Disclaimer: This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The Blogging Banshee fully supports those on strike and wrote this review in accordance with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA guidelines. You can learn more about the strikes and how to show your support by clicking the links provided above.

Thanks to the lovely folks over at Bloody Disgusting, last night I had the opportunity to attend an advance screening of one of the most anticipated horror films of 2023. Talk to Me is the latest horror film to come from A24 and, as expected, it’s a frightening and traumatizing ride. This is the feature-film debut for writers Bill Hinzman and Danny Philippou. Philippou also co-directed the film with his brother, Michael Philippou.

After a truly memorable cold opening, Talk to Me introduces audiences to Mia, a high school student struggling with the grief of losing her mother two years prior. When word gets around about a mysterious hand that allows you to communicate with the dead at local parties, Mia seeks it out. What begins as a wild thrill for this group of teens quickly takes a turn as they learn they are messing with forces beyond their control. The writers and directors of Talk to Me have a wonderful mastery of building suspense. Audiences are disarmed by watching the teens partying and having fun with the mysterious hand. Even though it’s clear this supernatural game of possession is dangerous, the kids’ amusement creates a false sense of safety. When the fun takes a sharp left turn into deadly frights, it’s much more shocking and disturbing than audiences are prepared for.

At first glance, Talk to Me seems to tread familiar ground in how it depicts grief through the horror lens and incorporates a cursed or haunted object. Yet everything about this film still feels fresh and exciting. There are two things that really make the events of this film feel like something we haven’t seen before. The first is that the cursed object is being used by a bunch of partying teens. While an adult would likely still use the hand to try to connect with a deceased loved one, they would also be more likely to recognize the danger and take proper precaution. Teenagers aren’t going to comprehend the risks, especially when drugs and alcohol are involved, until it’s too late. The second thing that makes this film feel different is that it doesn’t tell us the origin of the hand. There is some speculation early on, but that’s it. Most films involving a cursed object tend to have an investigation into the original of that object to find a means to stop the supernatural events. Instead, Talk to Me focuses on the present, emphasizing Mia’s personal journey of grief and guilt as she tries to fix a situation she believes she caused. Part of me wishes I could know more about the hand and where it came from, but never knowing also adds to the sense of terror. That being said, I do believe there should have been a bit more exploration of the “why” behind what the ghosts do as the film progresses. Other than causing mayhem and inciting fear, it’s never clear what the endgame is for these sinister spectres. Knowing this would likely help to add context, especially in a couple of scenes that only seem to be in the film for shock value rather than advancing the plot.

While the entire cast is wonderful, I was absolutely blown away by Sophie Wilde making her feature-film debut as Mia. She is able to draw audiences in with how she manages to be such a kind person, even as she grapples with her grief all alone, surrounded by other kids who could never understand, and a father who won’t talk about what happened. Even as Mia’s actions become more extreme, the progression of her emotional state makes those actions believable. One thing that Wilde, and other actors such as Joe Bird (Rabbit), excel at in Talk to Me is their ability to switch from their character to the personality of a spirit when they become possessed using the hand. In those moments these actors completely change everything from their voice to their physicality in a way that is as impressive as it is horrifying.

Another wonderful aspect of Talk to Me is the imagery. Every frame feels purposeful and helps to create the ever-growing sense of tension. On top of eye-catching camera work and various shots that add a sense of beauty to the film, there is also an array of gorgeous makeup and practical effects. The makeup on the teens when they become possessed by a spirit is subtle at first with dark makeup around the eyes and mouth as well as black contacts that seem to get larger the longer the spirit possesses them. The ghosts themselves also have a terrifying look, almost as if their decay continues even in the spirit world, each of them with a sickly, wet appearance. There’s something about this look that’s as perverse as it is sinister, ensuring these spirits will follow audiences home and into their nightmares.

Talk to Me is a riveting tale of grief and supernatural terror that grips the audience by the hand and refuses to let go until the bitter end. It sits somewhere between films like Hereditary and The Conjuring, striking a balance between emotional trauma and good old fashioned scares. Hinzman and the Philippou brothers make a powerful debut that ensures audiences will take notice of their future films. Audiences are also sure to become entranced by Wilde, who has the potential to become the next big name in horror. With its balance of fun, trauma, and fear, Talk to Me is sure to be one of the most popular horror films of 2023.

OVERALL RATING: 8/10