist, including between daughter and father.
The father glimpses something about the fact that he does not want his daughter to be ' the same as the mother' and that in fact she dreams complete nonsense.
Why not tell me more about who my mother was? Why isn't she here now? What are your daughter's dreams? Instead, during the second half of the film, scenes will be shown where the main character's sister talks to God, standing at the mirror. Just a simple monologue with a mirror, nothing more.
There are also cases when absolutely useless and unnecessary characters are introduced, apparently to stretch the timekeeping.
Example: The main character has a friend (a guy with long hair and a headband, who in the first part of the film beat some other guy). This friend protects the main character, in general, the main character helps him, ' pulls up ' his studies.
I'll try without spoilers Let's go straight to the cellar. The main character picks up the phone, and someone very rude starts talking to him. You'd think it was the guy with the bandage. But no, instead, they introduce a completely useless and unnecessary character who has exactly the same character as the character we already know. And then this character begins to reveal through a small flashback with a store and a game of a slot machine. Why introduce a new unfamiliar hero, and waste time on its disclosure, if in the first part of the film already showed a friend of the protagonist who behaves one at a time the same, who says the same, who has the same habits?
Even more mocked by police investigating missing children.

It is not surprising that having such idiots in office, children are still missing in a small town, because the police can not find a van in a small town that looks very suspicious, and the prints of tire protectors have the police.

The relationship between the two policemen and the sister of the main character is still a bit surprising. At first, they do not believe her, considering her dreams to be nonsense, and think about some leak of information (the moment with the interrogation at the school in the principal’s office), then (already in the second part) they gather the entire city police to check the place that the main character’s sister dreamed of in a dream. So I don't know if they trust her dreams or not? And if they trust, why has their opinion changed since the questioning of the director?

Another unnecessary character is the kidnapper's brother. What is he doing in all the time he has been given? Only creates a cartoon image of the urban madman of the late 70s, who conducted his own investigation. You know, it would be a lot better, if it's a little clichéd, if it turns out that the kidnapper has a split personality, and that there's really no brother, and that it's all one person. But no, I don’t think that was intended.

Special attention deserves the place where the main character was planted - the basement of the house with noise insulation. There is noise insulation, but the window is not closed, instead there is a glass with a bar, which the main character tears off, but then scores on the window, and decides to crack the concrete with his bare hands. It would be much more interesting and logical to show the main character’s attempt to signal passing cars with police patrol with the help of a rocket pen with which he scratched the kidnapper, and which for some reason was not taken from him. Or why even a flashlight? This would allow you to show some tense scene where the police knock on the house, and the kidnapper tries to appear as an ordinary person. But in this film, everything is possible, so even such an opportunity to shoot a tense scene is missed.
But thanks to a strict father, the film acquires at least some morality. Very banal, but morality - When we have - we do not appreciate, when we lose - we cry. This is exactly what happened to one of my father’s children. And that’s the only meaning I could see in the film.
Another film about a maniac kidnapper in a terrible mask (the story of which is also not disclosed). Apparently, it is needed only for a beautiful poster, and the marketing success of the film, the identity of which is completely undisclosed, and the viewer at best will think it all up by himself, collecting small scraps of replicas of characters, and clinging to some of them. Useless heroes, godlessly stupid policemen.
Very mediocre horror part, which is only needed to stretch the time of the film. The most terrible thing that can be observed is the screamers, and quite low-grade.

