Talk to Me

Talk to Me is one of those horror films that proves you don't always need a groundbreaking concept to be effective, but you still wish it tried a bit harder to stand out. The film leans heavily on familiar tropes-a group of teenagers dabbling with the supernatural, unaware of the dire consequences that await them. It's a premise we've seen countless times, yet there's something about Talk to Me that manages to grip you, even if it doesn't completely surprise you.

What really elevates this film is the performances. The cast brings a raw, authentic energy that grounds the supernatural elements in something that feels disturbingly real. The atmosphere is another highlight. The film creates a sense of dread that builds slowly but surely, aided by its moody cinematography and unsettling sound design.

However, as much as I appreciated the film's strengths, it's not without its flaws. The pacing is somewhat uneven, with the story dragging in parts, particularly in the middle. There are stretches where the tension dissipates, leaving you waiting for the next big scare or plot development. The characters, while well-acted, can also be irritating at times, making decisions that feel more like horror movie tropes than genuine character choices.

Additionally, the narrative itself doesn't break much new ground. The themes of grief, guilt, and the dangers of dabbling in the unknown are well-worn territory in the horror genre, and while Talk to Me handles them competently, it doesn't offer many surprises. If you've seen your fair share of horror films, you might find yourself predicting the story's twists and turns well before they happen.

In the end, Talk to Me is a solid entry in the horror genre, elevated by performances and a well-crafted atmosphere. However, its familiar narrative and occasional pacing issues hold it back from being truly exceptional. It's an enjoyable watch, especially if you're in the mood for something creepy, but it's unlikely to leave a lasting impression.

I remember watching Lights Out, the short film, and thinking it was one of the best horror shorts I'd ever seen. Then they decided to turn it into a full-length film, but there was nothing substantial to fill the extra runtime. It ended up being a complete letdown.

Talk To Me feels very similar. I had set eyes on this film after seeing its trailer and ratings. It seemed my friday night would be chilling. However, if you extract a small segment from this film, you'd have a solid horror short. However, stretching it to 95 minutes becomes a struggle, especially when you get to the climax. It's just a repetitive loop of the same events happening over and over again.

What drew my interest in this film was the high IMDb reviews, especially for the horror genre which is the most scrutinized. The plot is pretty basic.... evil and supernatural forces begin to manifest by touching an embalmed hand. I love horror films but I've always treated them like an amusement park ride. They don't need a sophisticated plot but certainly a good screenplay, creepy atmosphere, pacing, uncomfortable tension, and just plain scary. I'll get straight to the pros and cons:

Pros:

1. Good cinematography and quality of acting.

2. Because of the lower budget, the film wasn't flooded with CGI. Some of the scenes were pretty creepy. One scene had a dark atmosphere about it that reminded me of a scene from Hereditary.

Cons:

1. Way too much filler. I understand and appreciate setting things up for character attachment/development but the first 25-30 min was a snooze fest.

2. Screenplay was too disjointed and had a pacing problem. The scenes involving the hand were good but all the in-between segments with the characters were uninteresting for the most part. At times I was wondering with a particular character if this was horror or a drama.

3. Weak final act. When it's all said and done this movie is about a few entertaining and even scary scenes and a lot of messy writing all over the place. Are they trying too hard? Should they have focused on a different angle if the goal was to make this story deeper? You be the judge. Honestly I think this would have made a really good 12-13 minute short film.

Is this movie on the level of 2018's Hereditary? Heck no. Is it worth watching? Honesty yes. With great horror movies few and far between, you can get a few thrills out of it and appreciate the potential that could have been. Decent but could have been so much more...

A creative new take on an ouija board with so much more to say !

I loved the concept of the hand it was so new and original , yet the movie still holds that idea of what can happen when u don't close "the door" .

I would highly recommend this movie to friends to see , it's majorly creepy but still entertaining and a gripping story . Everyone gives a pretty good performance but Sophie Wilde is really impressive in her role , it's role that would've required for you to have a lot of confidence and talent all of which she portrays on screen with such bold brilliance.

I believe she will be cast in a lot of movies in the future.

I also want to give credit to the directors.

Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou .

This was brilliant please make more movies !

This stands out from your jump scare or just plain poor plot horror movies. I watch as much horror as I can and this was an original idea and very well written. After the movie, you will piece together more and more of how it all ties together.

Scary, yet enough twists to keep you on the edge of your seat until the end. The acting was very good and really ties in with the themes in the film.

This is more of the stick with you, creepy, dread, existential type horror, but also had many scary scenes.

Also love to see a movie like this create a star actor and get picked up for distribution at Sundance. We need many more horror films like this and less of these cookie cutter, one page plot horror movies.