When a group of friends discovers 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.
As an avid horror film lover, especially those of the ’70s and ’80s, I am always curious to see who will next revive the genre as it is in a constant state of transformation. We have a multitude of subgenres, including slasher, zombie, vampire, psychological, monster, supernatural, and possession, which is where we find “Talk to Me,” a movie that encompasses several of the genres mentioned above.
Directors and siblings Danny and Michael Philippou, better known as the creators of the Australian YouTube channel RackaRacka, known for its intense live-action horror comedy videos, make their big-screen directorial debut, and for a first theatrical outing, they do a tremendous job. While the premise is intriguing and had me hooked from the very beginning, the movie suffers from the same issue that plagues comparable indie horror films; it starts promisingly but runs out of ideas as it approaches its denouement, failing to live up to the movie’s excellent first half.
That aspect doesn’t take away from the film overall but is somewhat disappointing. The same for the film’s protagonist, Mia, played by Sophie Wilde. She attends a party with her best friend, Jade (Alexandra Jensen), and younger brother, Riley (Joe Bird), because she heard the hosts have an embalmed hand that allows them to communicate with the dead. Her mother took her own life two years earlier, and she is desperate to talk with her and does so once she holds the embalmed hand, said to belong to a Satanist who could speak with the dead.
The issue is that she continually makes bad decision after bad decision, so much so that you can’t believe a human being could be that naive and shortsighted. Her desire to speak with her mother trumps everything else, she even allows Riley to hold the hand, after Jade specifically told him not to, and because he is young, he cannot comprehend anything that happens once a spirit takes control of him. He ends up in the hospital after the possession goes horribly wrong.
But even after his hospitalization and Jade’s termination of their friendship due to her actions, Mia continues to display no empathy with Jade or Riley, desperate to get back in touch with her mother. Having taken the hand from the party, she continues reaching out to the other side with disastrous consequences.
“Talk to Me” displays some genuinely frightening supernatural imagery early on; the cuts are so fast you’re not expecting them, so when they happen, they’re a big jolt to your system. The film doesn’t rely on a plethora of shock value and gruesome images; it generates fear and dread simply by looking at the embalmed hand, knowing what it is capable of. The cast do exceptionally well in their respective roles, and even with my critical analysis of Mia and her actions, actress Sophie Wilde does a commendable job with her performance.
Directors Danny and Michael Philippou have created a modern horror tale that utilizes a genuinely surprising plot device that drives its narrative and adds a fresh take on the horror genre, one that will stay with you long after the credits have rolled. Having moved up from short films, I am genuinely excited to see what they will deliver next.
In Theaters Friday, July 28th
