Movie Review: Joe Hill's Black Phone

Joe Hill is beginning to build an impressive resume with his written works and move adaptations of the same. The latest big movie from a Joe Hill work is Black Phone. It is a story that I read years ago, and admittedly only had vague recollections of. The trailers looked good, but too often, that can be misleading. So I waned to see for myself.

However, there were a few things that I wanted to see happen before I really thought about watching it. My son is a big horror fan, but he needed to finish up the final marking period in what has proven to be a rather difficult academic year. Also, it felt like a good idea to reread this story in particular, if not 20th Century Ghosts. 

The last time that I had my son up in Hillsborough with me, we got to finally do bth. We read the story together, and then we watched the movie.

So, how was it? 

Well, first thoughts without any spoilers is that it was not bad. It was intriguing, keeping you entertained throughout. Not sure how to say too much about it without spoiling it, but I liked it, and so did my son. That is not to say that it went right to the top of my personal favorite horror movies, or even in the top ten or anything. But it was good, yes. Also, it was very different than the book. Perhaps it needed to be, since the actual short story is...well, short. 

So now, without going on for too long about it, I will begin to review it with a little more details which, of course, means spoilers. That said, if you have not yet watched this movie and intent to, or are thinking about it and do not want it spoiled, be warned that from here on out, there are spoilers.

SPOILER ALERT

 

SPOILER ALERT

 

SPOILER ALERT

Okay. So yes, this is very, very different than the short story. There are a whole lot more characters, and a whole lot more people that the kid talks to on the phone. That is the first major difference between the book and the movie. There are a whole lot more kids, and they all give the new kid, Finney Shaw, both warnings to heed, as well as advice on how to finally get the best of "The Grabber."

There are times when the kids seem downright threatening. One of them is filled with rage and screams so loudly, that Finney Shaw feels overwhelmed and almost helpless. It seems that the kid is yelling at Shaw, telling him that he is worthless and a hopeless case, and might as well get ready for his short, stupid, worthless life to come to an end But by the end f the movie, we see that the kid is saying all of this to The Grabber, to the killer, which I thought was a nice touch. 

Of course, since this is a Hollywood movie, we know that it will end with the kid making his escape, outsmarting the killer, and all of that. And that is indeed what he manages to do in the movie. So that is predictable enough. Still, there is intrigue, as try to figure out what is going on, and how the kid will make his escape. There are some red herrings, and again, quite a few changes from the book. Ultimately, though, this really is a pretty solid horror movie, especially for 2022. It relies more on building on the unsettling feeling than relying more on gore or on jump scares. Personally, that is my preference, and I feel that they did a good job in that regard.

Recommended overall.