Review of The Black Phone 2
Scott Derrickson's follow-up to The Black Phone is even scarier, but the second half has its drawbacks.
Creating horror sequels like The Black Phone 2 is not as easy as it seems. It involves more than just repeating the monster's killing spree from the first movie.
- Introducing new heroes and settings
- Developing new storylines
- Raising the stakes with the villain
- Expanding the villain's backstory and modus operandi
The audience feels safe when the rules of the series are codified, but the villain's constant return means every sequel's ending is a lie, lacking closure.
Author's summary: The Black Phone 2 is a mostly successful horror sequel.