2 out of 10

A suburb of Denver, 1978. Teenagers have been missing in the county for some time, but the 13-year-old Finn is more concerned about not facing school bullies and angering his fiery father. The only person who understands him is his younger sister. But one day Finn still falls into the clutches of a maniac and wakes up in a soundproof basement. It seems that there is no hope for salvation, but soon the previous victims of the killer begin to call the guy on the disconnected phone.
In 1978, the American rolled 'Halloween' - cult slasher John Carpenter, which marked the beginning of the entire franchise. Perhaps because of this event (perhaps not), this year is chosen for the history of the main Joe Hill. Although, the film also mentions another cult slasher - ' Texas Chainsaw Massacre'. A sleepy, quiet suburb where life is frozen and running its course, and nothing radical seems to happen. Everything changes after the disappearance of a local baseball star from the school where Finn is studying, the main character, and his sister Gwendolyn has strange dreams about missing children, and their father, meanwhile, is addicted to alcohol. But one day, Finn himself is captured by a stranger in a mask of Satan with horns, and the game in "Bad Boy" 39 begins.
The Black Phone is a thriller directed by Scott Derrickson. A screen adaptation of the 2004 short story by writer Joe Hill. Scott Derrickson is an American film director and screenwriter who creates mainly strong thrillers and horror films: 'Six Demons by Emily Rose', 'Sinister'. He also directed two parts for Marvel 'Doctor Strange'. Another thriller in the filmography of the director - 'benefit', 'master class' and one of the best in his directorial career.
Mason Thames as Finn is undoubtedly the main actor of the film, but it is also worth noting the strong work of Ethan Hawke as a maniac, as well as the work of Madeleine McGraw. The work of artists and costumers is one of the best in the film, as is the music of Mark Corven.
As a result, we have a tense, teenage story with its own special ' spirit of the era' in the spirit ' It' Stephen King (Joe Hill's father), exploring the deep layers of society and its psychology, childhood fears and phobias. Evil can live across the street, and be masked with horns and a belt.

In the suburbs of Denver, children have long been missing, the police are powerless and can not find the perpetrator. The boy alone had to fight evil, not on equal terms trying to overcome the maniac.
Our protagonist, Finney, has few friends. He lives the normal life of a teenager, with problems in the family and with difficult relationships with peers. While a serial maniac operates in Denver, his friend disappears. Sad Finney tries to move on with his life, because there is nothing he can do about it. But unfortunately, the day comes when a maniac finds our protagonist.

A film about teenagers - victims of a maniac, united in the fight against evil. About friendship, about a loving younger sister who tried to find a brother.
Play actors were pleased, very well played by children whose roles were on the main plan. Jeremy Davis, who played the father of the main characters, was imbued with soul, which was reflected in the acting and showed us the awareness of the father, after the events with his children. Thanks to the tension that holds the whole film and in anticipation of the climax, we can say that the film will find its viewer, although there is a horror genre, to a greater extent it can be attributed to a thriller.
The struggle of a boy with an adult who previously could not raise his hand even on offenders among peers. Courage and heroism! Fans of detective stories about maniacs are highly recommended for viewing. Good to see you!

7 out of 10

1978. Northern Colorado. There are several children who have simply not reached home. The maniac kidnaps them, masquerading as a children's animator (perfect, because children trust such comrades in general). Despite the frequent episodes of abductions, the town in which the events unfold, surprisingly, is not covered by panic and parents continue to let their children go alone.
Finney Shaw (Mason Thames) becomes the next victim of a kidnapper - he was taken in broad daylight and taken to a soundproof basement. Bare walls (on one of them hangs a black phone with a broken wire), a dirty mattress, a small window under the ceiling and a toilet behind the partition. Finney realizes that he will not be here for long and he will become the next boy killed on the maniac's list. However, his intelligence and resourcefulness is enough to waste time, because he realized what a game the maniac (Ethan Hawke) started with him.
Scott Derrickson (director) is not the first time collaborated with Ethan Hawke - in 2012, he presented 'Sinister', where the actor also played the main role. And there his character was called Alisson. As the director of such sinister horrors, Derrickson, it should be noted, is very good, because on his account also ' Deliver us from the evil' and 'Six Demons Emily Rose'. Therefore, in the area of making a film in a similar genre, the director succeeded and knows what and how to shoot.

