In keeping its retro vibe “ Black Phone 2” feels and looks old-fashioned, even more so than the original. The film also adheres to the expectations of a sequel with expanding the story, and well amplifying the gore. By following the protocols of what people demand from a sequel the result is a mix bag.  A more of a lateral move then regressing or progressing the franchise. A movie that doesn’t push forward to being original in my regard. It is comfortable being trapped in its confinement to the horror films that persuade it. Which is ironic, since the premise for each character  is about escaping your trappings, including The Grabber. There’s new and it’s all familiar.

It’s hard to watch “Black Phone 2″ and not notice that “The Shining” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street” were on the developers mind when writing this. Both films balance psychological and slasher horror wonderfully.  “Black Phone 2” would be better served if it stuck to one or the other. The film takes the slow burn approach of untangling a mystery that even a middle schooler could figure out by the second act, then rushes toward the end to make sure to include the slasher climatic scene and tidy up loose ends to give it  a nice soft manipulative ending. It all been done before many times.

 The production and acting are great in this, well done and well served. There are some stand alone performances that really stand out. Namely, Madeleine McGraw as Gwen, and Demian Bichir as Armando. Each is sensational. But other characters are left with little to do. Geez-u kriest please give Jeremy Davies something to do! Have more screen time with Arianna Rivas-I beg you!

The gore and jump scares are there for the fans seeking them. Its the script is where it hurts the films the most. It’s not as clever as it thinks it is. And it is not hiding its inspirations. The dialogue is loaded with exposition with characters over stuffed with self doubt that is nauseating. The film adds some strong religious connotations that feels added just to appease a small demographic of viewers. It you feel “Black Phone 2” is calling you to go see, you might just let it ring. 6/10