Before we dive into this review, I have something to confess. After years of being a horror fan, I’ve become a bit jaded. It’s hard to get under my skin, or even scare me. Saying that, Bring Her Back got under my skin!
WARNING: SOME SPOILERS!
Released early this summer in theaters, the film is directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, the duo behind the hit horror film Talk to Me. Knowing this, I had high expectations when I sat down with a bag of popcorn and hit play. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn’t what I got. Bring Her Back is far darker than Talk to Me; I know, that’s shocking.
Bring Her Back centers on a brother and sister, Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong), who have lost both their parents. When their father dies, the two are sent to a foster home belonging to Laura (Sally Hawkins), a strange woman who also has custody of a little boy, Ollie (Jonah Wren Phillips). She is also still mourning the tragic death of her daughter, Cathy.
The moment the kids arrive, Laura pays special attention to Piper, but neglects Andy. Piper gets a nice room, while Andy gets what looks like a storage room. Right off the bat, it’s clear that something is very off with Ollie. He doesn’t talk, and Laura keeps him locked in a bedroom half the time.
From the first night, Laura starts making it seem like Andy is unwell and unable to take care of his sister. I got the impression that Laura wants to replace Cathy with Piper. I was half right. It’s not long until we learn that she wants to put Cathy’s soul into Piper’s body, using Ollie as a tool. This is very unsettling. Things get dark quickly. Ollie begins to morph into a monster, possessed. We see Laura watching a video of a ritual that can bring Cathy back, and it’s brutal. There’s a scene where Ollie’s eating wood that genuinely shocked me and freaked me out (a good thing)—watching him bite it, breaking teeth, bleeding, actually made me turn away.
By now, Andy has figured a few things out, including that Piper is in grave danger. So he goes to the authorities. When a DFCS agent goes to the house, she quickly realizes something is off. However, she doesn’t make it out alive. This is when everything goes haywire, and Laura starts the process.
The cast is absolutely amazing. Sally Hawkins did a great job of giving the film a creepy, obsessive vibe. Billy Barratt gives an excellent performance as a concerned brother. Sora Wong did fantastic as well. But I have to say the standout is Jonah Wren Phillips. His performance as Ollie is absolutely chilling. I mean, holy hell! It’s a shock that someone his age can act so well. I mean, wow! Bravo!
There is literally nothing I would change about his movie (that’s rare). It’s truly brilliant; it’s one of, if not the, best horror films of the year. Not only is it filled with emotion, tragedy, and great special effects, but it’s a story that’s truly fresh. Are there scares? Yes! Are there shocking moments? Hell yeah! And is it worth watching? Most definitely! I never do this, but if I had to score it on a 1-10 scale, I’m saying it’s a ten.
Luckily, it’s now available on streaming (HBO Max, Prime Video) and Blu-ray. I urge you to watch it, but you might want to leave the door locked and the lights on.
