Bring Her Back Review: Disturbing Examination of Loss
Theatrical Movie Review - Horror
Danny and Michael Philippou are back with their sophomore feature film, Bring Her Back. Their debut film, Talk To Me, was a hit with critics and audiences alike, and while this film is a bit less frightening than that, the way these brothers craft horror continues to impress.
After the death of their father, half-siblings Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong) are placed in a foster home with Laura (Sally Hawkins) and a new brother, Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), who has selective mutism. They are only supposed to stay a few months until Andy can file for guardianship. However, Laura bonds quickly with Piper, as she had a blind daughter named Cathy (Mischa Heywood) who passed away in an accident a few years earlier. Things rapidly turn south as Laura pits Piper against Andy, twisting truths about his past into stories that make Piper question his loyalty to her. The more that Andy uncovers, the more urgent it becomes for the siblings to escape Laura’s warped plans.
Like Talk To Me, Bring Her Back is a supernatural horror with moments of intense violence. The bulk of this film is a poignant examination of loss, abuse, and grief. All the characters have lost someone, and how they deal with the pain is unique to each of them. But once you tangle your grief with the occult, something is going off the rails.
The primary cast in Bring Her Back is excellent. Barratt gives a heartfelt performance, showing a boy on the edge of adulthood who wants to care for his sister, but also needs to deal with the abuse he has endured. Wong is bubbly and sweet, her vision impairment keeping her from understanding everything going on around her. Hawkins is spectacular, bouncing between being a loving parent and an absolute psychopath with almost no warning. And Phillips undergoes such a horrific transformation through the film that it’s hard to imagine that the cute kid from his first introduction is the same one at the end.
Something the Philippous do well is to create characters who only have a sense of how the supernatural world works. A handheld video about transferring a soul from one being to another may not be advisable, but their tenuous understanding of the forces they are interacting with allows for a better suspension of disbelief among the audience.
The makeup department for Bring Her Back definitely earned their paycheck. When the violence happens in this film, it is extreme and disturbing. If tooth horror is a bridge too far, you may want to skip this one.
Bring Her Back is an impressive story about learning how to mourn and the bonds that can exist between siblings. It is about coming to terms with your past and accepting both the good and the bad aspects that exist within it. Just know that you’re going to have to endure some pretty gnarly body horror along the way.
Rating: 4/5
This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on June 1, 2025.
We saw it this weekend. Holy balls. So many people could not watch head on! As my friend said, "those boys need therapy" lol
It's on the list