Talk to Me Synopsis
Talk To Me goes for the jugular and succeeds at every turn. I haven’t been blown away by a horror movie in quite some time. I can’t find the budget numbers for this film, but I was blown away by how good the movie looks. For an independent movie with directors making their debut (Danny and Michael Philippou) the film looks fantastic. The film’s viewing quality is similar to last year’s Smile. Let’s jump into the story (Spoiler free).
Mia and her best friend Alex constantly see a trending game in which a person grabs a hand and becomes possessed. Mia, on the second anniversary of her mothers death, guilts Alex into going to see the game in person, insistent on the reactions being fake. Riley, Alex’s younger brother, tags along. The rules of the game are simple; strap down to the chair, grab the hand, light the candle and say “Talk to me”. After 90 seconds the hand is pulled away and the candle is blown out. Teenagers, parties, alcohol, possession: a match made in heaven.
How is the story?
The plot of Talk To Me always seemed plausible throughout, which served to further intensify the horror. The characters definitely acted realistically given the circumstances. Peer pressure integrated into possession is absolutely the most intriguing tagline for a horror film in the past 20 years. The pacing is also pretty solid throughout, allowing the story to flow without taking away from the suspense.
What stands out in Talk To Me?
The makeup and visual effects were haunting. The progression of rot seen in the characters is disgustingly beautiful. The sound effects of the subtle gurgling was stomach churning. I will say though, in the film loud effects are used as a replacement for frightening. The two can work in tandem but in many cases, loud is used as a substitute rather than a complement.
Where does Talk To Me rank among recent horror films?
This film rises to be the best horror/thriller movie of the decade so far (2020-Present). My favorites are in order from best to worst as follows: The Invisible Man, The Night House, The Black Phone, Evil Dead Rise. These are films that are worth your time. I vet the films I watch pretty vigorously so the films that truly aren’t any good are few and far between. Smile and Candyman fell through the cracks and don’t deserve your time at all.
Is it Scary?
A tactic I see used often now is the drawn out corner of your eye shot. If done well, it can be very effective. Talk to me is a better example. I am all for drawn out shots that hold the audience captive. I wouldn’t say this is a nightmare inducing film yet certain images do linger. This is above a movie like The Black Phone but below a classic like The Exorcist in terms of scare factor. While that is a personal scale relying on many factors, general audiences should get their fair share of thrills. 6.5/10 for fear factor.
The Ending (No Spoilers)
Talk to me had the potential to be stretched out a bit more than it was but the end was completely satisfactory to me. I heard one movie goer complain that it was a cop-out. If you’re in that boat after seeing the film, go ahead and accept that you don’t really enjoy movies.
Should you see Talk To Me?
The line for the screening of this film and Barbie was the longest I’ve seen since Avengers: Endgame. Cinema is undoubtedly enjoying its best month in many years. Get off your ass and find a theater to see this film.
Grade
8.4/10
Thanks for reading. Stay tuned to the blog for more Pop Culture coverage including our reviews of Biosphere, Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1, No Hard Feelings, Moon Garden, and upcoming reviews of Oppenheimer and Barbie.
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