Bring Her Back

I'm not one to usually write reviews, but after catching an advanced screening of the Philippou brothers new entry into the horror genre, I just had to praise what I witnessed.

First off, this film is definitely not for the faint hearted, nor is it a horror film to particularly get enjoyment out of. It's bleak, extremely visceral, unrelenting and really emotionally devastating ... but in the best ways horror can be!

As soon as the movie starts revealing its evil side, it takes hold of you and doesn't let go.

All the actors portrayed their characters with emotional and realistic excellence, but Sally Hawkins was just unmatched. It's hard to really describe her performance without getting into spoiler territory, but she couldn't have done a better job at being so unnerving & emotionally powerful, both at the same time.

The cinematography was incredible, with heaps of little foreshadowing details sprinkled throughout the film. So many of the shots were precisely made to convey & ooze that feeling of uneasiness/dread, which just adds that extra layer to the film's atmosphere.

Speaking of the atmosphere, the Philippou brothers sure know how to pack a punch with their direction. While there is still a deeply emotional and brutal story at play here, the brothers don't mind having loose ends here and there & instead, they are more after that gut-wrenching, stomach-churning horror experience as a whole.

That brings me to the practical effects... Somehow, this film got a classification of only MA15+ in Australia, and that just baffles me in the best way possible.

After 'Talk To Me', I was expecting some pretty skin-crawling gore & practical effects, but boy oh boy, I wasn't expecting this.

This film just ramps up the violence on every level and is done so in a way that will have even the hardcore horror fans wincing, incredible stuff!

In all, this movie makes their debut film 'Talk To Me' come across as a fun horror movie to watch after 'Bring Her Back', just to wind down.

It's a slow burn descent into hell & by the end of the film, actually ends up being one of the more depressingly sad/emotional horror films I've seen in some time.

It will make you feel sick, sad & terrified, all at the same time.

Well done RackaRacka !

The Philippou's brothers have again created a spellbinding horror film chock full of heavy themes, real characters and terrifying moments.

The brothers are arguably the best in the current horror game. Bring her Back reads more as a psychological thriller mixed with moments of true terror. The strength of the characters, the family bond and heavy themes all blend perfectly to create one hell of a ride.

The brother's style is so profound, the imagery, recurring motifs and downright brutal moments is something to relish. I love how we actually care about those on screen. Smart characters played by great actors that don't make any dumb decisions.

When the film really turns up a gear in the final act it never stops. Unafraid of breaking boundaries and playing it easy. It goes full force right until the end.

This is a must watch.

Bring Her Back" is the second feature film and horror movie made by the Philippou brothers. After their recent hit Talk to Me really blew me away with expert filmmaking, storytelling, hidden details, and strong characterization, I was excited to see their new movie and whether they could repeat that success. In this film, we follow a brother and his stepsister who are sent to live with a foster mother after their father dies. However, something strange is going on, and with the brother's troubled past and the sister's limited vision, their investigation into what is happening in their new home becomes increasingly difficult.

I can confidently say that the Philippou brothers did not create a one hit wonder with their debut film because Bring Her Back is an amazing cinematic experience filled with visceral bloody carnage and emotional depth. The movie has a tense atmosphere and some genuinely suspenseful moments that manage to scare without relying on cheap jump scares or tired genre tropes.

Even for someone like me who has rated over 3,000 horror films on IMDb, this movie was able to surprise me in several ways. While it becomes clear fairly early where the story is heading, it never felt boring or too predictable. The film features excellent cinematography and strong performances from the entire cast. The characters are interesting and multi-dimensional, and although the themes of trauma and grief are common in the genre, the Philippou brothers introduce them in a fresh and compelling way. "Enjoyable" might not be the right word given the dark themes and brutal violence, but the film does not shy away from showing the horrifying things that can be done to the human body.

One thing that could have enhanced the experience even further would have been more background information. The movie opens with found footage of a ritual, and I would have loved to learn more about the backstory behind how everything came to be.

