HCA Gradebook: “The Black Phone”

Movie: The Black Phone
Plot: After being abducted by a child killer and locked in a soundproof basement, a 13-year-old boy starts receiving calls on a disconnected phone from the killer’s previous victims.
Cast: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, and Ethan Hawke
Director: Scott Derrickson
Release Date: June 24, 2022
Studio: Universal Pictures
HCA Overall Grade: B

Zoë Rose Bryant says, “The Black Phone is a miracle of modern horror. So carefully and considerately constructed (can every studio horror film look and sound as good as this one does?) with astounding attention to period detail and more suspenseful setpieces than the genre has seen in some time (and jump scares not only used sparingly but successfully). Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw are gonna be megastars. Ethan Hawke is absolutely horrifying. Let Scott Derrickson direct horror forever.”

Grade: A

David Gonzalez says, “The Black Phone is a captivating, terrifying tale that captures real-life horrors and trauma and molds them into a horrific thrill ride.”

Grade: A

Shannon McGrew says, “The Black Phone is the horror jolt I needed. Ethan Hawke is spectacularly terrifying but it’s Madeleine McGraw who steals the show with her “no fucks given” attitude. One of the best horror films of the year, you won’t want to miss this call no matter what horror awaits on the other end.”

Grade: A

Destiny Jackson says, “While The Black Phone, based on a short story of the same name by Joe Hill, is not Scott Derrickson’s scariest film it still packs a bloody punch. The Black Phone follows the story of a creepy neighborhood magic-man who kidnaps school children to fill some sick set of desires before eventually murdering them. You get great performances from the movie’s young leads Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw which is a feat in itself, as horror movies tend to deal with children at the center tetter on the verge of annoyance and overacting (LOOKING AT YOU BABADOOK!) Ethan Hawke’s performance as the main villain exudes a major ick factor, that I didn’t know the actor was capable of doing. At just under two hours, each of the film’s tightly-wound suspense-filled minutes makes sure the movie doesn’t overstay its welcome with overblown hijinks and cheap scares (none of which you’ll find in a Derrickson film anyway.) The film’s tight editing also gives way to one of the strongest third acts I have seen in a horror film in the last few years. Overall it’s an entertaining horror film that shouldn’t be missed. My only warning to incoming audiences would be that the film’s premise is a little too close to home in this day and age, so if you are a parent this film’s themes of child abuse and murder might be a bit too disarming for you, so take special care before seeing it. Derrickson and co-writer C. Robert Cargill do manage to conjure sensitivity into the script by not showing gratuitous violence done to the children, only subtle implications.”

Grade: A

Dan Murrell says, “The Black Phone is an effective and creepy thriller from director & co-writer Scott Derrickson that doesn’t rely on cheap scares to work. Less a horror film than a small-scale survival story, The Black Phone blends supernatural and everyday terror masterfully. As The Grabber, a serial child kidnapper, Ethan Hawke turns in a chilling performance, as he peels back the layers of a psychopath. As Finney, The Grabber’s latest kidnapped child, Mason Thames displays a confidence many young actors don’t possess, taking a journey from scared victim to defiant fighter. In the summer blockbuster season, The Black Phone is a small movie that shouldn’t be overlooked.”

Grade: A-

Heather Wixson says, “Adapted from the Joe Hill story of the same name, Scott Derrickson’s The Black Phone perfectly captures the harrowing nature of childhood, straddling the line between creating an emotionally driven narrative that packs a wallop coupled with a story brimming with tension and terror. Not that I wasn’t expecting anything less from the creative team behind Sinister (which still remains the last genre movie to truly scare me), but I really enjoyed how Derrickson has once again crafted a modern horror classic in the making that may have these touches of nostalgia, but still feels of this time all the same.”

Grade: A-

Mara Knopic says, “The Black Phone is exactly what horror movies need right now: a well-written screenplay with a capable director experienced in the genre. Scott Derrickson’s return to form is perhaps his best horror film to date and a lot of the credit goes to the carefully constructed elements of this story, written by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill. Based on a short story, written by Joe Hill, the movie expands the concept and creates a fully formed mythology and characters that feel lived-in and authentic to care about. Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw are standouts as the two primary child characters, but an over-the-top performance by James Ransone adds a delightful dichotomy to the film. As with other Derrickson movies, the jump scares are there but scarcely used, opting instead to create an atmospheric movie that is engaging and enjoyable. This is definitely a new must-watch in October moving forward in our house!”

