User reviews

Bring Her Back is one of those rare horror films that hit both emotionally and technically. The story is intimate and unsettling, but it's the execution that makes it stand out.

First, Sally Hawkins delivers a phenomenal performance - raw, layered, and painfully real. She holds the entire film on her shoulders with such precision and emotion that it's honestly Oscar-worthy. I couldn't help but think of Hereditary (2018), where Toni Collette also gave a mind-blowing performance but was completely snubbed by the Academy. Let's hope history doesn't repeat itself.

Atmosphere is tense from the very first scene. The film masterfully builds dread without relying on cheap jump scares. The cinematography is elegant and intimate, often using close shots and cold tones to create a feeling of claustrophobia and grief. Sound design and music are subtle but deeply effective - at times you don't even notice them, but they're working in the background, crawling under your skin.

This is not just another horror flick. It's thoughtful, beautifully acted, and full of emotional weight. Highly recommended if you appreciate horror that respects your intelligence.

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.

This is a horror movie that doesn't have to rely on jumpscares; it doesn't have to rely on possession or creepy rituals, even though it's got both. And gore; I had to look away in one scene in particular. The actual horror is the all-too believable manipulations of a foster mother with a hidden agenda, and our feeling of powerlessness to stop her. This was the kind of film that it would be excruciating to have to leave before seeing the end, because it makes you care about its characters so much. You'll probably even finding yourself root for the villain. This is the best horror movie I've seen in a while and it stuck with me for days.

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]

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 !

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'm a fan of the Philippou brothers' work on "Talk to Me". While that film had plenty of creepy imagery, it still felt more like a fun, popcorn-style horror experience. That's why I was genuinely excited to hear about "Bring Her Back"-these are the kinds of follow-ups where you really see what directors are made of.

"Bring Her Back" takes a more serious and artistic approach to horror than Talk to Me. The first 30 minutes are dedicated to character development, which felt a bit slow and could have been tighter in editing. However, once the story gains momentum, it really takes off.

Rather than relying on cheap jump scares, this film builds tension through atmosphere and unsettling imagery. It's beautifully shot, often disturbing, and the acting performances are excellent. Definitely worth seeing in theaters.

I loved the acting , specially of Sally. Between moments you'd feel like you'd wanna punch her ,that's how good her acting is. Jonah tries his best for some sprinkle of horror, everytime he's on screen, he'd make sure you feel uncomfortable. Loved this movie for particularly the characters. The brother sister love is all over the movie.

It's not particularly horror, it's dark and depressing along with some gore elements sprinkled on top. Wait for the first half an hour for the character development and it takes off and never feels like a drag. No jump scare, wonderfully shot and the background score beautifully compliments the gore nature.

I'd recommend this movie wholeheartedly to everyone and would rate it a solid 8/10.

Bring Her Back is a visual horror masterpiece that left me feeling a bit hollow.

I did have an emotional connection with the characters and each actor was on point. However the ending left me wanting way more. I understand visual story telling, and some things are better left unsaid but with this film I needed more exposition.

This movie could have really built some cool lore with the cult elements and the ancient demonic entity, but instead it was pretty much brushed over. I did enjoy the videotapes when we got to see them but I wanted to see how Laura acquired them. That would have been really cool.

The character of Oliver was by far my favorite and every scene he was in he stole the show.

Brother and sister Andy and Piper were great leads and you could really tell they loved each through all of this grief they experienced.

Laura was a wicked person who had her own motives and she definitely had me sympathetic for her at times.

Overall I'd recommend, it's not for the faint of heart. It's dark, bleak and depressing with a beautiful visual paint brush over the lens. The Philippou brothers are technically brilliant and I'm looking forward to any piece of art they decide to put out in the future.

Violence and gore: severe. That's what the warning says here on IMDb and that was completely right. There are some scenes that might shock the audience, mostly because they look real and hurtful. So credits for the makers of those bloody scenes, that's what made this horror movie stand out from the rest. The story itself was also pleasant to follow. Well pleasant might be the wrong word as the story is quite disturbing, but the story is good for a horror movie. Sally Hawkins plays the character everybody will hate, unless there's something wrong with you, and she did a good job, as well as the rest of the cast. A more than decent horror movie, that's been awhile...

