In “Talk to Me” a group of friends stumbles upon a mysterious embalmed hand rumored to have supernatural powers. Intrigued and unaware of the dangers and history, they experiment with the power of reaching the other side. All they need to do is say;
“Talk to Me, I let you in,”
Quote from Talk to Me horror movie
Is “Talk to Me” Scary?
“Talk to Me” is spine-chilling. A horror movie, that caused my plus one to reach out to me in panic during some of the more gruesome parts of the film. Aptly filmmakers Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou re-imagine a swiftly growing plague of possession. One that could easily continue into a franchise. It resonates with the deepest fears lurking beneath our fascination with connecting with our loved ones.
Talk to Me Movie Themes
“Talk to Me” is loaded with tonally dark subject matter. We are treated to expertly crafted gory head wounds, intense sound effects that’ll make you cringe (no cheap jump scares here), and a vibe that’s anything but polite.
The narrative revolves around disturbing social media trends. Unsuspecting players become entangled in a sinister web of spiritual possessions. The catalyst for this malevolent phenomenon is a ceramic-encased severed hand. It is adorned with graffiti-like symbols and names. These markings hint at a dark history of all that came in contact with it before.
At first, their experiments with summoning spirits are fun and exhilarating. The hand seems to respond to their calls, giving them a taste of the otherworldly. It becomes a secret activity that brings them closer together. However, as their confidence grows, their obsession with pushing the boundaries of what they can conjure gives rise to what they have truly unleashed.
The Possessed Hand
As the movie “Talk to Me” begins, the lives of those who come into contact with the haunted artifact are affected. Innocent curiosity quickly transforms into relentless terror as the hand’s powers take hold. The rules for using the hand reminded me of the 1990 cult hit, “Flatliners.” Staying or connecting with the other side for longer than a specific time, meant bad stuff would happen. In this instance, the hand turns to manipulating its victims into committing heinous acts. The victims become conduits for the hand’s agenda. The reckless activity becomes a breeding ground for chaos confined within the small group as each takes a turn holding the hand.
Delving into the realms of temptation and confronting the potential perils of engaging with the supernatural, the spirits are summoned. With an intense surge of energy, the teenagers are propelled backward in their chairs, and the camera follows their movements. Their eyes are transformed into mysterious pools of darkness. They convulse. They gasp for breath, and with tenuous patience, everyone waits for what is about to come next. Every moment of the possession is caught by a mobile device ready for the internet.
A brilliant backstory delivers low-blow moments that follow the footsteps of immense grief and misunderstanding. Character arcs defy the overarching theme of stereotypical supernatural possession stories. Many cinephiles are used to these stories. These arcs intimately weave a refreshing new life into the subgenre. Can the impostor spirit convince its unsuspecting targets they are someone else or will this group figure out how to save themselves as well as each other?
Talk to Me Streaming
Talk to Me is definitely a “must-see” Australian horror. Umbrella Entertainment graced Mother of Movies with theater tickets and the experience in full surround sound was worth it. Don’t miss this title. See it as soon as possible. The title is not streaming yet, but keep an eye on Mother of Movies for news. The reviews for Talk to Me have been overwhelmingly positive and for good reason. It’s a clever movie that packs a punch.
Talk to Me is rated
4.5 Made me gasp out of 5
For more Australian cinema check out the Cinema Australia website.
Mother of Movies has more Australian Horror like Talk to Me. For something else to watch, check out The Nightingale | Never Be Done and Klink Klonk Klunk. Relic has a supernatural edge you won’t forget.
“TALK TO ME is a sincere movie about not knowing how to cope with your feelings as a teenager. It explores finding outlets that mess with your mind. We want this to be our first film because it’s the closest to our world as it is now and we want to capture that.”
Directors statement excerpt for Talk to Me
Where to Watch Trailer for Talk to Me
