Now this was advertised almost everywhere when it was released last year, I saw it on buses, bus stops, billboards, social media such as Facebook and TikTok, I wanted to go see it at the cinema because it was getting rave reviews from audiences and critics alike, but alas no one wanted to go, so tonight I saw it on demand and downloaded it as quick as anything!

So the film follows Finney played by Mason Thames, (who by the way is brilliant in this) he’s a middle schooler who has a sister with psychic abilities and lives with his abusive alcoholic dad, he is also frequently bullied and harassed at school as well.

The film is set in 1978 where a child abductor and murderer known only as “The Grabber” (played by Ethan Hawke) lurks down the suburbs of Denver preying on the local children, Finney becomes his latest victim, drugged and thrown in the back of a van he awakes in a sound proof basement with nothing but himself and an old black rotary phone.

Now this is where the film takes an absolute brilliant and downright creepy turn as finney hears the phone ring and speaks to the grabbers past victims, we hear from a paperboy, a bully, Finney’s classmate and friend, and a little boy named Griffin.

Each victim gives Finney little hints as to how to escape, each hint represents how they tried to escape.

Griffin wrote a combination for a lock on the wall in the basement so he wouldn’t of forgotten it.

The paper boy (Billy) tells Finney to use a piece of wire to try and get a grate off of a window.

And a kid who was on a rival baseball team Finney played against at the start of the film tells him to dig underneath one of the tiles.

Now remember those because they play a vital part at the end of the film, now remember I mentioned Finneys sister had psychic powers? Well she has dreams that show her how each kid was kidnapped, she then tries to work out where The Grabbers home is located, eventually she does and leads the local police department too the house.

Finney ends up standing up to the grabber after receiving advice from his best friend and last victim named Robin, he teaches Finney too fill the phone with dirt and punch The Grabber with it.

Eventually he kills the grabber with the hints the victims gave him throughout the film, and is then reunited with his sister Gwen.

Now… I had heard about Ethan Hawkes performance and how terrifying it was, boy are they right, he is absolutely creepy in this film, the masks he uses to hide his face are nothing but nightmare fuel for your eyes, you can definitely tell he had fun with this role.

As for Mason Thames’s role, wow! He is fantastic as Finney, you really begin to sympathise with him as he tries everything to escape, even when you think he makes it out your heart is racing and going a thousand miles per hour.

The films lack of jump scares is a treat too, there’s roughly about two maybe even three in this flick, which is really refreshing as I can’t stand certain horror movies that just rely heavily on jump scares, the rest is heart pounding tension and edge of your seat thrills that will leave you breathless.

It’s worth a watch that’s a given, also make sure to check out the book that this film is based on, I’ve heard it’s a faithful adaptation which is great to hear as well!

10/10 I’m giving The Black Phone, it’s creepy but so worth a watch mainly for Ethan Hawke and Mason Thames’s performances, honestly I can’t mention that enough! Definitely give this film a watch, you won’t regret it!

As always until next time… catch ya later 🙂