Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysToronto Int'l Film FestivalHispanic Heritage MonthIMDb Stars to WatchSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Playback

  • 2012
  • R
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
4.3/10
5.2K
YOUR RATING
Playback (2012)
A group of high school students unwittingly release an evil spirit who will stop at nothing to find his true heir.
Play trailer2:15
1 Video
19 Photos
Supernatural HorrorHorrorMysteryThriller

A teenager investigates the case of a missing local baby, though he discovers a dark secret that has been unleashed in his town, and an evil spirit that will stop at nothing to find its heir... Read allA teenager investigates the case of a missing local baby, though he discovers a dark secret that has been unleashed in his town, and an evil spirit that will stop at nothing to find its heir.A teenager investigates the case of a missing local baby, though he discovers a dark secret that has been unleashed in his town, and an evil spirit that will stop at nothing to find its heir.

  • Director
    • Michael A. Nickles
  • Writer
    • Michael A. Nickles
  • Stars
    • Christian Slater
    • Ambyr Childers
    • Toby Hemingway
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    4.3/10
    5.2K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Michael A. Nickles
    • Writer
      • Michael A. Nickles
    • Stars
      • Christian Slater
      • Ambyr Childers
      • Toby Hemingway
    • 56User reviews
    • 50Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    U.S. Version
    Trailer 2:15
    U.S. Version

    Photos18

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 15
    View Poster

    Top cast25

    Edit
    Christian Slater
    Christian Slater
    • Frank Lyons
    Ambyr Childers
    Ambyr Childers
    • Riley
    Toby Hemingway
    Toby Hemingway
    • Quinn
    Jonathan Keltz
    Jonathan Keltz
    • Nate
    Luke Bonczyk
    • Harlan Diehl
    Jana Veldheer
    • Susie Diehl
    Johnny Pacar
    Johnny Pacar
    • Julian Miller
    Alessandra Torresani
    Alessandra Torresani
    • Brianna Baker
    Jennifer Missoni
    Jennifer Missoni
    • DeeDee Baker
    Dorien Davies
    • Ms. Milton
    Kenny Stevenson
    • Co-Worker
    Mark Metcalf
    Mark Metcalf
    • Chris Safford
    Bernard McConnell
    • Cop
    Lisa Jane Todd
    Lisa Jane Todd
    • Anne Miller
    Daryl Mitchell
    Daryl Mitchell
    • Wylie
    • (as Daryl 'Chill' Mitchell)
    Matt Braaten
    • Detective
    Stephanie Webb
    • Newscaster
    Brian Erickson
    • Keg Stand Assistant #2
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Michael A. Nickles
    • Writer
      • Michael A. Nickles
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews56

    4.35.2K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    7Indifferent_Observer

    Decent Flick. Good gore.

    Ill start off by saying,if your the kind of person that's always looking for connections in movies(Most people on IMDb who think their intelligent, but just young) then you may not like this one, but if your old school like me and have seen everything already and don't care too much if movies draw slim similarities to others as long as they're good then I would say have at it.

    There's some great gore, naked girls, and a twisted little story line that doesn't steal 'too' much from other movies, but taking just enough to get the troll's panties in a bunch. The similarities are sparse, trust me.

    What really bugs me is not one of the fake reviewers, the "Changed my life" review along with the griper who yells at people with fake reviews(due to only one review history) when he himself is a shill. And thats the flaw in IMDb voting system. The fact that any nitwit can make multiple accounts and trash any movie before it even has a chance to get out there. This makes even more stupid people run around saying, "Oh yeah I heard that movie sucked!"

    Well, I actually SAW this last night, I was expecting nothing good after reading reviews here. I have to say was surprised with the movie's pace, acting, and GORE! Storyline, Basically 15 years ago a kid murders his family. Fast forward to today and another kid decides to unravel the mystery for a school paper. Yes it has that familiar sound, but no this is no "The Ring part whatever". This borrows from a few movies while keeping its own individual style. We have Christian Slater playing an "interesting" part to say the least along with a creepy kid who likes to go through old film in his spare time. Again sounds like Chinese Ghost stuff, but this actually has Gore, Nudity, things Chinese cinema lacks. Basically it earns its R rating which means a lot to me in Horror.

    I for one will admit that this will win no awards, nor will it become a big block buster. Its a genre movie aimed at genre fans. Nothing too great, but not bad at all either..

    I gave it 7 out of 10 because of the sh%*storm of idiots who will undoubtedly ruin the rating/reviews of this movie(as they do to so many) all because one person left a good review before everyone else did so everyone assumes there part of the crew and its their duty to make 3 accounts and post fake reviews..how sad peoples lives must be. In reality this movie is a Solid 6.

    Another thing, don't run out and buy this, wait till its on cable or Netflix.Its worth a watch when you put it up against the crap that true Horror fans have to sift through to get a decent watch, but its not a must see.
    5aronharde

    Not great but watchable

    This is a low budget genre flick that has countless flaws but also a rather interesting story and a decent payoff. You could tell that the budget was not very high which honestly kind of drags the movies watching experience down. The acting is okayish and the effects are somewhere between good and pretty bad at times. The movie definitely borrows some material from other more famous flicks but never straight up copies anything and tries to be its own twisted little story. Overall it's decent and if the plot synopsis sounds interesting to you, you might enjoy this, however don't expect something great out of this because it is not. [4,7/10]
    6nitzanhavoc

    Has its moments, worth watching.

