'Black Phone 2': Blurring The Lines Between Ghost Stories and Slasher Horror

I recall a heated conversation about the horror genre with an Asian film critic, during which we discussed our disparate fears: she was unnerved by ghost stories, particularly those originating from Japan that depict spirits seeking justice from beyond the grave. My American perspective, however, led me to dismiss these tales as unthreatening due to my disbelief in the supernatural. This critic struggled to comprehend America's fixation on slasher films, a genre she found irrelevant for her own culture.

This conversation echoed in my mind as I viewed 'Black Phone 2', created by Scott Derrickson as a skillful follow-up to his atmospheric thriller produced by Blumhouse. In this sequel, he masterfully transitions from a slasher narrative into a fusion of a spectral tale and Freddy Krueger's 'A Nightmare on Elm Street.'

The story revolves around Finney Blake (played by Mason Thames), who with the aid of a mystical, wall-mounted black phone, annihilated his captor in the initial movie and seeks to assuage his undead victims. The narrative thread for the sequel hints at the abductor continuing his reign of terror from the afterlife, this time focusing on Finney's younger sister, Gwen (portrayed by Madeleine McGraw).

The crux of the narrative is how trauma impacts not only the immediate survivors of such malign events but also their family members. The movie provides additional insight into the traumatic events catalyzing Mrs. Blake's suicide and subsequent family dysfunction. This film echoes the success of Netflix's Stranger Things by tapping into the nostalgia-driven vein of early Stephen King horror, enhanced with synth-based music and the vintage visual appeal of 'Poltergeist.'

The sequel sheds light on Gwen's nightmare shooting's supernatural connection through her dreams with three of the abductor's victims and her deceased mother. Simultaneously, the terror of the abductor's ghost escalates in her dreams to the point where its actions manifest physically on Gwen. The film brilliantly combines the threat posed by both supernatural entities and serial killers. Though it invites some humor amidst the suspense, its ultimate achievement is in devising a nightmarish realm where no one is safe from harm.