Bring Her Back dives into darkness, but not for cheap scares. It's a layered, slow-burning descent into grief, guilt, and obsession, where horror is a byproduct of emotional unraveling.

The possession element is handled with restraint. The young boy's performance is deeply unsettling, not because of jump scares, but because it feels believable. The mother's arc is the true backbone. Her desperation, unraveling, and gradual revelation give the film its emotional weight.

The horror sequences are disturbing, yes, but they're never the point. What drives the film is a mother's raw need to retrieve what was lost, no matter the cost.

It's not just a horror film. It's a psychological excavation, with more to unpack than it first lets on. A strong, thoughtful entry in the genre.

It's been a long time since I have not seen a real scary movie. But this one was different. The first thing that caught my attention was the colourful scene. This is a good movieie because not only the story have a structure but also it doesn't have a lot of characters so you can follow the movie more focused. Add to this to me its a good movie because it has been mixed a psychological scary movie with an imaginary element. The music was normal or even less than our expectations. Actors were good especially the girl. I highly suggest that for someone who is seeking for a good scary movie.

I hope you enjoy.

Went to a mystery movie showing and right before going someone predicted it would be this and I was really hoping they were wrong. The movie felt longer than it was. It had too many hanging threads left unanswered. For just a moment I had a glimmer of hope near the end that they would do something memorable but then the makers of the movie didn't have the nerve to deliver.

A good thing the movie has going for it is that the child actors manage to not be terrible and are actually decently good. It has a couple of funny slapstick moments though they tend to break up intense moments so don't know if they were intentional or not.

Bring Her Back is probably one of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen, I certainly didn't expect this movie to be a comfortable watch but in comparison to how I felt walking out of Talk To Me it makes that film look like child's play. It's the sort of film that gets under your skin early and stays there and I honestly wouldn't have had it any other way. The Phillipou brothers are clearly masters of their craft and it's a shame that I don't know if I'll be able to stomach a second watch because I would love to see what new details would reveal themselves on rewatch.

This very much felt like a Jordan Peele film to me in that every new scene contain some small new piece of the larger puzzle, it had my full attention from the very beginning and that's a testament to not only the script but the filmmaking. The directors always felt like they were one step ahead of me and I loved discovering more and more about the larger story they were telling as the film went on. It has such a perfect grasp on its tone and it made me feel horrified and uncomfortable and honestly disgusting at points and it's got some of the most effective uses of violence I've seen in any horror movie. It never felt gratuitous in its content and I think that's because it felt like the film was actually trying to say something meaningful about grief and trauma. The two child performers are astounding but I have to say that the film belongs to Sally Hawkins who gives a performance that I can only describe as a tour de force. She hit every beat of this massively complex character perfectly and it really does feel like that character is what makes the movie because the effective moments that I'll remember mostly come from her. She gives a performance that left me in awe from scene to scene and it's destined to be yet another amazing horror performance that the academy will ignore.

Bring Her Back has a script that's worthy of being studied and examined and it has such a good execution of it's story that I honestly wish it was something I'd come up with myself. Every emotion this movie made me feel felt like exactly what the directors wanted me to and I truly cannot believe how disturb it left me. There are moments and images I don't think will ever fully leave my mind and this a new directing duo that's really worth getting excited about. Sally Hawkins is outstanding, as is all the acting, with a script that feels effortlessly intelligent in how it ties everything together. It's rare that a film with such little chance of a rewatch is a positive for me but in Bring Her Back's case I could not think of higher praise for how truly effective it is.

We were chatting afterwards and agreed we wouldn't recommend anyone to see this movie. I will explain... Its horrible. It contains scenes the likes of which I've never seen before. Early on theres some humour, but then it gets oppressive and unrelenting and never gives up.

It is well acted. Sally Hawkins is amazing. Billy Barratt and Sora Wong are great, as is everyone else.

The movie has a gritty realism about it - not the sheen of a Hollywood blockbuster. The grittiness makes it hard to watch in places - parts of it are horrific.

