From the guys who made the incredibly intense Talk to Me comes Bring Her Back, an equally grisly but less impactful horror-thriller about orphaned teenagers who are sent to live with a seemingly friendly but utterly psychotic Sally Hawkins, who I am pretty sure is playing herself.
Hawkins plays Laura, a traumatized mother whose only daughter drowned to death in her backyard pool. She now fosters children, including the self-muted Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), who is a little strange. Then again, he may or may not be possessed by a demon who enjoys chomping on knives as much as he does human flesh, so let’s give Oliver a little grace.
Let’s be clear: directors Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou are highly talented. Talk to Me was shockingly satisfying and downright disturbing, even if the third act couldn’t live up to the absolutely insane minutes that preceded it. Bring Her Back reaffirms that these brothers know what the hell they’re doing with horror, and filmmaking in general. From little, colorful details you may only appreciate on repeated watchings to body horror–accentuated by powerful sound effects–that makes you squirm, the Philippous bring incredible richness to their stories. They establish unsettling atmospheres and introduce unpredictable moments that keep you on your toes, guessing where their story will go next.
Bring Her Back is an extremely well-made horror movie that revels in making you feel uncomfortable, littered with shocking moments both big and small. The casting and acting are top tier, too–while Hawkins is perfect for the role, delivering an unhinged but emotional performance, younger leads Billy Barratt and Sora Wong, in her big screen debut, are terrific as well. There’s depth here you don’t see in most horror movies. And then there is Jonah Wren Phillips, who plays one of the creepiest individuals put to screen in recent memory. His physical portrayal of Oliver is top notch and downright frightening, and yet even he brings some emotional heft to what could have easily been a one-dimensional character.
And yet, Bring Her Back would have benefited from a few tweaks that, left unaddressed, hold it back. The central premise at play is more hinted at than explained, and while I certainly don’t need everything laid out for me, there is some level of detail missing that would have Hawkins’ motives more frightening and less head-scratching (like, where did she learn the ritual? How’s it work again?). Wong is underutilized, especially given the role she plays in the third act; more attention to her character would have paid dividends.
The climax, too, doesn’t quite have the heft you’d expect. While dark and surprisingly emotional, the Philippou’s seem to pull back just when they should have twisted the knife. The payoff isn’t quite there.
All said, Bring Her Back is an exceptionally good horror movie that leaves you feeling slightly unfulfilled. It’s a shame, because it’s a movie worth watching–even if it falls short of horror classic status it was so close to achieving.
Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.