Horror movies have become a staple in box office offerings as they tend to have minimal budgets, built-in fans, and often make a profit at theaters. Historically saved for the fall season, especially in October leading up to Halloween, horror movies are now released continuously throughout the year. This past July, amid the heat and humidity of summer, Talk To Me, a new film out of Australia, offered a solid entry in the horror movie genre to the delight of both audiences and critics. The box office hit is now available on 4K, Blu-ray, and digital courtesy of A24.
When a group of teenagers play with a mummified hand believed to be from a medium, supernatural events occur. When a candle is lit, the person grabs hands with the statue, says "Talk to me" and then, " I invite you in", the spirit possesses the person grasping the hand and there is a sort of horrible, euphoric high felt by the person. However, if the connection lasts too long the spirit stays with the person and eventually causes them to commit suicide. For Mia (Sophie Wilde; Everything Now), Daniel (Otis Dhanji; Aquaman), Jade (Alexandra Jensen; Beat), and Riley (Joe Bird; Rabbit), this "game" becomes all too real when Riley is possessed and is on the verge of self-inflicted death.
Directed by brothers Danny and Michael Philippou (@RackaRacka), Talk To Me trudges through the first act but picks up steam and finds its rhythm in acts two and three. The cast is obviously young and they could use some more practice to make their performances more believable. The screenplay is decent enough but won't be winning awards anytime soon. For a small independent movie with a tiny budget, Talk To Me did manage to make a name for itself as one of this year's better horror films.
The Dolby Vision video is excellent and the details on the plaster-encased mummified hand are sharp and clean. Riley's cuts and bruises are also extremely well done (kudos to the makeup department) and the colors throughout the film are crisp. The black tones have nice gradation, giving the darker scenes additional depth.
The 4K disc also has Dolby Atmos Audio which compliments the picture quality well. The dialogue sits up front and center while ambient noise uses all the speakers for an immersive surround sound experience. The background sounds lack a little depth and the score neither adds to nor detracts from the movie, making it superfluous and unmemorable. However, one can't expect everything on an almost non-existent budget and it was definitely more important to spend on the props and special effects than the music.
The combo pack includes the 4K disc, Blu-ray Disc, and digital download. The extras aren't plentiful but they are worth watching, especially the audio commentary with the directors. The extras include Audio Commentary, In the Grip of Terror, Deleted Scenes, and the Trailer. The slipcover and plastic casing are standard fare.
Every year there seems to be at least one film that takes audiences by surprise and they are often independent movies with little to no marketing budget. Unlike, last year's Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, which garnered several Oscar nominations, Talk To Me didn't make as big of an impact. However, it is easy to label it as one of 2023's best horror films. With the buzz it generated, not to mention its box office profits, it would be surprising if there wasn't a sequel coming in the near future.
Because of its success and the time and attention given to the 4K transfer, I would recommend anyone who enjoys supernatural horror movies to pick this one up (or get it as a holiday gift for the Talk To Me fan in your life).
Grade: B+