Despite the fact that in general ' Black Phone' is not original in terms of the plot, it still leaves a pleasant impression. It slips curious moments, which on the one hand refer to similar horror films (yellow raincoat on the child, as well as the theme with balloons, which the maniac lures children - well, this is an obvious reference to ' It' Stephen King). And on the other hand, they show an element of the otherworldly in the picture, because at first ' Black phone' looks like a normal thriller.
Factor not working phone, through which, however, Finney establishes contact with other children, is a good idea, according to which the kidnapped child has unexpected allies, thanks to which he keeps so long in a dangerous game with a maniac. And if the conditional next victim fell into the clutches of a maniac, it is possible that there would be even more clues for her (for this victim). And it's possible that 'Allies' helped previous victims as well. Just the number of clues was for the time being not enough for the puzzle to fold and the victim could get out.

Given the fact that there were many serial killers in the United States, the image of Grabber-Hawke can be called collective. After all, it has something Bundy (both asked their future victims to help them), from Dahmer, from whom one victim fled, but was caught and from Gacy, fastened his victims with a belt.
I am not strong in psychology and certainly will not be able to create a reliable portrait of a maniac, but I can only assume that his focus on children and boys in particular has a homosexual overtones.
He tends to possess those who are weaker than him, he likes to play with his victims and that is why his mask is transformed (he is completely in it, then some part remains of it), besides his ' game' is also traced in behavior. He likes to watch the victim look for a way out and he waits for her (the victim) to be completely demoralized and this will be a signal for him to kill.
But look at you. I do not impose my opinion on anyone.

Enjoy your visit.

7 out of 10

Wow, for a long time there was no interesting dramatic horror with elements of a thriller. And here we are! For me, this would be something very boring in my opinion 'It'.

Someone is actively abducting children. The main character is a quiet modest guy, but here he is. And the kid would be doomed if he hadn't inherited some psychic powers from his mother, along with his sister. And his task now he has one: to get out of prison, having a chance to talk briefly with the previous, already dead, captives of the kidnapper, learning from them all sorts of life hacks.

The film is elegantly built script, the plot does not let go and does not sag, you very quickly penetrate the hero and the characters of the second plan, begin to sincerely worry and cheer for them. And each new attempt to escape the protagonist, along with the dynamic development of events, immerses you in action deeper and deeper.
In general, an unambiguous recommendation for viewing!

10 out of 10

When we see a small one-story town where children go missing, a comparison with It is inevitable. And if the frame now and then shows balloons, yellow cloaks and other Easter eggs (the antagonist, by the way, made a magician, although in the story he is a clown), then there is no doubt – well, for sure, King! Indeed, this is King, only Joe, who changed his famous father's name to avoid being labeled "son of the king of horrors." However, no matter how much Joe tried to go on an independent voyage, his titled work remains a shadow of that very novel.

Hill himself admitted that as a child he was afraid of “both the book of his father, and the TV movie Tommy Lee Wallace, and the real serial killer John Wayne Gacy”, because his version of “It” exists not in the comforting 1980s, but in the hopeless 1970s. So, the alarming setting is dissonant with the usual nostalgic techniques, in which the locations familiar to any child, intelligible metaphors and heart-loving details do not please, but serve as ominous signs of disaster. But filmed it is so boring, so cheap that atmospheric cinema does not smell.
Exaggeratedly short scenes that set the dynamics at the beginning will not withstand their own rhythm; a simple mystical thriller will not turn into a novel of upbringing; a big idea will not appear outward. And most outrageously, the mysterious identity of the villain will not be revealed. Ethan Hawke’s character (why is he even there?) will remain a “mask” without history, without motivation, without internal conflicts. In my opinion, a failed movie.

I do not want to delay the introduction for a long time and just write thoughts about the film:
First I must say that the tape has a good concept, which I like, but the implementation has pumped up.
The film is boring and simply not interesting. During the movie I tried not to fall asleep. It's so boring. There are so many unnecessary scenes in the film that should create suspense and a tense atmosphere, but it seems too long and tension is not created in any way.

