Director: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou
Writers: Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman, Daley Pearson
Stars: Ari McCarthy, Hamish Phillips, Kit Erhart-Bruce

Upon discovering a relic that has the power to ritualistically conjure spirits, a group of friends becomes obsessive leading them to face fears of the unknown afterlife as it begins to infiltrate their lives…

Horror is often only as strong as its central allegory, but there are exceptions to that rule. There’s nothing particularly remarkable about the allegorical conceits of Talk to Me. Certainly, many others have dared to venture into horror under the guise of exploring grief, particularly the sense of turning back time, the obsession to be with a loved one again, to feel the comfort of them as they alleviate you of your fears.

Many films have dared to endure horror as a genre reflection of the often misguided endeavors of teens, their exuberance to feel something new and exciting often acting as a form of Icarus braving toxic patterns to feel a sense of euphoria that can only bring about an inevitable doom.

There are moments in Talk to Me, particularly the third act of the film, that broach territory that audiences may find to be frustratingly typical. The narrative can tend to hide behind contrived ‘insanity’ that causes some unreliable circumstances that require a touch more world-building to substantiate.

But Talk to Me is not exceptional in the things it talks about but rather the way it talks about them. It’s a movie bolstered by sublime performances that capture desire in such a relatable way that it’s often forgivable to see them make poor decisions and careen toward such unfortunate predicaments.

It’s a film that heightens every moment with sublime cinematography, often capturing a sharp tilt of the camera or a hazy shallow focus to strike with precision on the exact nerve point that will best merge the audience’s suspense with the character’s.

Even the score is able to effortlessly reflect the fluctuating tone as our delightfully chaotic ensemble cast ranges through their ritualistic practices with carefree joviality, only to watch in horror as the house of cards being toyed with in the narrative slowly comes crumbling down.

The most impressive aspect of the precise filmmaking at the center of Talk to Me is the ability to craft a story that is wildly flexible, and open to interpretive moments as our central character verges further into insanity, yet it leaves context clues to bring an audience to chilling narrative conclusions.

Take for example the delicate use of water in the sound design, how it influences the audience’s understanding of an antagonist; and how it ramps up to a fever pitch allowing the audience to draw conclusions about certain masks that the enemy may be wearing. Talk to Me is one of the most calculated directorial showcases of the year, toeing the line between heart-palpitating shock and endearing drama all wrapped in a bow of stunning horrific imagery shrouded in a veil of ritualistic demise.

Unlike lesser films that broach similar topics, Talk to Me is able to surpass expectations set by its contemporaries. Although there is no doubt from an objective lens that these characters are careening toward disaster, there lies a harrowing truth that we—the viewers—would likely have been too curious, too heartbroken, too excited to have done much different.