Being touted as the next A24 horror film that people will obsess over. I went into this film with high expectations. Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou in their feature film debut. It was written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman based on a concept from Daley Pearson.

A group of kids has figured out how to summon spirits with an embalmed hand, of course, things go awry. Anyone that has ever watched a horror film before could tell these kids this was a bad idea.

But that’s the point of this film. It’s all done in secret, like in the old days when you had to sneak around and smoke weed. You’d have to find the person or the connection, go to someone’s house whose parents work odd hours, and then do the deal and smoke the product.

Here, spirit summoning is treated like doing drugs. I’m sure there is a message here about addiction and grief. The latter is the impetus for what seems like every modern horror film.

However, that is an issue with the storytelling is that I don’t see a clear message in the film, and the end of the second act begins to get a little muddled even if the ending does work. I left the theater wondering what the filmmakers were trying to say. Either about grief or addiction.

This is not a knock on the film but people going to this film to see the next Blair Witch will be disappointed. When a horror film gets hyped up and it is not traditionally scary, people are disappointed and write it off as bad.

Michael and Danny do not go for jump scares, instead, the entire film is filled with a sense of dread. An unease around everything, especially because these are high schooler’s messing around with powers beyond their comprehension.

Maybe it’s me being in my Mid-30’s which caused me to be scared for these kids, just wanting one adult to catch them and force them to quit. It’s a film like Get Out or Us. The horror doesn’t happen in the film but afterward, as you keep thinking about the film.

This film hails from down under. Australia has been a reliable place for some brilliant horror films, Lake Mungo and The Babadook are two of the best. Lake Mungo is a good comparison for the atmosphere of this film.

Lake Mungo does not begin to terrify until long after the film is over, just like this new horror entry Talk to Me. Which looks to become the next cult classic as Barbenheimer continues to dominate the box office.

Any horror hounds should check this one out.

4/5 Stars