The film seems to me a comedy, not a horror movie. I laughed at the reactions of my friends and the comments of strangers in the theater. I even forgot I was watching a horror movie. There are only two terrible moments in it and both with children, more terrible and frightening moments I can not remember.
This picture, even in the script, everything is bad: the storyline with the sister is superfluous. Nothing changes if you cut out Gwen, because nothing happens because of her. Sooner or later, the cops would have found the maniac anyway, since Finn ran away from that place - himself. A bunch of unnecessary scenes and characters add fuel to the fire and make the picture even dumber.
I have a lot of questions: where did the black phone come from and how does it work? Where did the main villain come from and who is he really: a person or a clot of some evil energy? If man, why is his behavior inhuman? Yeah, I know, it's a stupid question, but I can't get the message right. There are a number of other questions that the film does not answer.

To sum it up, it’s a film with a good concept that hasn’t reached half its potential. It has a lot of excess and lacks the necessary, thanks to which the picture would seem holistic and interesting.

3 out of 10

“Black Phone” is a film adaptation of the story of Joe Hill (also the son of the famous king of horrors – Stephen King). Back in 2020, Scott Derrickson was appointed to the director's chair. And Derrickson known for his work in the genre of horror (and not only) should not fail the film company Blumhouse Productions. About Derrickson fans of horror are already familiar with his creations, such as - "Save us from the onion", "Sinister", "Six Demons Emily Rose", well, comic book lovers know his work on the film "Doctor Strange". Are you impressed and trustworthy?

As for the film company Blumhouse, it has long established itself as a great studio, best known for the release of low-budget horror films and slashers, which are successful at the box office. By the way, the screensaver Blumhouse immediately gave me hope that now there will be something interesting. All my expectations were met.

A little synopsis of the picture: Suburb of Denver, 1978. Teenagers have been missing in the county for some time, but the 13-year-old Finn is more concerned about not facing school bullies and angering his fiery father. The only person who understands him is his younger sister. But one day Finn still falls into the clutches of a maniac and wakes up in a soundproof basement. It seems that there is no hope for salvation, but soon the previous victims of the killer begin to call the guy on the disconnected phone.
Excellent thriller with elements of mysticism and drama. The plot keeps in suspense, unfolding gradually, which is definitely pleasing. Since the events go by the wave, first a little about teenage school quarrels: the transition period, then about family dramas, and after that, a mystical attitude is gradually introduced. Literally from the middle of the film, horrors are fixed with deck, which are not going to go away until the final. Moments cold on the skin, because you know that there will be something terrible from this oppressive and gloomy atmosphere, but do not expect what exactly lurks in the crymer.
Great emphasis is placed on the flower tape. Where you need to darken or give realism through makeup and accent on the light. There are no bright colors here, and they are not needed to scare the viewer enough earthy, brown shades.
But not only is visual scary, what do you think is one of the main intimidating elements? No, this is not a killer maniac, although he also plays an important role. It's a phone. Believe me, every time you hear a sharp “jin-jin” run goosebumps on the skin. In general, phone intimidation is not new, and the connection with the dead has long been lovingly revealed by directors through tv, radio stations, phones. But in this picture there is a special charming magic of the fear of the black box. And the secret is simple, here are the children.
Once in captivity, Finn found the courage to fight back the maniac. Not only thanks to the dead guys, but also his character, which formed his relationship through upbringing, communication with peers.

