Talk to Me (2023)

The critic calls it one of the best horror movies of the year, praising its taut suspense, carefully deployed gore and sound design in this chilling debut from the Philippou duo.

The review commends the simple yet effective horror that blends scares with a devastating portrait of grief through a strong script and charismatic cast. It singles out Sophie Wilde's all-encompassing performance as the emotional core that makes the dread hit harder.

The critic praises the YouTube duo's ambitious debut as a thoroughly disturbing and uncompromising horror that explores grief, peer pressure, and digital teen life through demonic possession. It singles out the visually and emotionally brutal possession scenes and the credible teen characters.

The critic finds the film an electrifying update to teen horror for the social media age, praising its portrayal of the craze's effects on believable young characters and its use of long takes and sharp shocks. It singles out the convincing setup that makes the dangerous pastime appealing to the teens.

A24 snapped up this terrifying, moving horror debut from the Aussie twins, which jangles with scuzzy menace and has a vision beyond mere mortal danger. The film is an excellent head-turning debut that grabs attention with verve.

The critic calls it a smart, spiky Aussie possession horror that gets under your skin, praising the directors' grasp of mood and avoidance of obvious scares in favor of foreboding and sadness. It singles out the impressive first film quality and the cast's excellent work, especially young Joe Bird.

The critic highlights the film's impressively slick execution and the fun, addictive possession scenes treated as a teen party trick. It singles out the directors' button-pushing style and the movie's understanding of tech as a vector for isolation while delivering solid scares.

The critic notes that the first-time directors tell the story of foolhardy youth and spirit world portal well, with plenty of atmosphere and effects appealing to horror fans. It singles out the effective translation of the brothers' YouTube ambition into a feature with crowd-pleasing scares.

The critic praises the measured approach and emotional backbone of grief in this debut horror from the Philippou brothers, highlighting the ferocious finale, while noting some sagging in the third act.

The critic finds the film a viscerally effective supernatural thriller in which possession becomes a recreational addiction among teens, praising its emotional grounding in grief and the standout performance of Sophie Wilde as the troubled protagonist.

The Philippou brothers deliver a terrific scary movie with wild punk energy and gleeful anarchy in their debut feature about suburban teens and an occult craze involving a creepy hand. The critic highlights the freaky, confrontational and hilariously crass tone alongside an undertow of pathos.

The critic praises the Philippou brothers' assured debut for its gut-wrenching thrills, intensity, and macabre inventiveness in possession scenes that tap into viral-video culture. It singles out the energetic supernatural mayhem and Sophie Wilde's performance while noting the script is thematically thin.

The Philippou brothers deliver a knockout horror debut that makes a corny concept fresh and vital for the social media age, with a gory masterclass in control and cine-literacy. Sophie Wilde is immense in the central role of a grieving daughter addicted to possession.

The critic commends the full-blooded twist on horror lore and confident pacing, singling out Sophie Wilde's relatably anguished performance as the emotional anchor that elevates the film.

The critic finds it a meticulously crafted, intensely terrifying horror experience with strong performances and chilling imagery that haunts long after viewing, though the story feels somewhat rushed in the final act.

The critic praises the fresh take on possession horror from the Philippou brothers, highlighting authentic teen characters, solid acting, and effective scares that stand out without excessive gore.

The critic hails it as a fresh, frightening Gen Z spin on possession horror that delivers an emotional punch on grief, though the final act suffers from vagueness in its logic and backstory.

The critic praises the gruesome, visceral possession sequences and Sophie Wilde's strong performance, but notes that some deeper ideas feel underdeveloped. It's a fun, brutal horror spectacle.

The review discusses whether the film qualifies as 'elevated horror,' praising its craftsmanship, brutality, and craft while critiquing its reliance on trauma plots and conventional elements; it ultimately sees it as earning entry into the club through ambition.

The Philippou brothers deliver a gross, funny and creepy horror that echoes Sam Raimi's Evil Dead with vivid effects and shocking violence. It loses some momentum after an early peak due to predictable and frustrating character choices, but the nasty scares keep it engaging.

The debut from the Philippou brothers is a well-produced possession horror with strong characters, performances, drama and gory scares. It stumbles in the second half due to muddled plotting and superfluous scenes but remains worth seeing for its originality and thrills.

The critic calls the film unnerving and highly effective, praising its fresh take on possession tropes by portraying the occult as fun rather than purely moralistic. They single out the fantastically gory eruption of violence during a possession party as a highlight of the well-ratcheted build-up.

The critic calls it a chilling reinvention of the demonic possession film presented as a game among friends, with a natural and disturbing parable that culminates in one of the best brutal endings of the 2020s.

The critic finds the film promisingly spooky with genuine scares from a duo well-versed in horror, praising the cast and the filmmakers' command of eerie set pieces. They complain that the story meanders and the central idea is not fully supported by a finished narrative.