'Black Phone 2' has horror's ambiance but lacks scares

Horror sequel "Black Phone 2" is out now only in theaters. The story behind the film is vastly different from the original film. The horror movie hits the right tone and ambiance, but not much else. Four years after he escaped captivity and killed the serial killer known as The Grabber (Ethan Hawke) in suburban Denver in 1978, Finn (Mason Thames) is still struggling to cope with the horrors he endured. He fights anyone who challenges him in any way. He doesn't know any other way to deal with his feelings. Meanwhile, his sister Gwen (Madeleine McGraw) is experiencing nightmares. Nightmares about three boys being brutally murdered. These are not just dreams, but lucid nightmares that convey messages to Gwen, if only she could decipher them. Gwen also begins sleepwalking without any concern for her own safety, frequently walking out the front door. When she dreams that their mother called her from a payphone from Alpine Lake Camp in 1957 Gwen knows she must take action. Gwen convinces Finn and her friend and suitor Ernesto (Miguel Mora) to apply as counselors in training at Alpine Lake Camp. On the night they travel to the camp a blizzard hits the area. Only the people who live at the camp year-round and Finn, Gwen and Ernesto make it to the secluded camp through a winter wonderland. Not only do Gwen's nightmares get worse at the camp, but the same payphone that Gwen dreamed her mother used and that hasn't worked in a decade starts ringing. Finn answers. The Grabber is on the line. That's impossible. Finn killed The Grabber four years ago. Now he's back. And it's not Finn that he wants this time. Somehow, The Grabber meets Gwen in her dreams. Only she can see him, and only when she's asleep. When he hurts her in nightmares, it hurts her in real life. It's only a matter of time before he kills her in her dream and in reality. Let's start with this: "Black Phone 2" is not scary. Not at all. It's definitely gross at times, and even a little creepy. The film sets the proper sinister vibe. Setting the movie in 1982 is just long enough ago that it feels like an old-school horror movie. The movie had all these things going for it. But, still, it's not scary. The story was a stretch to make it connect with The Grabber from the first movie. Gwen dreams of murders in the 1950s and then the action takes place in 1982. The film is both a prequel and sequel. The Grabber was not a supernatural villain in the first movie. He was an evil, sadistic murderer who kidnapped and murdered children. Yet, somehow in this movie he has come back from the dead. Sort of. "Black Phone 2" reminded me of a horror classic. In "A Nightmare on Elm Street" infamous villain Freddy Krueger attacks his victims in their sleep, just like The Grabber. In both movies if someone is hurt or dies in their dream, they also get hurt or die in real life. This part of "Black Phone 2" was entirely unoriginal. The filmmakers did a great job differentiating between the nightmares and reality. The action in 1982 is crystal clear, typical high-definition picture. The dreams are grainy and indistinct. These scenes are like old family videos gone terribly wrong. The contrast is apparent and effective. Another interesting choice was to have the action take place in a frozen wasteland. Clearly, this is the vehicle used by the filmmakers to isolate the characters, to force them to make a decision. There's no escape, it's fight or flight. I'm still not sure how I feel about the wintry setting, but it was certainly a change from the first movie, It won't come as a surprise to anyone to know that the first movie was better. Shocking, I know. That doesn't mean that "Black Phone 2" was terrible. It's not a profound piece of cinema, but it could be fun with a group of friends as we get closer to Halloween. Grade: B Rated R for strong violent content, gore, teen drug use and language. ••• Bradley Griffith is a local attorney and longtime film buff.