A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother.
Co-directors/co-writers Danny and Michael Philippou burst onto the scene in 2023 with the horror film Talk to Me. That movie blended genre elements into an uncomfortable but compelling viewing experience that was definitely not for the squeamish. Now, the brothers return to theaters with another tale of grief and horror, “Bring Her Back.”
Their new film revolves around Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong), a brother and sister who return home one day to find their father dead on the bathroom floor. Since Andy isn’t yet 18, the children are entered into the foster system and sent to live with Laura (Sally Hawkins). Oddly enough, Andy and Piper drive themselves to Laura’s house — wouldn’t their case worker introduce them to their new guardian?
Laura, who lost her daughter Cathy an undisclosed date ago, is more than a bit quirky. Plus, she’s got an additional foster child, Ollie (Jonah Wren Phillips), who their case worker probably isn’t aware exists. This movie frequently left me wondering if the Philippou brothers understand how the foster system works.
Ollie is a ‘weirdo’, as Andy tells a friend in a text message. The boy, who doesn’t speak and is prone to awkwardly standing and staring, is introduced while standing in a drained swimming pool tormenting Laura’s cat. Laura’s treatment of him also leads us to question her child-caring capabilities instantly. A creepy soundtrack is used every moment to let the viewers know they should be uneasy. The film even opens with a brief scene showcasing some cult ritual, which is also on a VHS tape that Laura continually watches throughout the movie.
Knowing about the loss of Laura’s child, the film’s title, and the cult ritual makes it obvious where the story is going. However, the movie still feels like a nonsensical mismatch of ideas. If you’ve seen “Talk to Me,” you know to expect their latest film to be disturbingly gory. On that front, “Bring Her Back” delivers. There are several moments of shocking bodily harm that feel like they were included solely to gross the audience out or appease the gorehounds, serving little narrative purpose.
The movie doesn’t make much sense, especially when examining the individual elements. As I wrote, it’s easy to determine Laura’s end game for her new foster children. The filmmakers ask too much of the audience to go along with everything happening on screen. The individual elements don’t add up. Like most things in this film, the audience is required to suspend belief.
“Bring Her Back” shows the Philippou brothers in a sophomore slump. Unlike their previous film, this movie doesn’t come across as fully formed/realized. It lacks a good rhythm to keep the audience hooked and frequently drags its feet. Ultimately, it’s just another horror film examining grief. I do appreciate the bleakness the brothers are bringing to the genre. This screening was hosted in a dine-in theater, and there were constant movements and distractions from both the audience and the servers throughout the film. Perhaps that plays into my opinion. It surely highlights why I actively avoid theaters like this for the screenings I pay to attend. For multiple reasons, this one didn’t work for me.
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