Even though supernatural horror is not my favorite subgenre because it is filled with lazy films and generic scripts, Bring Her Back managed to both entertain and scare. It is a memorable addition to the genre and has me genuinely excited to see what Danny and Michael do next. I am especially happy for them since I have followed them since their chaotic YouTube days as "RackaRacka," and now they are creating well crafted and horrifying films for the big screen. [6.9/10]

BRING HER BACK was everything I hoped it would be. It will absolutely nauseate thousands of people. While many will recognize it's greatness, an equal amount will call it "a terrible movie" because it will so effectively fill them with intensely negative feelings throughout it's entire runtime, as it intends to do, and as most of the greatest horror movies of all time do. It is utterly brutal, and wholly unnerving, with the power to sicken and traumatize. There are plenty of movies that feature relentless amounts of brutal violence, but BRING HER BACK manages to disturb on a deeper level, likely by way of the great majority of it's brutality occurring amongst children (and, kids who are being manipulated by an adult, on top of everything else). It is painful to watch things unfold, and that's what makes it a truly effective horror film.

I took a chance on the directors' first film TALK TO ME when it hit theaters a couple of years ago, and was blown away. Not only was it fiercely original with it's concepts and it's vibe, but it was more fun than the majority of horror films, and got WAY more cruel and intense than I was expecting in its second half. When I saw the trailer for this, I knew it was highly likely they would be taking the cruelty even further, and that is precisely what they have done.

Casting lead Sally Hawkins in this role is the most brilliant casting utilization I have seen this year thus far. She is most commonly known as playing heartwarming characters (like Paddington's adoptive mother), but here, as the villain she is utterly terrifying - I think that knack for playing warm characters adds to the horror of her character immensely, and with these elements combined it leads to by far the best performance I've ever seen by her - fully gut-wrenching. All of the kids that fill out of the rest of the cast were phenomenal as well. I can't even imagine being Jonah Wren Phillips and playing the poster boy character Oliver - the role is so colossally intense, it makes me wonder if it's going to effect him in reality for the rest of his life - I feel like it will have to in some form.

Beyond all else, it's clear that the Philippou brothers are intelligent people. They know how to dig into the audiences psyche with such precision, and one of the key ways they do that is by keeping their films rich with a level of psychological depth that a great majority of horror films are missing nowadays. The movie is brimming with dramatic themes that are the type of things that deeply traumatize children in reality - taking this and rounding it out with some truly hellish supernatural ideas and visual horror, and you have the recipe for an absolutely devastating horror film. I was also impressed with the level of emotive resonance that this brutal film managed to conjure during its finale - I was on the verge of tearing up, and that is very rare for horror. The only reason I don't give it a 10 out of 10 is because I know it will simply be too dark and brutal for a huge chunk of the population, it doesn't exactly cater to repeat viewings.

I've just stepped out of 'Bring Her Back' preview, and I'm still trying to steady my heart rate. For me, it felt like watching early Ari Aster or the original 'Speak No Evil' - that same creeping dread, that slow-burn descent into absolute horror. So tense, so relentless, I genuinely forgot to breathe at points.

The Philippou brothers have done it again. 'Talk to Me' was no fluke - 'Bring Her Back' proves they're not just playing in the horror sandbox, they're shaping it. This film gets under your skin early and doesn't let go.

The performances are excellent across the board (Sally Hawkins is devastating), but what really struck me was the direction. The shots are fantastic - meticulously framed, textured, and always hinting at something sinister lurking just out of frame.

And the gore. OMG, the gore. Not gratuitous, but felt - visceral, unnerving, and timed so well that even I, who usually handles horror like a champ, found myself getting properly squeamish.

The payoff? 100% worth it. Tonally, it sticks the landing. Emotionally bleak, sure, but never cheap. If you love your horror smart, stylish, and genuinely disturbing - this one's for you.

Definitely not disappointed.