Where's the maniac? Well, we should give him a paragraph. Plays the kidnapper Ethan Hawk, and then the viewer sees only a mask, somewhat resembling the Joker and the mask Hann (from the Japanese theater). Ethan has a secondary role here, yes, he does, but don't count on it being one of Hawke's moments of glory. He is here the personification of evil, but his role is only to catch up with horror and escape from clinging paws.
As a result, “Black Phone” is a terrible horror, like a breath of fresh air on a frosty morning. As they say: “What the doctor ordered” I recommend to watch!
8 out of 10

I think few people will argue with the fact that speaking about the genre of horror films one of the first to come to mind the name of the cult producer Jason Bloom. In fact, it appeared out of nowhere, revived and popularized the genre as such. However, the pursuit of “the agenda” did not remain without a trace and this negatively affected the quality of the paintings. A nice exception to the rule was “Black Phone” directed by Scott Derrickson.
The events of this film unfold in 1978 in a suburb of Denver. Teenagers have been missing in the county for some time now, but the 13-year-old Finn is more concerned about not facing school bullies and angering the hot-tempered alcoholic father. However, one day Finn himself falls into the clutches of a maniac and wakes up in a soundproof basement. It seems that there is no hope of salvation, but soon the previous victims of the killer begin to call Finn on a disconnected phone.
I have not read Joe Hill’s short story of the same name, which served as the basis for this tape, and I cannot judge the quality of the adaptation. In fact, the authors of this tape combined elements of horror films about cruel maniacs and ghosts into something really fresh and unusual. At first glance, it may seem that much more could be squeezed out of the existing story and that for the most part the events are veiled in the same place. However, in fact, this is perceived by the writers as a deliberate decision with an emphasis on the story of growing up, which in fact is “Black Phone”. On the example of not only the main character, but also his sister telling the story of growing up and struggling with their fears. True, if the main character has to go this way from the position of a potential victim of a maniac, then his sister - from the position of a victim of an abusive cruel father.
Director of this tape Scott Derrickson shot not a bad film, which is more revealed as a thriller, and not a horror film in the traditional sense of the genre. That is why there is blood, violence, murder and violent moments in the picture, but they are too few for the picture to “walk around” in the genre. When exactly as a thriller, the film willingly pleases with the atmosphere of suspense, tension and anxiety that grow with each new scene perfectly play on the narrative with a worthy visual and atmospheric stylization for films of the 70s.
Actors starring Mason Thames and Madeleine Magrow perfectly played their roles on the screen and willingly pleased playing children, and not imitating adult colleagues. Damn good Ethan Hawk, who managed to create an extremely charismatic and interesting villain. As with the script, it seems that you could squeeze a little more out of it. But even in these conditions and with a mask on his face, Hawke acts just a sinister image.
7 out of 10

Black phone is not a bad story of growing up and fighting your fears, which is thinly disguised as a sinister story about a cruel maniac and a haunted house. Of course, a little more could be extracted from history. Nevertheless, the authors of this tape shot a very atmospheric film with a magnificent stylization and atmosphere for the horrors of the 70s.

I'm not familiar with the work of a writer like Joe Hill. The only thing I knew was that he was Stephen King’s son. Unbelievable. And the work ' Black Phone' I haven't read, to my shame, but I will definitely correct it soon, after watching a similar film. Well, now with the conditions that I am not familiar with the original sources and will judge the film in its original form, we will go directly to the film itself!
The history of the films is based on the fact that in the town of Denver of the sample of 1979, citizens live without touching anyone and then there are rumors about someone ' Grabar' who kidnaps children and abuses them. After some incidents, the rumor turns into reality, and this same Grabar kidnaps the main character, Finney. All! The rest is not worth knowing, but it is easier to watch the film itself, because it came out extremely good!
Blumhouse for some time were able to release a very tightly aged horror! Yay, toast to that! In fact, I am amazed at how cleverly the creators acted, that they called to film the story of Joe Hill of the same name, a person who has already worked with the horror genre and at least made one very good film & #39; Sinister' in which, coincidentally, Ethan Hawke also plays and there are children and some evil scoundrel! That's brilliant!

The camera work was just hurried! So many smooth rides and departures, a lot of chic transitions and overall visual solutions. The movie looks very stylish. There seems to be nothing super refined, but these smooth movements behind the character, Mommy! It's an indescribable delight.