Grade: A-

Aaron Neuwirth says, “As dark as the story gets, there’s a spring in this film’s step, allowing it to work as an entertaining horror effort, complete with an already killer look for a marque villain thanks to some solid mask designs.”

Grade: B

Ema Sasic says, “The Black Phone is a thrilling ride. Each ring found a way to send chills down my spine, and each piece of the puzzle unfolded really well by the end. Ethan Hawke gives such a creepy good performance that I think I’ll never be able to hear his voice in the same way. Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw shine.”

Grade: B

Tom O’Brien says, “In a welcome return to horror for director Scott Derrickson, “The Black Phone” relies more on a relentless sense of unease rather than jump scares, but it works thanks to a top-notch performance by young Mason Thames, who carries much of the film’s screen time by himself.”

Grade: B

Scott Menzel says, “The Black Phone is a fun and entertaining horror flick but with a few minor changes could have been amazing. The film is very creepy, brutally violent, and deeply disturbing. The horror aspects of the film work way better than the supernatural ones. Ethan Hawke is terrifying as the grabber while newcomers Mason Thames holds his own whenever acting alongside Hawke. However, the true MVP of The Black Phone is Madeleine McGraw who steals every single scene that she is in while cursing up a storm. She also has many of the best scenes in the film with my personal favorite being the integration scene with the police.”

Grade: B

Francisco Cangiano says, “The Black Phone is great summer horror fun. A 100 minutes of sharp atmosphere and tension, with some laughs. Another solid outing for director Scott Derrickson. Ethan Hawke is great, while Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw (especially her) are wonderful.”

Grade: B-

Abbie Bernstein says, “THE BLACK PHONE is well-paced, well-drawn, and gives us a feeling of being drawn into the darkness. It fulfills its potential well.”

Grade: B+

John Nguyen says, “Ethan Hawke is creepy as hell in The Black Phone. The true standouts are Mason Thames and Madeleine McGraw as the siblings. Director Scott Derrickson brings some terrifying moments and tense scenes.”

Grade: B+

Jana J. Monji says, “This supernatural horror flick manages to fully flesh out its ghostly characters to add layers of horror and engage our sympathetic impulses as his latest victim tries to escape. Ethan Hawke as the serial killer is terrifying even though we see little of his face and the kids, particularly Madeleine McGraw and Mason Thames as brother and sister, give well-layered performances.”

Grade: B+

Staci Layne Wilson says, “Set in a pre-cell 1978, The Black Phone is a bleak, depressing horror film about a battle to the death between a notorious child-killer known only as “The Grabber” (Ethan Hawke) and his adolescent hostage, Finney Shaw (Mason Thames). Most of the movie takes place in a filthy basement, but the world outside doesn’t seem that much better—it’s a minefield of fistfights at school and belt-beatings at home. Some hardcore horror fans may dig this–a look at the trailer will be a good indicator as to whether this flick is for you… or not.”

Grade: C

Kevin Taft says, “If you look past the “Stranger Things,” Stephen King, and Spielberg-type homages, you will find an illogical, lazy script and a tonally confusing and frustrating film. Too many ideas cause “The Black Phone” to drown in excess. A few characters are in completely different movies (comedies, no less), Ethan Hawke’s “The Grabber” has zero motivation or backstory making him a boring villain despite some cool masks. (Where’d he get them? Why that style?) Characters do stupid things or are completely unaware of events happening right under their nose, and the supernatural aspects are there just to be “cool,” but without any reason for existing. At first, audiences will think it’s spooky and fresh. Look under the surface, and you’ll see all the flaws.”

Grade: C-

Ryan McQuade says, “The Black Phone leaves a lot to be desired and it is good to see Derrickson back in his horror element, trying to craft something that haunts us long after we have left the theatre. But with a muddled script and uneven performances, this is a middle-of-the-road horror film that could’ve been so much more but ends up being fine in the most disappointing fashion.”

Grade: C-

The Black Phone is now playing exclusively in theaters