Review: Talk to Me

Stalking its way into UK cinemas today is the Australian horror movie, Talk To Me. The film – directed by Danny and Michael Philippou – stars Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, and Miranda Otto, and tells the story of a group of teens who dabble with the supernatural, with life-changing consequences.

In the film, Mia, her best friend Jade, and Jade’s brother Riley attend a party. During the course of the evening, when everyone is sat around, one of the hosts suggests everyone take part in a séance.

As part of the séance, one guest is told to hold onto a statue of a supposedly embalmed hand. Once they are holding the hand, they are to utter the words ‘talk to me’, which will allow them to see the dead.

Mia volunteers to be the first person to take part in the séance, she grips the hand and repeats the phrase ‘talk to me’. Within an instant she sees a terrifying apparition which shocks her.

Shaking off what she saw, she grips the hand again, says the words, and sees another figure in front of her. This time around, she does not get so easily scared, she continues with the séance, and allows the spirit to possess her.

The experience is quite terrifying, but once it is all over, Mia gets a little buzz from the ‘game’. As such, when her friend Jade hosts a small gathering at her house the next day, Mia is keen to take part in another séance.

But Mia isn’t the only one who wants to be involved in the activity, and soon most of the guests join in, including Jade’s brother, Riley. However, the séance quickly takes a very nasty turn, transforming a bit of fun into something deadly.

Most horror fans will tell you that movies involving séances, possessions, or any form of communication with the dead are getting pretty tired these days. Sure, you get a couple that still work here and there, but many of them are lacklustre old twaddle, that are far from frightening.

Well, I’m pleased to say that Talk To Me is one of the few films of this ilk that does actually work. Not only does the movie pack quite a wallop in places, it’s also very interesting, and occasionally quite disturbing.

Talk to Me isn’t a gore-fest, on the same lines as Evil Dead Rise, but when it delivers its creepiest set pieces, it really makes them land. There are at least two moments in the movie where I winced, and felt rather uncomfortable in my chair, and these are two moments which remained with me post-screening.

The best way to describe Talk To Me is ‘unsettling’. Even when it is not delivering its big shocks, the film has an unsettling atmosphere which permeates the screen, and this makes it a top notch horror in my book.

Leading the film is a relatively young cast who are all strong in their roles. Sophie Wilde is particularly good as Mia, while the general ensemble of Wilde, Jensen, and Bird work very well.

Miranda Otto is also excellent in the role of Jade’s mother, Sue, who pops up on occasion to steal every scene she is in. Otto is only in the movie briefly, but she’s perfectly cast and adds a little bit of gravitas to what is essentially a teen horror.

But this is a teen horror with plenty of substance. The directing duo behind the picture pitch the tone of this film just right, while the story from (co-director) Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman, and Daley Pearson,
also hits the right spot.

Talk To Me takes its audience on a journey which is easy to get lost in. Occasionally the pace does drop off a touch, but even when things do slow down a little it isn’t difficult to remain invested in the picture, and when it throws its best ideas at the screen it certainly grabs your full attention.

With Talk To Me being dropped into UK cinemas in late July, amongst a sea of big movies such as Barbie, Oppenheimer, and Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning: Part One, I expect it may get a little overlooked this summer. However, if you are a horror fan and you’re after something to tide you over until the spooky season kicks in around September/October, then this is the movie for you.

Talk To Me is an impressive Aussie horror film with the power to get inside your head and leave you feeling very uncomfortable. It brings a great deal of darkness to the screen, which is backed up by a story with some weight, as well as a cast that shine.

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