Black Phone 2 (2025)

Way to ruin a good thing. Without spoiling too much, the Grabber is now on the other end of the line. We jump ahead four years or so into the 1980s, in a story that feels very much inspired by A Nightmare on Elm Street. A girl with visions of the future and the past tries to solve a decades-old murder mystery. It all feels a bit superfluous, but at least it isn't a patent carbon copy of the original.

2½ grainy images out of 5

The Black Phone (2021)

There's a new boogeyman in town. His name is The Grabber and he abducts children. A boy finds himself alone in a locked room with a broken telephone, where he receives mysterious messages that only he can hear. It's a simple but effective horror mystery. I especially enjoyed the stark 1970s aesthetic.

3 black balloons out of 5