The atmosphere. In this film, the atmosphere is very subtle and well felt. The director does not push the screamers in every corner to cause at least some emotion in the viewer. No, there are screamers, but there are few. Three or four things. All! Otherwise, there is a script scheme ' Monster in the House' when there is a protagonist who is in an enclosed space alone with a monster, in our case a mad maniac in the role, Ethan Hawke. By the way, he brings the whole spectrum of fear to the level of our adrenaline surge and further empathy, Finney. Ethan Hawke played a very creepy maniac. Terrible, bordering on insanity and tranquility. You never know what he'll do, what he'll do. Ethan's eyes alone are so charismatic that it makes you feel bad. It is clear that the actor was a fool from this role and squeezed himself on this archaic incarnation. The guy who played Finn is quite organic in the frame. He's clearly good at playing and just trusting him. Respect!

Does the movie scare you? If you watch alone, at night, yes. He’s able to bring you the emotions you’d expect from movies like this. Is there anything in this film besides the oppressive atmosphere and flawless Ethan Hawke? Yeah, good morale. The fact that the time will come and you quote the words from the film, ' you have to stand up for yourself' this morality works well and does not contradict all the events that take place in the film. Of course, I suspect that this is taken straight from the story, but I'm actually judging the film separately from the book. The music is still very good. The soundtrack works well on perception. Mark Corven, wrote a very eerie and rather depressing soundtrack, which of course goes in the plus!
It's hard to say about the minuses. In terms of, I watched it in one breath and there were no straight nitpicking or curious moments on my part, but since I am thinking about watching the film in the future, I feel later I will be able to pick up joints, but still ... while I am clean and unperturbed.
8 out of 10

I look forward to seeing new films from Scott Derickson and his crew. Good luck!

The story of a series of kidnappings of teenagers in a small town. The soul-dealer lures the youngsters with his tricks and black balls, and then sends them to the basement. An immature Finn is also a victim of a despicable pervert and is now forced to spend hours looking for a way out of the trap, but suddenly he receives calls from the dead - previous victims - on a broken black phone. . .

The tape is woven with a web of lamp nostalgia of the 80s, unexplained supernatural elements and terrifying reality. Moreover, its visual and stylistic reminiscent of “Summer 84” and “Stranger Things”. A delicate balance that skilfully maneuvers between mysticism and thriller, as well as films about kidnapping.

Memorable maniacello, like "Jeepers Creepers" scattered around a small town in his black van and steals children. His image seems to be written off from urban legends and horror stories about the elusive monster. And what is remarkable, the villain will always be in a mask, creating an image of something otherworldly beyond explanation, and only in the final his face is exposed, what the authors seem to show that the most dangerous monster is a person.
In the film, some things will remain unanswered: where did the monster come from, how did the dead call and what kind of paramontia is happening. But all these are little things that require no explanation, because the most terrible and terrible thing is that there is no irrational explanation. And most importantly, Finn’s character progresses throughout the film: he learns to make responsible decisions, stand up for himself and fight.

Moral: If you do not want to receive calls from strangers on your phone, then do not dial loans from banks that you can not repay.
As a result, an interesting, disturbing and depressing film, with a warm atmosphere and a memorable villain.
7.5 out of 10

About the film ' Black Phone' talked a lot and waited a long time. The picture was ready in the autumn of 2021 and was supposed to be released in January 2022. But the enthusiastic responses of the first viewers forced the studio to postpone the release to a more profitable period - to the summer of 2022.
Interest in the film was also associated with the fact that it is a film adaptation of the eponymous work of Joe Hill - the son of Stephen King - whose film adaptations of mystical works are slowly but surely winning an army of fans. According to his books, successful tapes have already been released ' Horns' 2013, ' In the High Grass' 2019, ' Lockow Keys' 2020 ' Black Phone' was supposed to be a modest low-budget thriller with a mixture of horror, which will gather fans of the genre. The film has significantly exceeded these expectations.

