Australian brothers Danny and Michael Philippou found fame in 2023 when their debut feature, Talk to Me, grossed close to $100 million USD at the international box-office.  It also won 8 AACTA Awards including a deserved statuette for best picture of the year.  Horror flicks can be formulaic, especially when it comes to big-budget, franchise stuff, but the Philippou brothers crafted an imaginative movie where the refreshing focus was on characters as opposed to gimmicky frights.  If you haven’t seen it, put it on top of your “must watch” list.

I’m pleased to report their next outing, Bring Her Back, is even better.  They’re continuing with the horror genre, but this is an original screenplay unconnected with Talk to Me.  It’s centred on two siblings, Andy (Barratt) and Piper (Wong), who been placed in a temporary home after a tragic event.  Their new foster mum is Laura (Hawkins) and within seconds of meeting her, audiences will know she’s an odd human.  It’s a testament to the versatile talent of Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins (Blue Jasmine), who we’re accustomed to seeing in “friendlier” roles, that she can create such an unsettling character so quickly.

It’s unwise to reveal too many plot points as I’d prefer crowds to experience the film with as little background information as possible.  I have much respect for the Philippou brothers and co-writer Bill Hinzman for the way they’ve produced a movie which induces anxiety from start to finish.  From an introduction involving a bathroom shower, through to sequence involving a muddy puddle, there were many times where I raised my eyebrows in surprise and thought “wow, they actually went there.”

Bring Her Back gives off a similar vibe to Ari Aster’s Hereditary in the way it blends realistic family drama with the wild supernatural.  It reminds us that emotional manipulation is just as scary as any physical weapon.  I cared genuinely about Andy and Piper and was deeply invested in their fate (they aren’t dispensable like a hackneyed slasher film).  Australian newcomer Sora Wong, who is vision impaired in real life, and English actor Billy Barratt (Responsible Child) are to be praised for the breadth they bring to their respective characters.

Enhanced by the striking cinematography of Aaron McLisky, Bring Her Back is not a movie you’ll soon forget – because of both its disturbing content and its directorial brilliance.