The Black Phone

Based on Joe Hill’s short story, The Black Phone follows a young boy (Mason Thames’ Finney) as he attempts to make his way to safety after being abducted by a sinister figure known as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Filmmaker Scott Derrickson does a superb job of immediately drawing the viewer into the decidedly erratic proceedings, as The Black Phone kicks off with a striking opening stretch that effectively establishes the very specific time and place in which the picture transpires – with the promising vibe heightened by its atmospheric visuals and smattering of top-notch performances. (Thames is quite good here, as is Madeleine McGraw as Finney’s precocious, foul-mouthed kid sister.) It’s clear, then, that the picture’s impact is dulled rather significantly by a less-than-propulsive and wheel-spinning midsection, and it’s clear, certainly, that the static bent of the second act is exacerbated by Hawke’s compelling yet far-from-terrifying turn as the movie’s broadly-conceived villain. (The Grabber, with his assortment of oddball masks, generally comes off as a run-of-the-mill weirdo rather than a scary kidnapper.) The inclusion of a few admittedly tense sequences, including a terrific scene wherein Finney attempts to make his way past a sleeping Grabber, eventually does pave the way for a strong third act that ensures the picture ends on a positive note, which ultimately cements The Black Phone‘s place as a somewhat hit-and-miss adaptation that probably should’ve topped out at around 90 minutes (ie the film feels like it’s based on a short story).

**1/2 out of ****