Pop-Culturalist.com

Talk to Me starts off quite tame. A group of teenagers perform a séance with the severed and embalmed hand of an alleged witch. But it doesn’t end there. Once contact has been initiated with the phrase, “Talk to me,” a full-on possession follows by uttering, “I let you in.” Initially, this is an uneasy and terrifying affair. The cinematography and special effects are blockbuster level in their presentation; the eyes cloud over, facial features contort and darken, signaling a foreign entity taking control. Truly the stuff of nightmares! Being “de-possessed” involves uncoupling the hand and blowing out a candle. Ending the whole ritual also results in what looks like pure euphoria to the person being possessed.

And because of this, the teenagers do it again and again, like some sort of twisted party game. The shock and horror of the séances loses some potency here, only to be replaced by an uneasy tension. Regardless, there are unwritten rules to this ritual: possessions should last a maximum of ninety seconds. It should not be performed on children. It should not be performed solo. Things quickly take a turn for the worse if these rules are ignored, and the rest of the film explores what happens when they are.

Talk to Me works because its world is grounded by these rules. Standout performances from Sophie Wilde (Mia), Alexandra Jensen (Jade), and Joe Bird (Riley) help with establishing believable relationships and emotional connections. Superb directing from Danny and Michael Philippou help keep Talk to Me tight and brisk.

Though not an original premise, Talk to Me is a tense and frightening affair that’s sure to keep you on the edge of your seat. It’s an incredible directorial debut from the Philippou brothers, and I’m glad they brought it to SXSW 2023. I can’t wait to see what they cook up in the future!

★ ★ ★ ★ out of 4

This review was originally published as part of our SXSW coverage.