“The Black Phone” is a 2022 American supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson and written by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill. The movie is based on a short story of the same name by Joe Hill. The film stars Ethan Hawke, Jeremy Davies, and James Ransone. The story follows a young boy named Finney, who is abducted by a mysterious serial killer known as The Grabber. The kidnapper imprisons Finney in a soundproof basement with no escape, except for an old rotary phone in the room that rings with calls from the killer’s previous victims. As Finney struggles to survive and find a way out, he begins to receive help from the other side through the phone. A supernatural force called “The Phone Man” communicates with him through the phone, offering cryptic clues and advice that may help him escape and take down the killer.
The Black Phone Movie
The Black Phone Trailer
The Black Phone movie received a mixed response from both critics and audiences. The film’s eerie atmosphere, well-executed scares, and strong performances, particularly by Ethan Hawke, were praised. However, some critics found the story predictable and formulaic, while others found the pacing slow. Despite these criticisms, the movie has been noted for its effective exploration of themes such as grief and the supernatural.
How to Watch The Black Phone?
The Black Phone was released in theaters on February 4, 2022. Therefore, interested viewers can watch the movie by checking their local theaters and showtimes. For those who prefer to watch the movie at home, the film will be available for streaming on-demand services such as Amazon Prime Video, iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and YouTube Movies, among others. However, it may take some time before the movie is available on these platforms.
Alternatively, viewers can also wait for the movie to be released on DVD or Blu-ray, which will provide another option to watch the movie at home.
The Black Phone Ending Explained
In the conclusion of the film, it is exposed that “The Grabber” has been abducting and killing children for several years. Despite appearing to live a normal life as a family man, he has a twisted fixation with capturing and torturing children. Finney, the main character (played by Mason Thames), is one of The Grabber’s victims. Nonetheless, he uses his knowledge of locks and keys to escape from The Grabber’s hideout and seek assistance. With the support of the local police, Finney leads them to The Grabber’s home, where they discover the shocking reality of his crimes.
In the final moments, Finney is reunited with his family after returning home. As he goes to sleep, he hears a voice whispering to him through his new phone, which he received as a gift from his father. The voice turns out to be that of The Grabber, who has somehow found a way to continue his heinous crimes even after death. The film concludes with Finney screaming in terror as the voice continues to torment him. The Black Phone’s ending is intended to be ambiguous and unsettling, leaving viewers with a sense of unease and uncertainty about the characters’ destinies. It implies that the trauma of The Grabber’s crimes will continue to haunt Finney and his family as they attempt to move forward.