Black Phone 2 4K review
Dec 29, 2025- Permalink
Directed by Scott Derrickson, who co-wrote the script with C. Robert Cargill, Black Phone 2 takes place four years after Finney (Mason Thames) killed the serial killer known as the Grabber (Ethan Hawke). Finney’s sister, Gwen (Madeleine McGraw), has been having dreams about the 1950s murders of the Grabber and convinces her brother and friend Ernesto (Miguel Mora) to head to Alpine Lake Camp to see what her dreams might mean and deal with the Grabber’s ghostly presence. The film has now received a 4K release from Universal and I had a chance to take an early look.
The 2160p HEVC / H.265 encoded native 4K digital transfer with Dolby Vision and HDR10 is presented in a 2.39:1 aspect ratio. Set in the 1980s, the movie has a palette aesthetic that matches the era. The film has excellent detail in facial features, textiles and locations. There’s a lot of dark scenes but the black levels are excellent and don’t lose detail. Dream sequences were apparently shot on Super 8 film and those sequences understandably have a pronounced grain structure. It’s a really nice looking horror.
On the audio side of things, there’s an English Dolby Atmos soundtrack that folds back to DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1. Subtitles are available for English SDH. The Atmos height channels are used sparingly, while the surrounds are put to good use with ambient sounds and effects. Dialogue is clear and centred.
The Black Phone 2 4K also comes with a Blu-ray and Digital code, though those of us in Canada once again do not get a digital copy. There is a commentary by director/co-writer Scott Derrickson, a series of deleted scenes, a look at the cast, a featurette on the production, and a look at the dreamlike set.
The Black Phone 2 4K combines a very nice audio and video presentation with a good selection of extras. Fans of the first story and the horror genre will be interested in this release and will want to add this to their collection.