DVD Corner

Talk To Me 4K UHD Review

“Talk To Me” is a bit overhyped.

“Talk To Me” is an Australian horror film that revolves around a high schooler named Mia who is struggling after the loss of her mom. One night, Mia sneaks into a party with her friends and discovers they fool around with a mysterious embalmed hand which allows its user to communicate with a dead spirit and or be possessed by it. Mia tries it out and is ecstatic by the rush it gives her. Shortly thereafter, Mia’s friend’s young brother Riley tries it out and he becomes possessed by Mia’s late mother. Unfortunately, another malevolent spirit takes over Riley and puts him in a coma of sorts. Wanting to save Riley and further communicate with her mom, Mia becomes possessed with using the hand, but it causes her to lose a grip on reality and bring her down a dark path.

Directed by brothers Danny and Michael Philippou and written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman, A24’s “Talk To Me” was a critically acclaimed horror hit over this past summer. It’s easy to see the appeal. The plot offers up a unique twist on the possession genre, it’s a down-to-earth story about teenagers, and the film has impactful themes about addiction, loss, trauma, peer pressure, and voyeurism. While the film certainly has a strong set-up and plenty of style and atmosphere, it never quite pays off in the end.

The central issue with “Talk To Me” is that it never quite connects like it should. The characters tend to bring bad situations onto themselves as they are willingly messing with dark forces, the in your face drug addiction allegory is overdone to the max, and the story goes a bit off the rails when Mia begins to lose touch with reality (again, part of the overdone drug addiction allegory). 

‘Talk’ is at its best when it’s focusing on the intense and unnerving scenes of the hand being used. The visually haunting imagery of the dead spirits and the chilling possessions sticks with you. When the story dives into the mythology, it gets too messy for its own good. Still, there’s no question Danny and Michael Philippou are talented original horror filmmakers to keep an eye on in the future. Rumor has it a prequel is already in the works.

On a final note, Sophie Wilde deserves credit for her convincing performance here. She really goes through a lot of emotions (not to mention a wild physical transformation). Her career is sure to take off after this. 

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.39:1 2160p. How does it look? The image quality is pristine.

Audio Track: Dolby Atmos. How does it sound? The music, dialogue, and sound effects sound supremely sharp in this first rate Atmos track.

Extras:
* Blu-ray copy
* Digital copy
* Commentary by Danny and Michael Philippou.
* Theatrical trailer and other A24 trailers
* 5 deleted scenes
* “In The Grip Of Terror”- A featurette that contains cast and crew interviews, film clips, set footage, and discussions about the storytelling. 

October 14, 2023 - Posted by nicklyons1 | 4K UHD Review | A24, horror, Horror Movie, Talk To Me 4K UHD Review, Talk To Me Movie