TALK TO ME (2022) - Movie Review

Director: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Starring: Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, Miranda Otto, Zoe Terakes, Chris Alosio, Marcus Johnson, Alexandria Steffensen
Genre: Horror
Writer: Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman
Runtime: 95 min
Rated: R for strong/bloody violent content, some sexual material and language throughout
Buy This Movie: Blu-ray (Amazon), DVD (Amazon), 4K Ultra HD (Amazon), Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV

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Synopsis:

When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits using an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces.

Review:

In this age of Blumhouse assembly line productions, very little surprises me when it comes to films that deal with hauntings and possessions. And yet, along comes a little movie like "Talk to Me", the feature film directorial debut of Australian twin YouTubers Danny and Michael Philippou aka RackaRacka, that sets out to recalibrate the horror genre for the age of social media and taps into primal fears that resonate with a 21st century audience.

The film follows a group of teenagers who discover the best party game ever. Using an embalmed severed hand that has the power to conjure spirits, they take turns allowing the dead to possess their bodies for no more than 90 seconds. The supernatural thrill becomes an addiction, and eventually rules are broken and all hell breaks loose.

There's a certain purity to the filmmaking style of "Talk to Me" that reminded me a lot of Sam Raimi's "Evil Dead", David Robert Mitchell's "It Follows" and Ari Aster's "Hereditary". The chilling atmosphere of supernatural terror is enhanced by the use of practical effects and imaginative camerawork, but the Philippous never sacrifice character development for the next big scare, successfully walking the thin line between thrills and character development.

Themes of grief and isolation are explored through the film's protagonist, 17-year-old Mia (Sophie Wilde) who grapples with the trauma of her mother's death and a distant relationship with her father. Her entanglement with the spirit world has terrifying consequences, as the malevolent entities feed off her fears and hopelessness, and her grasp on reality starts to slip. This was Wilde's first lead starring role and it's one hell of a performance, effortlessly convincing and emotionally stirring. Her role and character are easily the best things about this movie.

The filmmakers cleverly avoid most of the genre pitfalls. They trust the audience to keep up and avoid burdening the film with forced exposition. Since the story isn't overly complicated with pointless subplots, the pacing remains tight and lean throughout. There are no hackneyed twists, no gratuitous jump scares or over-the-top exorcism scenes. Gore is used sparingly, making it all the more effective when the violence ramps up.

It's been said that the Philippous turned down the chance to direct a DCEU movie so they can work on "Talk To Me". I'm sure glad they did, because this movie is a rare treat, a finely crafted and original supernatural chiller that rewards both fans of the genre and the uninitiated, and deserves a place among the horror greats. It's a must-see !

SCORE: 10/10