The Black Phone

The Black Phone (2022)

Directed by Scott Derrickson

Screenplay by Scott Derrickson & C. Robert Cargill 

Based on the short story, "The Black Phone" by Joe Hill

Stars: Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw, Jeremy Davies, Ethan Hawke, James Ransone,  E. Roger Mitchell, Troy Rudeseal, Miguel Cazarez Mora, Tristan Pravong, Jacob Moran, Banks Repeta, and Brady Hepner

After the horrific experience of watching that last movie, I needed to see a competent attempt of making a movie. This is one of the horror movies that I was intrigued to see.

1978. A North Denver neighborhood is on edge when a series of kidnappings happen. Finney Blake (Thames) becomes the latest victim of The Grabber (Hawke). Finney is trying to find his way out. He might get it with his little sister, Gwen (McGraw).

Watching this movie, I didn't understand how The Black Phone came to play or how the voices came out of an inoperable phone. Then, I got it. I was on board.

Can I say that Gwen was the star of this movie? She did all of the legwork. She was like Nancy Drew. Loved her fool mouth. The colorful phrases that came out was so good.

Usually, I would hate jump scares. This movie did have them, but they were needed to convey Finney's mental state throughout his journey. It was effective.

The criticisms I have with the film is that the middle of the movie dragged so much. If the movie was trimmed by ten minutes, I would have been better. There is also the matter of the detectives in the movie. They did nothing to help the investigation and they got all the credit. The fuck is that. There is also the matter of Jeremy Davies' character. He was scarier than The Grabber.

Rating: 9/10

The Northman

The Northman (2022)

Directed by Robert Eggers

Screenplay by Sjón and Robert Eggers

Stars: Alexander Skarsgård, Ethan Hawke, Nicole Kidman, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy, Gustav Lindh, Elliott Rose, Olwen Fouéré, Eldar Skar, and Björk

After my lukewarm response to The Lighthouse, I wondered if this movie was going to be the same. Thankfully that is not the case.

It is a classic revenge story. It has been done a million times before the Kill Bills, John Wicks or Gladiators of the world. The same could be said with adapting a million Shakespeare plays. We know what is going to happen.

I believe that director, Robert Eggers made something different. You can see with the trademark of having birds help or spell the doom of a character that he wanted you to be in the shoes of Amleth (Skarsgård) as he exacts his revenge on his uncle, Fjölnir (Bang) for killing his father, Aurvandil (Hawke). He wanted you to feel the hatred burning within him as Amleth makes his odyssey.

The movie is visually breathtaking. Were there things that shocked me in this film? Yes. Eggers wants to make you have visceral experience. It felt like it was almost there with his last outing, but with this you can feel his laser focus vision coming through.

 

Rating: 9/10