The Black Phone (2021)
Phone horror just got exciting again.
Presentation:
The vintage style story follows little boys being kidnapped by a malicious psychopath that is oddly approachable as a result of his confusion and adherence to rules. Ethan Hawke is alright, you rarely see him play these roles, but something doesn’t feel fully convincing about his performance. The mechanics of the progression are really satisfyingly executed here and made it feel like a coming of age horror story. I really like the moody visuals of this film. The film looks good and although there aren't that many scares, the ambience and script really kept me immersed. This one is a lotta fun and makes you realize why horror is the most fun genre. Resembles some Stranger Things vibes, but a tier above.
Conclusion:
This one isn't that scary. At its core is a coming of age tale disguised as suspenseful horror. Ethan Hawke's take on a bad guy is quite interesting, hard to say if it's one of the more convincing ones.
Recommendations
Level 0 of the liminal basement.