A horror movie a social worker wouldn’t want you to see, but you have to anyway.
Danny and Michael Philippou, the twin Australian filmmakers whose “Talk To Me” was a big hit with critics and audiences, are back for another horror film called “Bring Her Back.” And while the story is not as expansive as that film was, it still has a lot of risky WTF moments, very good actors, and a creepy tone. They both started off as YouTubers with the channel name RackaRacka, which is known for its intense comedy-horror videos. And now, they have made two movies, it’s clear these two have a gift in horror cinema.
There’s a foster boy in this movie, who looks like a creepy movie boy being possessed by Damien from “The Omen.” Except this one bites knives and wooden tables until he breaks his teeth. I think we can agree that the foster mother has to indulge him in these satanic behaviors for her own benefits. And maybe she’s part of something satanic that could help ease her grief.
As the movie opens, we have an old video camera and VHS tapes that record something otherworldly. And we, the audience, are wondering what the Hell is going on? Who are these people? And what are they trying to do? I guess that’s for the movie to know and us to find out. And even though we don’t completely understand it, we are able to grasp its concept which seems worthy of a Philippou entry.
We meet two step-siblings-the teenager Andy (Billy Barratt, who had a bad year in 2024 with “My Spy: The Eternal City” and “Kraven the Hunter”) and the legally blind Piper (Sora Wong). This girl can only make shapes and colors within her visually impaired condition, for clarification. And this boy had some trouble in the past, which may have been the cause of her disability, but I don’t want to say how.
They discover their father dead in the shower like the woman in “Psycho,” and so, given their circumstances, they have to be placed in separate foster homes. However, Andy wants to apply for legal guardianship considering that he’s turning 18 soon, and he wants to be together with Piper. The social worker Wendy (Sally-Anne Upton) and foster mother Laura (Sally Hawkins) agree, as long as he stays out of trouble.
This lady, who is also a widow, is quite eccentric as she’s warmer with Piper than Andy, pours her own urine on his crotch while he’s sleeping, engages with them in drinking games to ease their grief, and locks the other foster boy Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) in his room. What neither social services nor the step-siblings know is that Laura and Oliver are the main creepy characters I’ve mentioned before. And for some reason, the house is surrounded by a giant white circle painted on the ground.
As I finished watching “Bring Her Back,” I was in question about some of the decisions made and the reasons for the otherworldly behaviors. And while they can be overwhelming and underdeveloped, there are a lot of crazy moments worth seeing on film and the reasons do resonate with how a person deals with grief. Most people would never do what Laura does, but this movie likes to think they would, and Hawkins delivers a combination of creepiness and eccentricity. It almost reminds me of how good Hugh Grant was in last year’s “Heretic.”
The kid actors are also very good adjusting to the horror genre. Barratt has made some considerable improvements on his current roles by playing a troubled teenager trying to be a better brother. Wong succumbs to no younger sister cliches and is able to develop. And Phillips has a perfect creepy consistency, and I’m impressed by the props and special effects he must engage himself in for bloody moments. At least I hope they’re props and special effects.
“Talk To Me” partially took place in the spirit world, while “Bring Her Back” wants help from the spirit world. At least that’s how I’m seeing it, and it’s quite deranged.