Talk to Me (2023)
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Talk to Me Movie Review
Talk to Me is a 2023 supernatural horror film directed by Danny and Michael Philippou and starring Sophie Wilde. It’s an emotionally driven, but flawed flick.
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“Yo, this spirit’s a cunt“
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When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits with an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill and high-stakes party game until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces. The directors of this movie are these Australian twin brothers who are also YouTubers, and for their debut feature they have definitely delivered, emerging as a great new talent in the horror sphere.
The biggest strength of this movie is its deeply intimate approach as the movie depicted just how horrible losing a loved one can be. The protagonist’s character arc is among the best ones in the entire horror genre as she has to deal with the passing of her mother and what it means when she starts seeing her through these supernatural means.
Sophia Wilde did a terrific job in the main role and just through her eyes you could see a well of emotions bursting beneath. She is a talent to watch and hopefully she will get more roles in the immediate future as she highly deserves it. Mia is such a well developed character that it was disappointing to see the supporting characters getting such weak development.
Talk to Me is also frustratingly problematic in its first act and in its ending. The ending was a bit rushed, though it was a conclusion of the open-ended variety, which fits in this instance as the sequel has already been greenlit. The first arc is, on the other hand, too slow and prolonged.
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The entire movie is not scary per say, though it has its chilling moments. The plot is familiar in some tropes, but it was elevated with that emotional approach and a great examination of not just the theme of grief, but also modern teenagers and how their stupid viral videos can prove to be dangerous if unchecked. Technically, the film is only serviceable, though the effects are quite strong.
Talk to Me is a very good horror flick that has a slow first arc, a rushed ending and an unfortunate lack of truly scary sequences, but its familiar story was significantly elevated with an intimate approach, a moving exploration of grief, and a terrific character arc for the well fleshed out protagonist.
My Rating – 4
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