' Black Phone' tells a seemingly simple and predictable story. It's the 1970s. A provincial American town has already come to terms with the neighboring horror - young guys disappear without a trace and the police can not find the one who kidnaps them.
The main characters are a teenage boy and his younger sister. The young man is the next victim of the maniac. A stranger drops him in a soundproof basement that has nothing but a toilet, several rolled-up carpets, a mattress, a barred high window and a black phone with a ragged wire. 'It doesn't work!' the maniac tells the boy and locks the metal door behind him.
But the young man hears him ring and pick up the phone. From the tube with him communicate boys who were in the same basement earlier and have already died.
And then... next you will find a great thriller about the desperate struggle between good and evil. ' Black phone' perfectly combines incredible tension and maximum simplicity of storytelling. There is nothing unique or special about this film. On the contrary, fans of horror, troome stories and Stephen King, will easily see in it references to numerous known real and fictional stories.
But, amazingly, this simplicity and secondaryity create something really fresh, new and exciting. Director and screenwriter Scott Derrickson in 2005 conquered the world with his directorial debut 'Six Demons Emily Rose' mixing legal drama with the story of exorcism. And 10 years ago he released 'Sinister' - already became a cult horror about a trucrime writer who understands the murders that occurred in his house with the help of found videos. ' Black Phone' once again proved that Derrickson is a separate name in the direction of dark thrillers, frightening that he leaves behind the scenes, and not a demonstration of bloody scenes.
In advertising ' Black phone' actively pedaled what is here, as well as in 'Sinister' starred Ethan Hawk. And the actor here, of course - as always - is great. But ' Black Phone' is a vivid example of a great movie, in which it is impossible to single out any specific reasons for its success. Here everything is done correctly - a perfectly played and filmed film in which absolutely all the professionals involved in the project masterfully performed their work.

Remember that director Bob Clark? And Wes Craven? Hideo Nakata was certainly not forgotten! The phone has been used for almost 50 years, at least in my memory, as a way to scare the public. In groundbreaking films such as Black Christmas, Scream and The Ring, directors used the simple act of a creepy and disturbing phone call. So Scott Derrickson, having sinisterly parted with the Doctor Strange franchise, returns to his roots in the horror genre with Black Phone.
The problem with elevated-horror is that after a while they become monotonous. Of course, slasher movies have long since fallen deep into the ground, falling into the same pits over and over again. But the same can be said of the latest A24 films, where the monster is actually depression, racism, capitalism or some other kind of modern evil represented in a sentimental allegory. Who said it was bad at all?

Perhaps for the first time in my life, I will say that a cleverly staged film based on a story by Joe Hill (King’s son, by the way) is better than the story itself. The obsessive childhood memory of the author of the story is associated with an old black phone with a disk set hanging on the wall in the basement of his parents, which was not connected to anything. He recalls that as a child, the worst thing he could have imagined was a phone call.
The eerie and masterfully directed film reproduces the delightful atmosphere of the 70s under the sinister and instrumental track On the Run by Pink Floyd, filled with nostalgia and references to Stephen King. Black Phone is a bit like Stranger Things in sepia. The action, too, takes place in a small town that clearly doesn’t look like Duffer Hawkins or King’s Derry, but is still filled with bike hooligans and a bit of supernatural magic.
More importantly, the picture evokes films of that era, referring to the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. This gives a clear idea of what the heads of the filmmakers were aiming at and what they were trying to achieve. No, it's not an old-school bloody splash festival, but it's focused on the grim intensity of 70s movies. Yet Derrickson understandably shies away from portraying anything too awful in a film full of children. The premise of a broken phone being called by dead boys is a little scary, but it’s still not Trier’s The House That Jack Built.
Derrickson doesn't show Ethan Hawke's face too often, wearing a tight mask that looks like a whitewashed version of Jack Nicholson's Joker. Hawke, though not the fat man in Hill's story, is frighteningly charismatic as a methodical kidnapper performing his deadly routine and slightly upset that things are not going as usual. Rather, like silent movie star Lon Cheney playing The Phantom of the Opera, Ethan relies on unusual body language and conveys the rabies lurking behind this mask, which is itself a thing of insane beauty.
Despite all these fears and horrors, Black Phone is a sweet and gentle story of growing up, skillfully disguised as something far more sinister. At first glance, this is the simplest psychological horror, but its real message is to find the inner strength in yourself to survive in this world. Derrickson managed to make his best film, which manages to create a genuine thrill and make you feel afraid. It's so realistic that you can never hang up again.