    I don't usually do this, but some of you might stumble upon a review by IMDb username tlsmith-569-716188 as the visible review on this film's page. Aside from mistaking Christian Slater for Christian Bale, it's obviously biased and written by either someone who took part in the making of this film, or someone to related to such a person. Do your part and click "no". We deserve more integrity.

    Having said that, let's get back to "Playback". I must say that while I did enjoy watching it, I couldn't help but finding the screenplay and story lacking. The idea is nice while not all that original (The Ring has already given us "evil from a videotape" and this was simply too similar), but the twist was too obvious and predictable. A good plot twist is one where the balance between the hints given and the element of surprise upon the discovery is kept. In this case - the hints were too thick, and the surprise was gone. That might be because I'm a Horror freak and have watched many Horror and Thriller films, but I can't help but expect more.

    The second thing, which was really sad for me, was Christian Slater's roll. Oh my, how the great ones have fallen and been humbled to a shady background role of a semi-pedophile creep. I'd hate to think that after his illustrious career Slater has been degraded to his role here. Depressing.

    However, while not being the best film ever, Playback is far from being bad. The effects and cinematography were very impressive, the original indie-rock soundtrack was great and is in my opinion good enough to purchase if available, and the way some of the scenes shot by the kids in the movie end up realized by the killer was very nice. But the best thing about this film is for sure Toby Hemingway's acting (and a great job by the make-up department). Hemingway was superb, and I look forward to seeing him in other films!

    All in all, like I've mentioned, Playback wasn't the best film ever, nor the worst. It had its moment, and while it could have been a lot better - it could have been a lot worse too. I personally rate it a 6, but recommend that you give it a shot.
    1maximum_2083

    i was happy before this came along

    The only thing great about this movie is probably the over rated movie poster. The movie itself was absolute crap with glitter wrapping on it. i hope to never ever come across another load of crap again. The plot was none existent, the characters where incredibly watered down to the point where you will find yourself not caring about them at any level and the scares where just loud noises like a loud truck or dog suddenly barking. This is not even a movie you consider if you where bored. Majority of the time i found myself looking away from screen and just wondering how the directors can get away with releasing movie like this. At the end of it i felt i had wasted over 1:30 minutes of my life for no reason. Do your self a favor and don't bother watching this crap.
    4kannibalcorpsegrinder

    Lame, exceptionally weak possession killer

    When a group of film students attempt to document the brutal history of their town's past, they unleash the evil spirit which inspired the rampage and must stop it's current rampage before it exposes the secret behind it's existence.

    This is overall a pretty lame and barely worthwhile effort. The only true sense of credit that this one really has is it's plot line about the body-hopping spirit that can only be transfered through video, which is pretty creepy and doesn't get used often-enough as a concept since it generates some really impressive moments here and there of the possessed beings out and about with their unknowing victims. Otherwise, this here is a gory, low-budget boring mess that seems to fling itself around in ten different directions without any sort of inner compass to determine what it wants to do, a low-budget feel that never lets it's full scope become apparent despite the feel it's going for and a laid-back pace that rarely lets on it's a horror film and never really goes for any sort of excitement or enjoyability. A true let-down and not really worth it.

    Rated R: Graphic Language, Graphic Violence, Nudity and underage drinking.

    More like this

    Poltergeist II: The Other Side
    5.7
    Poltergeist II: The Other Side
    The Cleansing Hour
    6.0
    The Cleansing Hour
    The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
    6.7
    The Hand That Rocks the Cradle
    Playback
    4.2
    Playback
    Asylum
    4.0
    Asylum
    Last Night at Terrace Lanes
    4.4
    Last Night at Terrace Lanes
    Playback
    4.3
    Playback
    Stranded
    3.6
    Stranded
    Sacrifice
    4.3
    Sacrifice
    HP: The Wolf - True Alpha
    5.7
    HP: The Wolf - True Alpha
    Way of the Wicked
    3.8
    Way of the Wicked
    Without Men
    3.3
    Without Men

    Related interests

    Daveigh Chase in The Ring (2002)
    Supernatural Horror
    Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby (1968)
    Horror
    Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway in Chinatown (1974)
    Mystery
    Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite (2019)
    Thriller

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Wylie tells Julian all the people in Louis Le Prince's 2-second film 'Round Hay Garden Scene' died as soon as they made the movie. In reality, only Le Prince's mother-in-law, Sarah Whitley, died after making the film, 10 days later.
    • Goofs
      When Quinn films himself at the end, the camera pans down from the house to his face. When Julien watches the video, the camera pans up from the ground to Quinn's face.
    • Quotes

      Julian Miller: He was adopted? It says Harlan's real parents died when he was four, born in New York, bounced around foster homes until the Diehl family adopted him.

      Riley: Well yeah, a lot of poor families do it for subsidy money.

      Julian Miller: His real name is Harlan Prince, descendant of the mysterious Louis Le Prince.

      Riley: Mysterious who?

      Julian Miller: Louis Le Prince.

      Riley: Never heard of him.

      Julian Miller: Well that's why he's mysterious.

    • Connections
      Features Roundhay Garden Scene (1888)
    • Soundtracks
      Forever and a Day
      Written by Johnny Pacar

      Performed by Forever the Day

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ18

    • How long is Playback?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 9, 2012 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Playback: Bloodline
    • Filming locations
      • Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
    • Production companies
      • Fontenay Films Ltd.
      • Bennett-Robbins Productions
      • Emmett/Furla Oasis Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,600,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $264
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $252
      • Mar 18, 2012
    • Gross worldwide
      • $57,587
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 38m(98 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.78 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.