|Black Phone 2 The Grabber’s Frozen-Hell Return + The Big “No-Kill” Controversy

Send Us Your Scares!Grab your parkas and check the phone lines—we’re heading back to Colorado, but the rules have changed. This week, Ambrose and Kelly dive deep into the snow-covered hellscape of Black Phone 2.The sequel takes a massive swing, pivoting from the claustrophobic basement thriller of the original to an 80s-inspired "supernatural siege." We break down Ethan Hawke’s spectral return as the Grabber, the fascinating technical "visual map" used to separate dreams from reality, and why the horror community is so divided over the film’s "no kill" paradox. Is it a worthy evolution of Finney and Gwen’s story, or did the 80s slang dial it up a bit too far?Warning: This episode contains full spoilers for Black Phone 2.In This Episode, We Discuss:The Genre Pivot: How the franchise moved from a grounded thriller to a "Supernatural Siege" set at Camp Alpine Lake.The Ninth Circle of Hell: Exploring the Dante’s Inferno connection and why the Grabber’s new "frozen lake" domain is more than just a cool visual.Technical Deep Dive: Why the filmmakers used pristine 8.6K Sony Venice 2 digital cameras for the real world versus gritty, "reckless" Super 8 and Super 16 film for the dream sequences.The Dream Warrior Evolution: Gwen’s transition from fragmented visions to active combat, and Finney’s heartbreaking struggle with trauma-induced dissociation.The Ice-Skating Grabber: Breaking down that audacious (and terrifying) homage to 1983’s Curtains.The Controversy: Is the "spectral" Grabber too "polite"? We tackle the fan debate regarding the lack of a present-day body count.The Verdict: We head into the Critic’s Crypt to give our official rating in coffins.QUESTION FOR YOUDid the sequel’s “frozen-hell ghost” vibe work for you, or did the mythology homework take you out of it?SUPPORT THE SHOWIf you enjoyed the episode, follow the podcast and leave a quick rating/review wherever you listen. It helps more than you’d think (and it does not summon anything from the crypt… probably.) Support the showEPISODES FM - _https://episodes.fm/1809836198?view=apps&sort=popularitySwift - https://www.swiftenergy.gg/products/tropicrush?ref=svalxxsiFacebook Group Page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1263899825130479Blue Sky - https://bsky.app/profile/thethingaboutfilms.bsky.socialInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/thethingaboutfilms/TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/search?q=TheTHINGaboutFilms&t=1754605765379X - https://x.com/thingaboutfilms?s=21