In the beautiful town of Denver, where the doors are not locked at night, and people are friendly. . .

No, it's another Denver, where fathers drink vodka to grief at night, and school bullies beat the weak into meat. The sky is gray and the soft autumn leaves cover the secrets of the city. We can start there. There's no mystery. There are stereotypical tired cops, all the same busy adults, and a magician, and unlike all the others, sleepy, and busy with household affairs, he does not miss.
How can you be bored if you have a private torture chamber for naughty children? There are fewer and fewer of them around. Here and now came the boy experiencing all the hardships of transitional age.

Joe Hill's demonic vision. The author is perfectly able to reveal such a thing as a teenage breakdown and tragedy, within the framework of a short story. The black phone was, to me, a quality sketch on the subject of everyday evil, which can grab in broad daylight, and, with all the absurdity, take innocent life. The question was brewing - how to film qualitatively in order to preserve the spirit of the work?
The answer was found under the name Derrickson, the head of the Blumhouse studio is not mistaken, if you involve, then the author with a stuffed hand. So he created a vivid horror tale about a maniac who traveled, and a brave boy who is destined to mentally grow up by the clock in the walls of the casemate, and if possible survive. At first, I wasn’t much bothered by Kingovsky’s imagery 'Stay with me' all these intricacies of growing up from the last century. But then, then the darkness fell. . . Scott Darrickson is slow to whip up the narrative atmosphere. His city is a collection of helpless people, where reality is a basement with a child locked in it. And a monster, which is important, and without strain prepares for the next ' triumph' sacrifice.
Together with the main character Finney, I found myself in a cold wasteland, at the same time in plain sight, and far away, where literally everything screams that even your body will not be found. Horror fetters with every phone call, every descent of the owner of the basement - charging for nerves killing hope. Graber will take care that both strength and spirit leave young bodies before His lava entertainment.
Ethan Hawke, mad evil. A psychopath who gives goosebumps, because Ethan embodied not a clown, but a cold-blooded maniac who is not without charisma, with humor savoring such a phenomenon as child death. Hawke sets the tone of the film, a kind of bitterness with a taste of death. His appearances in the image of Graber-a are not that much, they are just enough for the viewer to understand, there will be no hope, the victim is waiting for torture, pain and a demo version of Hell. I must say lately, Hokku manages to image gloomy. This is no exception. Derrickson threw the psycho out of the source, and modeled his own frightening image. The character really smells crazy.

Scott Derrickson Kakbe makes it clear that er, despite the original source, the main word is for him as the author, and it is felt. Remember Sinister.

The metamorphoses of the character of the trapped Finney dance on the verge of horror, and gradually the hero gets used to this very horror, adapts, but this does not negate the presence of a cunning and thoughtful beast in a mask. Here again, comparisons with King and his fault in the psychology of a teenager are appropriate, but here it is already a matter of genetics I believe.
The black phone gave me a complete immersion in the story. An example of how you can adapt in principle a short novel, and at the same time do not miss all the subtleties of suspense, but only competently submit them. The downside, this is a purely personal opinion, is only a very long disclosure of the character Finney, it is understandable, as a lover of antagonists I would spend more time Graber-y. But even without it, high-quality work, and the juices of the horror atmosphere took me to where teenagers do not return, inhabited only by memoryless souls. Yes, in the horror box of the Blumhouse studio, a new shining antagonist appeared, which cannot but rejoice. The aftertaste of the basement is not leaving me after the session.