The horror genre needed a film like Talk to Me. Not necessarily because it’s one of the best films in recent memory, but more because Danny and Michael Philippou’s directorial debut is a testament to the importance of original stories and bold voices in horror. It’s bleak, often disturbing, and more nihilistic than a lot of its contemporaries, and sets up a glimmering future for its directors.
The film follows Mia (Sophia Wilde), who alongside some friends plays a Ouija-style game with a disembodied, embalmed hand. Doing so opens up a temporary portal to communicate with the dead, temporarily losing agency over one’s body for a peek into the underworld. Just like Gremlins, though, the rules are clear: if you don’t sever the tie in time, you open up a world of unhinged possibilities.
And that’s exactly what happens, as more friends get possessed, demons toy with the fabric of reality, and a manic effort to right these wrongs gets underway. It’s a film that’s less reliant on its It Follows-style plot and more interested in unpacking just how deranged it can get with the horror. That’s not too much of a surprise, given the Philippou brothers got their break making zany, sugar-rush YouTube videos.
However, at points it does feel hard to care about what’s going on when Talk to Me falters in developing characters for us to care about. While Wilde’s Mia is technically the protagonist, the film fails to really establish her and floats between whether to spotlight her or her friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen), whose brother Riley (Joe Bird) falls prey to the unnamed demon. In the first act you think Jade is the main character, then it flits to Mia, and you’re left never quite knowing who to care about. It’s an undeniably messy script in that regard, which may put people off.
But if you go into Talk to Me expecting balls-to-the-wall horror and Exorcist-style mania, you won’t be left disappointed. The glimmers we get of this demonic entity’s backstory are some of the film’s best, and even during possession scenes it’s brutal, visceral, and bloody nasty.
It’s clear that the Philippou brothers are more interested in disturbing their audience than telling an interesting story, because as soon as the meandering setup is out of the way, Talk to Me really picks up.
The direction is sharp and kinetic, the jump scares are impressively effective, and the physical acting from the entire cast during possessions is very creepy. It’s also wonderfully lit, avoiding the boggy darkness of much contemporary horror but obscuring just enough to tap into your own psyche. Large swathes of the film are uncomfortable to watch, and it’s hard to say that often.
At points, though, you’ll feel like Talk to Me doesn’t unpack its most interesting ideas enough. The demons are weirdly and inexplicably sexual, but in a taboo way – licking a person’s feet or kissing a dog, for example. I hope the upcoming sequel delves more into the lore here, because there’s so much untapped potential to explore. That’s alongside a powerful ending that’s not safe or comforting in the slightest, which again echoes the rawness of the direction; the unwillingness to do things by the rulebook.
That punk spirit is both Talk to Me‘s biggest strength and biggest downfall. In so many ways, it’s a boon: eschewing the need for a likeable central protagonist, leaning heavily into injury and brutality, and doing away with the comforting structure and trappings of modern horror. In others, though, it’s frustrating and leaves you longing for a bit more cohesion and narrative depth. After all, no matter how fun its darkest, most intense scenes are, the lack of engaging connective tissue by way of a valuable story does hold it back.
This new 4K restoration from Second Sight Films is a nice one, particularly in the fleeting brightly-lit scenes and intense close-ups, where the detail really shines. Since so much of the film is dark it’s harder to notice at other points, but there’s a level of polish here that aligns with the film’s sleek visual style.
While it’s not a horror classic or a directorial debut as powerful as, say, Get Out, Talk to Me is a strong proof of concept for the Philippou brothers’ horror chops. What it lacks in storytelling panache and engaging characterisation it papers over with impressive scares and nihilistic violence. It’s a much needed shot in the arm for original horror ideas, but I hope the brothers’ new film, Bring Her Back, can build on these solid foundations.
★★★
Talk to Me Limited Edition 4K & Blu-ray Box Set and Standard Edition 4K and Blu-ray released on June 23, 2025 from Second Sight Films.
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