Bring Her Back (Supernatual Folk Horror)
Okay, before you read this, watch the movie. Please. The first time I saw Bring Her Back, it was a split-second decision; I didn’t actually know what it was about, only recognizing it from blowing up on social media. I remembered the hype from people gushing over the gore, but I was so sure it was just typical initial over-exaggeration. If I could, I would have gone in entirely blind because this movie is so raw, emotional, and intense. No scene isn’t in some way discomforting; it keeps you on edge, and it’s beautiful for it. It’s rare to find a movie that instills consistent unease to this level of extreme, and for that, I applaud it. If you were a fan of Talk To Me, chances are, this will also tickle your fancy. They take place within the same general universe, evidence of which is shown if you know what to look for, but they operate independently of one another; each tackles the manifestation of grief in its main characters, but in such distinct manners, you have to wonder what has happened in the directors’ lives. Brothers Danny and Michael Philippou started their career as directors with these two knockout films. Consider me speechless.
I cannot talk about Bring Her Back without mentioning the impeccable work done by the actors. It’s always a bit of a gamble using kids, especially first-timers like Sora Young (as Piper), to play vital roles in such a large film, but it has once again paid off for the brothers. The real star, Jonah Wren Philips, playing Oli, is by far one of the creepiest kids I have ever seen, period. Straight up goosebumps anytime he is on screen. I get pretty critical when it comes to an actor’s performance, especially when they’re as recognizable as Sally Hawkins, who plays Laura, but holy shit was she convincing. As the movie follows the progression of Laura’s mental state, grief is a main character in itself, always acting as a presence looming over every scene like an entity of its own, influencing her every move. This is one of those movies that has a little sprinkle of everything you could want from the grief horror genre, which you might expect to crowd the content; however, it is perfectly balanced to make each next scene as unexpected as the last. What results from the anxiety of loss, what grief will drive someone to do when suddenly they fear they have nothing left, utter hopelessness, and hope combined? Some questions are never fully answered, which suggests the further brutality of the film’s conflicts, but which also allows you to draw your own conclusions and perhaps remedy the way Bring Her Back makes you feel. Watch It.
Written by Izzy, Oracle of the Night’s Last Oath
Bring Her Back
A24
4.9 / 5
