#REVIEW: “TALK TO ME”

Review by Nicholas Porteous for Mr. Will Wong

Talk to Me, the A24 Horror by twin Aussie Directors Michael and Danny Philippou, is a spine-tingling, fresh-feeling take on classic horror tropes, and could very well prove to be a new classic of the genre. There. That’s the review. Go see it.

You want more info? More takes?? Fine! I’ll delve a little deeper, but let me forewarn you–this is definitely one of those movies best viewed with little to no knowledge of what you’re getting yourself into. Even the Trailer–in this Critic’s opinion–might blunt the magic of the experience a little bit, and I was thankful to have a few weeks’ distance between seeing the movie’s ghostly shape and its final form.

Talk to Me is about a group of Gen-Z Australians who happen upon a haunted hand with connections to another plane of existence, populated by demonic spirits who’ll gladly step into your body if you give them permission, all of whom can theoretically be whisked back to their world within 90 seconds as long as you let go of said haunted hand. Being Gen-Z, these teens naturally see their time-limited spiritual possessions as an opportunity to have a bit of forbidden fun AND simultaneously boost their social media profiles via viral videos… What could possibly go wrong? Mia–our lead–is struggling with the suspicious death of her mother, estranged from her dad–and that’s it! That’s all I’ll say on the matter. Go see it!

YOU STILL WANT MORE?? Okay!! Sophie Wilde is absolutely uncanny as our intermittently haunted heroine. She plays post-traumatic and possessed like nobody’s business. The storytelling is sharp, smart, and unpredictable. Practically every setup is paid off–even the ones you didn’t know were there from the beginning. By the end, many questions linger, and although I would have liked some clarity here and there, I understand that every answer risks ruining the mystique and possibly future viewings of Talk to Me. As it stands, I can see myself gleefully springing this haunted hand on unsuspecting friends–just as those cookey kids did. I’ve learned nothing! Go see it!!!!

VVS Films release TALK TO ME in theatres July 28, 2023.