Bring Her Back (2025) - Film Critique

      Bring Her Back, 2025.

      Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou.

      Featuring Sally Hawkins, Billy Barratt, Sora Wong, Jonah Wren Phillips, Olga Miller, Sally-Anne Upton, Stephen Phillips, Mischa Heywood, Liam Damons, and Alina Bellchambers.

      SYNOPSIS:

      A brother and sister discover a horrifying ritual at the isolated home of their new foster mother.

      The second feature from YouTubers-turned-filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, co-written with Bill Hinzman, Bring Her Back revolves around an unholy ritual. However, unlike their first film, Talk to Me, the source of horror remains more in the background this time, placing a greater emphasis on character development for a more measured and psychological narrative. While Talk to Me featured strong character moments, the Philippous this time have chosen to shift focus, challenging themselves to explore the effectiveness of a slightly different approach.

      They still incorporate plenty of excruciating bodily harm, amplified by outstanding practical effects and striking sound design (specific types of harm become unforgettable due to this combination of framing and audio). Nonetheless, there's an unexpected emotional depth as the film concludes, eliciting empathy for one psychotic character.

      Bring Her Back explores many familiar themes and plot elements commonly found in contemporary horror, yet it demonstrates a keen understanding of its characters and intricately layers their moral complexities. It recognizes that exemplary craftsmanship can elevate the narrative beyond mere tropes. This is not simply Danny and Michael Philippou telling a different kind of horror story; it showcases their growth as filmmakers (their debut was already commendable) and their ability to make various elements stand out through uniquely unsettling visuals that captivate.

      An additional noteworthy aspect is the dedicated ensemble cast, who endure both emotional and physical trials, the latter of which is equally terrifying and impressively rendered through graphic makeup effects. The child performances are strikingly compelling, but Sally Hawkins particularly shines in a role that transcends what a less skilled filmmaker might reduce to mere shock value centered around the aforementioned ritual, transforming it into a haunting character study filled with chilling and disturbing depth.

      Hawkins portrays Laura, who is still mourning her daughter's accidental drowning while now adopting the early teenage and partially blind Piper (Sora Wong) and her 17-year-old brother Andy (Billy Barratt). Technically, Laura only desires to take in Piper, as Andy is deemed a troubled child. However, he insists to their caseworker that they should remain together and promises to stay out of trouble for the next three months as he seeks guardianship over his sister. This situation follows the tragic accidental death of their father, and the siblings seldom discuss him. It is somewhat strategic to keep certain character revelations under wraps for later exploration, adding depth to their family dynamics. Thus, water—whether from bathtubs or rain—serves as a powerful recurring visual motif.

      Unbeknownst to the siblings, a 10-year-old boy named Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) resides with Laura. There is something decidedly unsettling about this arrangement, not merely because of his nonverbal condition, but due to his disturbingly aggressive and feral demeanor. Before Laura can emphasize the importance of keeping the cat indoors, Oliver nearly strangles it, sitting eerily in the drained pool where her daughter tragically drowned. The fact that much of the story resonates emotionally, despite the urgency for the children to alert authorities or escape the house, speaks volumes about the Philippous as storytellers. While character-driven decisions mold the plot, the resulting narrative remains so engaging that it allows viewers to overlook its occasional inconsistencies.

      The title likely gives away Laura's intentions, which can make the first act meander. Fortunately, the Philippou brothers do not get bogged down in ritual lore, providing just enough essential information and maintaining a distance from it for a time. Instead, they focus on a slower first act that delves into the characters' complexities. Andy's protectiveness toward Piper stems from her condition and their family's traumatic past. However, the brothers don’t allow Piper's disability to undermine her resourcefulness. Laura walks a precarious line as an affectionate guardian, while also harboring sinister intentions and setting Andy up for potential failure. Oliver, portrayed by Jonah Wren Phillips, elicits genuine terror and emotion, managing to elevate what could have been another clichéd character into something more compelling.

      An early scene, reminiscent of Talk to Me, features a drinking game at a party where Laura and the foster siblings share shots while grappling with their grief. Much like the way Scott Beck and Bryan Woods used Hugh Grant’s charm in last year’s Heretic, Danny and Michael Philippou similarly employ Sally Hawkins, who conceals significant pain and deviousness behind her warmth and smiles. The malevolence becomes increasingly evident through Oliver's horrific transformation (noting he is not himself in some of the film's most disturbing scenes),