The Black Phone (Scott Derrickson, June 24, 2022) Movie • Page 2

I really liked this

 

This was pretty good. The scene that had me squirming the most was the one with the dad being abusive. Was not expecting a scene that intense.

Also, I'm tempted to start calling people fartknockers now ha.

 

This was very good, but I agree that it was a bit shallow. Honestly could have used another 15 minutes or so developing the other kids or the grabber.

 

Could definitely tell it was adapted from a short story. There just wasn’t much going on and I felt the entire run time.

 

For sure. And as much as I liked the plot and the friendly relationships, it just did not have the sustenance as say, IT, had. Obviously Joe Hill is not King, but King's stories are so deep and that's why recreating his stories on film has always been...not necessarily easy, but..easily adaptable?

 

I thoroughly enjoyed this. The acting (especially the kids) was absolutely fantastic. My crowd was reacting a lot and it really felt like a crowd-pleasing film.

I think my favorite thing was the cold open and as soon as dread sits in, it faded to black into the opening credits. For some reason, that really stuck out to me in a less-is-more sort of way.

 

I loved every shot of the grabber waiting in the chair. Man, Ethan Hawke nailed it.

 

I wanted more back story on the grabber

 

i feel like the little hints we got fill out the character enough and if we got more it’d be too explicit/dumb

 

Yeah I agree I feel like I don’t mind leaving the Grabber “origins” if you will up to a mystery.

 

I didn't love this. The supernatural stuff took me out of it. Felt way too much like a Stephan King story. That is perfectly understandable.

 

My wife and I saw this opening weekend. it was fine. I honestly was expecting more, but there are far worse horror movies out there.

 

The original story was written by King's son!

 

That's why I kinda give it a pass. I haven't read a ton of his stuff. Just lock and key, really. I think that has been a great adaptation.

 

This movie was an absolute joy to watch. I loved the aesthetic, supernatural additions, and thought Ethan and the two that played Finny and Gwen were great. The abusive dad scenes did their job and the acting was incredible. It definitely made me uncomfortable.

They could've gone 'Summer of 84' with this and just be a straight up child killer/who did it story, but tying in the phone and other child victims into the story was a welcomed piece for me. I thought they tastefully added in hints of The Grabber's back story too. I wish they showed more of Robin's demise...what a baller haha.

7/10 for me.

 

This was so good. Really enjoyed it and I had the theater to myself.

The kid actors were really good. Gwen is the MVP of the movie and it’s not close.

I love how there seemed to be no consequences for Gwen bashing a rock into that kid’s head. I mean, she got kicked in the face for it, but I mean from adults. This movie is about standing up for yourself by beating the shit out of those who are abusing you.

all the former lines from the dead kids coming back at the end, now in the context of saying them to grabber, was fucking awesome. And Fin’s arm is mint” *snaps neck*, so satisfying. Along with all the stuff the kids had him do all paying off. From the hole he dug, to the window bars being in the hole, the string, the meat from the freezer. Just everything falling into place.

just a very simple, but highly effective story. They didn’t over explain the grabber or the kids abilities. It was just enough.

maybe it’s just because it was past midnight, but I almost teared up when the kids reunited.

I’m glad that the kids didn’t really buy the dads while being sorry act. I think we all know that dude is a couple drinks away from beating them again. But now Fin has the confidence to stand up to him.

 

Not just you, I definitely shed a tear at the end. I was so stressed out for a minute thinking there was going to be a fakeout. Also agree with everything else you said. I like that it was simple and felt like a short story, not everything has to have a deep mythology. Just the way it was, no back story on the grabber, focused on the kids instead (ghosts included), it was touchingly beautiful.

 

Haha. I was stressed out and waiting for the "they always come back" moment and it never did haha.
I was very pleased.

 

on Peacock now

 

I saw this a while ago but never went to the thread. I really loved how creepy the Grabber was, the general plot conceit with the phone was really interesting, and I loved someone stuck in a place really trying to get out with anyone little advantage possible, felt more realistic than most movies where someone is trapped and they give up or find one solution right away. Kept the suspense high.

Did not like the completely unnecessary abusive father moments, it played way too intense and way too long. I thought the phone aspect was handled really well, the kids seemed lost and confused for the most part, but the climax with them all doing little quips, felt like overkill. And why have the two house thing, that seemed like a bizarre choice. The brother being so enthusiastic in his true crime obsession while not noticing the kids trapped in his basement was a pretty funny bit, but it would have been much scarier and more realistic if the brother was involved, or at least aware and apathetic.
Definitely worth a watch if you have Peacock, solid fun horror movie with some interesting ideas but only so-so execution. A few misses but I liked them taking some swings at least.

 

Yeah, this was fine. Not awful by any means and not anything mind blowing. Overall worth the watch. Can’t believe this only came out in June. When I saw that it was streaming on Peacock I was certain it had been like 7 or 8 months since it came out.

Out of all the things I needed to suspend my belief for, I can’t get past the grabber not changing the combo lock once the kid figured it out. Also, didn’t seem like there was a combo lock when the brother opened the door for the cops? Lastly, pretty silly that two people turned their lights on when the kid was screaming but nobody wondered why a big black van was sitting sideways in the middle of the road? And they just turned their lights back off?

 

What

 

Did they not see the first one?