It is a horror movie, after all, and it's hoping to scare you.
"The Black Phone" certainly deserved its R rating, but believe it or not, it's a bit tamer than many horror films and it is certainly toned down in comparison to slasher movies."The Black Phone" falls into a category I have dubbed "terror." There are horror movies, but this is more of a terror movie that attacks your emotions and anxiety, as opposed to assaulting your eyes with blood, gore and jump scares"The Black Phone" is officially rated R for violence, bloody images, language and some drug use