HOLLYWOOD—I have not been surprised by an original horror flick in years. However, I have a new favorite to add to my list, “Talk to Me.” I saw the trailer to this movie a few months back and thought nothing of it, but after hearing buzz that the flick has something unique to it that excels with an original narrative, I had to see it. Take supernatural with a tinge of unsettling and you get something amazing.
The flick follows a group of teens who decide to play with a severed hand that allows you to communicate with spirits and the dead. Please don’t ask me why people tend to do stupid things when they know it can bring the absolute worse horror? The answer is simple; they are kids and kids don’t know any better until it is too late. Mia (Sophie Wilde), our heroine is struggling with the impending anniversary of her mother, Rhea’s suicide. Mia decides to play this game and connects with a spirit and her possession becomes quite spooky and very fast. The key is to not be connected to the hand for more than 90 seconds. If so, the person allows the spirit to be tied to them and that’s where the chaos starts to erupt.
Seeing these kids interact with the dead, even though they know the danger is absolutely bonkers. However, what “Talk to Me” does so well is such a slow build of amazing tension. The chaos doesn’t happen all at once, but when it ramps up, oh, it delivers. This is courtesy of Riley (Joe Bird), the brother of Jade (Alexandra Jensen), Mia’s best friend. Jade is totally against her brother playing with the hand, and she has the correct read. When Jade leaves the room, Mia gives Riley the permission to do it and then the movie takes a dark ass turn. Riley’s possession and direct conversation with Mia’s mother Rhea allows the connection to the spirits take too long.
Riley’s body becomes possessed with the spirits and they attempt to force Riley to commit suicide. Jade manages to intervene, but the damage is already done. The meat of the story develops to a point whereas the viewer doesn’t know if what Riley, Mia and the rest of their friends are seeing is real or fake. The spirits are corrupting minds, especially Mia who is fragile and struggling to connect with her distant father, who didn’t completely share with his daughter about his mother’s death. The cinematography of this flick is fantastic thanks to Danny and Michael Philippou, who craft things with such a precision it is haunting.
She is vulnerable and she’s seeing her mother’s spirit and able to communicate with her and make her think what she is hearing is the truth. It is a psychological battle, and it is a mesmerizing one to watch. However, it is the big climax that is the major selling point of the film, and the ending literally blew my socks off. DO NOT SPOIL THIS ENDING FOR ANYONE WHO IS GOING TO SEE THIS MOVIE! I was so engrossed in the movie when the ending happens, I was like what?! It was so satisfying to witness. “Talk to Me” was a thrilling, exciting, fun ride that was worth every minute.
