Talk to Me
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MA15+, 94 minutes
Four stars
Are you easily freaked out by gross, slimy bodies and creepy movements?
If the answer is yes, you will definitely be grossed out by Talk to Me, the new Aussie ghost horror from director brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, better known as Youtubers RackaRacka.
It's a confident, slick debut for the pair, who have more than six million subscribers on Youtube.
As a bonus coup, it's released by cult favourite studio a24, responsible for such horror hits as Hereditary, The Witch and It Comes at Night.
Talk to Me feels a bit like Hereditary, and also has shades of Truth or Dare, with the classic horror trope of a mysterious object causing widespread danger and drama for a group of young people.
The film follows a group of listless teens in suburban Adelaide, who begin regularly taking part in a dangerous party game.
One of the crew, Joss (Chris Alosio) has come into possession of a creepy, white hand, which he claims belonged to a psychic who was dismembered. He and Hayley (Zoe Terakes, killing it as the slightly dangerous, too-cool-for-school teen) have taken to rolling out the hand as a game, providing a spark of interest in the lives of these bored high schoolers.
The rules are simple - to play, you are strapped into a chair with the hand on the table in front of you. You get a good grip on it, say 'talk to me' and then 'I let you in'.
The first phrase opens the door to the ghosty dimension, and a random ghost - it's different every time - will appear directly across from the subject, freaking them the hell out. The second phrase lets that ghost inhabit their body.
The whole process is capped at 90 seconds - otherwise the spirits want to stick around.
With that kind of warning, it's no surprise that things go horribly awry.
Mia (newcomer Sophia Wilde, The Portable Door, in her first leading role) is particularly drawn to the game, as it allows her to be someone else for a little while.
Mia is still grappling with the death of her mother two years earlier, still strongly feeling the weight of grief. She cannot connect with her father Max (Marcus Johnson, whose acting is really not up to the standards of the young performers around him) and instead relies on her best friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) for love and support. Jade's family becomes her surrogate family, and she has great relationships with Jade's younger brother Riley (a very good Joe Bird) and mum Sue (Miranda Otto, adding weight to the film with some star power).
After trying out the hand at a party, Mia becomes obsessed with the feeling, and wants to do it again and again. But she takes things too far one night, and suddenly her whole life begins falling apart.
She sees ghosts when she's not holding the hand, and she finds herself questioning what's real and what's in her head.
Apart from having a thoroughly interesting story, decent scares and solid and dedicated performances from its young cast, the film is also brilliant at showcasing Aussie teens.
These young characters feel real. They don't feel like the Americans we so often seen on our screens, or the shiny kids from Home and Away or Neighbours. These guys are more like the folks on Heartbreak High or Bump - they're crass, they drink and swear and give each other a hard time. But they're also loyal and supportive. Drop into any house party in suburban Australia and you'll find teens like these guys.
The Philippous are very successful in creating a heavy, tense, paranoid, stressful atmosphere throughout the film. The feeling of dread sits with you, and hangs on after you leave the cinema - much like those pesky ghosties. It makes for uncomfortable viewing - in the best kind of way. The directors use a lot of disconcerting close-ups and off-putting camera moves to further enhance that sense of paranoia.
Some of the graphic imagery borders on too much. That sort of body horror doesn't work for everyone, and it toes the line here, but sits just within the realms of disgusting the viewer without turning them away.
