Talk to Me is a 2022 Australian supernatural horror film marking the feature directorial debut of Danny and Michael Philippou. The screenplay, written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, is based on a concept by Daley Pearson. The film stars Sophie Wilde and Alexandra Jensen.
The film’s premise centers on a group of teenagers who discover they can communicate with spirits through a mysterious severed and embalmed hand. Talk to Me premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival on October 30, 2022, and was released in Australia by Maslow Entertainment, Umbrella Entertainment, and Ahi Films on July 27, 2023. It debuted in the US through A24 on July 28, 2023.
Talk to Me presents a unique and original concept, portraying grief as a creature that takes on the faces of others. The film is dark and deeply horrifying, moving beyond the typical Ouija board trope found in many horror movies. Instead, it uses a severed hand as a physical vessel that possesses and consumes its host.
The film is well-crafted, featuring impressive effects, cinematography, atmosphere, pacing, acting, and direction, all executed with skill and minimal reliance on CGI. My main criticisms are that the first half spends a bit too much time setting up character attachments, and at times the screenplay feels somewhat disjointed. Additionally, the final act has a few weak spots, particularly in the writing, which comes across as messy and somewhat scattered.
Overall, this movie delivers on every level. If you’re a horror enthusiast like me, it ranks among the best horror films I’ve seen in a long time. The Philippou brothers are definitely carving out a strong reputation in the genre.
