Bring Her Back isn't outright scary, it's a painful slow burn
UK horror enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting the release of the Philippou brothers' latest cinematic offering.
The directorial duo first made their mark with 2023's Talk To Me, a film that successfully translated the high-energy production style of their wildly popular RackaRacka YouTube channel to the big screen.
It was a match made in heaven. Talk To Me was snappy, ultra-violent and absolutely terrifying, and widely considered one of the best modern horror films out there.
Naturally, expectations were set high for their newest film Bring Her Back, which premiered in UK cinemas today (July 26). Despite being written concurrently with their debut film and set within the same grim universe, this film takes a very different approach.
While Talk To Me delivered smart, large-scale scares and eerie moments that had viewers clutching their light switches at night, Bring Her Back left what its predecessor did best at the front door and instead mastered something else: creeping dread.
Without revealing too much, the plot centres around partially-sighted young girl Piper (Sora Wong) and her brother Andy (Billy Barratt), who are placed into foster care following their father's death, reports the Daily Star.
Their foster mother Laura (Sally Hawkins) is fun, cool and slightly eccentric. She also keeps her other child Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) confined to a room and has drawn a large white circle around her entire property which she regularly maintains.
There's no prizes for guessing that something is amiss with Laura, and the situation at home begins to unravel rather dramatically, all unfolding with impeccable pacing. It never lags or feels sluggish; instead, it engulfs you completely until you suddenly realise your bum has gone numb in the cinema seat and the snacks are all gone.
For me, it didn't deliver the same impact as Talk To Me, but that was never its intention. Bring Her Back isn't a sequel (we're still eagerly awaiting that), but a film that prioritises adolescent struggles, betrayal and family drama over outright terror. Oh, and some truly disgusting lingering visuals too.
Let's be clear, Bring Her Back is a horror film, but primarily it's a film about grief and the monsters it can unleash within us. Holding a mirror up at the audience is an effective tool, even more so when it reflects our darkest parts.
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Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
Bring Her Back isn't outright scary, it's a painful slow burn
Horror fans in the UK have had a long wait for the Philippou brothers' latest film UK horror enthusiasts have been eagerly awaiting the release of the Philippou brothers' latest cinematic offering. The directorial duo first made their mark with 2023's Talk To Me, a film that successfully translated the high-energy production style of their wildly popular RackaRacka YouTube channel to the big screen. It was a match made in heaven. Talk To Me was snappy, ultra-violent and absolutely terrifying, and widely considered one of the best modern horror films out there. Naturally, expectations were set high for their newest film Bring Her Back, which premiered in UK cinemas today (July 26). Despite being written concurrently with their debut film and set within the same grim universe, this film takes a very different approach. While Talk To Me delivered smart, large-scale scares and eerie moments that had viewers clutching their light switches at night, Bring Her Back left what its predecessor did best at the front door and instead mastered something else: creeping dread. Without revealing too much, the plot centres around partially-sighted young girl Piper (Sora Wong) and her brother Andy (Billy Barratt), who are placed into foster care following their father's death, reports the Daily Star. Their foster mother Laura (Sally Hawkins) is fun, cool and slightly eccentric. She also keeps her other child Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) confined to a room and has drawn a large white circle around her entire property which she regularly maintains. There's no prizes for guessing that something is amiss with Laura, and the situation at home begins to unravel rather dramatically, all unfolding with impeccable pacing. It never lags or feels sluggish; instead, it engulfs you completely until you suddenly realise your bum has gone numb in the cinema seat and the snacks are all gone. For me, it didn't deliver the same impact as Talk To Me, but that was never its intention. Bring Her Back isn't a sequel (we're still eagerly awaiting that), but a film that prioritises adolescent struggles, betrayal and family drama over outright terror. Oh, and some truly disgusting lingering visuals too. Let's be clear, Bring Her Back is a horror film, but primarily it's a film about grief and the monsters it can unleash within us. Holding a mirror up at the audience is an effective tool, even more so when it reflects our darkest parts.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Daily Record
I watch Friends everyday and these are the best and worst characters
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Daily Record
2 days ago
- Daily Record
Bring Her Back viewers have just made a huge realisation about the cast
The Philippou brothers' new horror hits cinemas today Bring Her Back arrives in UK cinemas today (July 26) and chronicles the grim tale of two siblings who are placed with a foster mother still mourning her own late daughter. Brother duo Danny and Michael Philippou are the masterminds behind the blockbuster, marking their second cinema outing following 2023's smash hit, Talk To Me. Their latest offering was penned simultaneously with their debut and exists within the same fictional world, though it doesn't function as a direct sequel. The ensemble features acting legend Sally Hawkins (Shape of Water) leading the charge, alongside emerging Australian talent Sora Wong and Jonah Wren Phillips (Sweet Tooth), plus Billy Barratt (Kraven the Hunter). Since the Philippou siblings hail from Australia, they habitually locate their productions Down Under and have their performers adopt the local dialect. Yet audiences are only now discovering that two of Bring Her Back's leading stars are actually British. Sally, amongst the most recognisable faces in the line-up, originates from London, whilst Billy, who portrays Andy, is also a Londoner and happens to be the grandson of Welsh musical icon Shakin' Stevens, reports the Mirror. Spectators have been utterly astounded by the duo's authentic Australian pronunciations and flocked to Reddit to express their astonishment after hearing their genuine voices during interviews. "Holy s*** she's [Sally] not Australian? I'm Aussie and she reminded me of so many teachers, social service, councillor types I've known," wrote one viewer. Another commented: "I'm Aussie and her accent was flawless. Absolutely flawless." A third viewer expressed their astonishment, saying: "Sally Hawkins I recognised eventually, never would have known if I hadn't seen her before though. Billy Barratt though, I didn't clock at all. We need to start airlifting their dialect coaches to set whenever a script calls for an Australian character." Another cinema enthusiast chimed in with praise, remarking: "I knew Sally Hawkins was British, but when Billy Barratt spoke in interviews it completely shocked me. His accent was so good." The film's performances have garnered widespread acclaim, particularly Sally's portrayal of foster mum Laura, leaving audiences deeply impressed. During a chat with directors Danny and Michael, Sally opened up about what attracted her to the role. She enthused about the script, saying: "Your writing is so - it's just so real," and "It didn't feel like it was one genre or another, it just feels like really good storytelling." Sally also praised the directors' approach, adding: "It's rare for filmmakers to be that collaborative and free, and I always felt very supported and also trusted with your baby."
