2023's Talk to Me was a legitimate horror phenomenon the world over. Though it had its flaws, it had undeniable atmosphere and some truly terrifying moments. Expectations were high for the follow-up, which could have gone anywhere and been anything. Unfortunately, Bring Her Back doubles down on the "horror as unresolved grief" concept, and throws in some of my other least favorite horror clichés for good measure.
Billy Barratt stars as Andy, a jock with a heart of gold and a blind stepsister (Sora Wong) he adores. When their father dies unexpectedly, they're sent to live with foster mom Laura (Sally Hawkins) and her adopted son Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), who's gone non-verbal since the untimely death of Laura's daughter. Of course nothing is what it seems at this house. But there's not even a moment when Laura appears remotely normal or stable, so the suspense evaporates almost instantly.
The film then hits the same tired notes of exploring trauma in the midst of violence, and it's an incredibly shallow exploration. Oliver – whose tragic backstory is revealed late – has no function other than to be the creepy kid who just stares out the window with a sinister smile. When that ceases to provide chills, the filmmakers throw a lot of disturbing visuals and blood at the screen in an attempt to extract any sort of reaction from the audience. In the screening I attended, there were few screams and gasps, but a lot of retching and wincing.
For some people, that may be enough. But with so much horror flooding the zone lately, other filmmakers are doing much better at delivering kills and unpacking trauma. This is only a surface-deep trip, with shock value in place of substance. Despite Hawkins's committed performance, Bring Her Back is best left for dead.
