odaleg

The sequel to the wonderful Black Phone is disappointing, to say the least. It attempts to breathe new life into the film and mixes a "conventional" film with a kind of "found footage" that is only distinguished by more erratic camera movement and an excessive amount of graininess.

The terrifying villain from the first film, who was real but had a mystical touch, is turned here into a kind of demon or supernatural being whose purpose is to torment... the main family? The children at a camp? His motivation is not fully explained, nor is it clear where he comes from; he simply exists.

The best thing about the film is the development of the three main characters, especially Gwen.

The premise and beginning of the series are appealing, but it gradually loses momentum amid long episodes that become entangled in themselves solely to give viewers the impression of greater mystery than there ultimately is. The real estate plotline is superfluous and only serves to extend the series from six episodes to eight, making it tedious. On the other hand, the main plot is well constructed, leaving small clues in the episodes and in the conversations between the protagonists, but... then comes what I consider to be the worst episode, episode seven. This episode uses flashbacks to reveal the mystery that drives the series, leaving the final episode bland and lacking the strength that a series finale should have.

The performances of Claire Danes and especially Matthew Rhys add value to the series.

It improves significantly from the fifth episode onwards and becomes truly outstanding with the presence of Bill Skarsgård, who steals the show every time he appears. Although the script has certain shortcomings and the narrative is somewhat scattered, especially in the first three episodes, overall the final result is satisfactory both in terms of the emotional growth the characters experience throughout the series and in terms of the use of resources commonly associated with horror films.