Its an interesting story. Not completely unique but done well. Lots is well explained and it also leaves some to the imagination - enough to prompt conversations on the way home discussing this and that.

Whilst the movie is horrible in places I couldn't look away. Uncomfortable as I was I wanted to know what happened. I was invested in the story. Unpleasant experience, but a compelling one and one I had to see the conclusion of.

There a thing, a challenging, well put together, compelling horror story with great acting thats hard to watch.

From the very first scenes, the film sets a heavy unsettling tone. From the beginning, the story doesn't really try to hide much I think you kind of understand where it's going early on. It's not particularly scary in the traditional sense, but it really messes with your nerves, and that's where the movie puts all its power.

It never really lands anywhere specific though...By the time the credits roll, you're left thinking, "All that... for nothing?". Not because it was a bad film, but because it left you with an emotional emptiness. It lingers in a sad, slightly disappointing way not from poor storytelling, but from how little it seemed to leave behind.

I never write reviews, especially because I'm a cinematic enthusiast and just rate it and move to the next one, but this one... THIS ONE. The acting? Absolutely brilliant. This is definitely the best cinematography I've ever seen. I'm feel related to the directors in the sense that I'm so proud of them. The fact that you can go from filming youtube videos to creating something of this level, is proof that dreams can come true. I'm a geek for practical effects and this surpasses almost everything I've seen. I cringed, I laughed, I cried, and I was reminded to always live every moment like it's your last. Hug your loved ones today.

If anyone thought twin Australian filmmakers Danny & Michael Philippou (aka RackaRacka to the long term fans) were going to rest easy after the surprise worldwide success of their first feature film, 2023's Talk to Me, then they better think again.

Ramping up all forms of disturbance, violence and unease that made their debut stand out from a crowded marketplace, the Philippou's sophomore effort Bring Her Back is far from a stereotypical horror outing as the brothers move away from what you'd even call a "scary" genre effort to instead focus their attention into their crafting of a sad, depressing and an disquieting feature that follows the unfortunate happenings of recently orphaned brother and sister duo Andy and Piper who are taken in by Sally Hawkins foster mother Laura.

Filled with some of the most genuinely disturbing, confronting and unashamedly bleak content you're likely to get from a large-scale release, Bring Her Back holds little back when it comes to the nitty gritty of this semi-familiar but also strikingly unique look at grief, love, family and kitchen tools as the Philippou brothers let all their depraved visions play out around a bunch of characters that are hard to always invest in and a story with some questionable plot holes, creating a flawed experience that is still nevertheless highly impressive in multiple facets.

Best watched with minimal prior knowledge (avoiding the films spoilerish trailers is a great starting point), Bring Her Back is likely going to be to slowly paced and uneventful in the most part for casual moviegoers expecting more of a Conjuring/Insidious type horror film but for those willing to take the slower moments with the hectic (a loaded final act is a sight to behold), the Philippou's newest outing into the deranged and demented is surely going to be a cult favourite in the years to come.

Brilliantly captured by cinematographer Aaron McLisky, masterfully designed sound wise and filled with admirable performances from Billy Barratt and Sora Wong as sibling duo Andy and Piper and the ever reliable Sally Hawkins are Laura, a character of the likes which we've never seen her play before, Bring Her Back is filled with worthy notable elements that includes the birth of a potential iconic horror figure in the form of Jonah Wren Phillips as the unfortunate Oliver.

Hard to talk about without going into fully fledged spoiler territory, Phillips is scarily good here, his Oliver is responsible for many of the films most captivating and intense moments and seeing a young performer bite into a role in this way is quite the site.

Based off his efforts here it feels as though both Oliver the character and Phillips the performer are destined for big things in their own unique ways, proving once more that the Philippou brothers have a unique way with words, character creation and world building in their grotesque version of the horror landscape.

Final Say -

Not as effective all round as their stunning debut, Bring Her Back is still a classy and confronting horror experience from some of Australia's most promising creative visionaries with some notable acting turns and moments of sheer madness likely to ensure Bring Her Back's place in many movie fans memorable moments from the 2025 release calendar.

3 1/2 scrumptious countertops out of 5.