Danny and Michael Philippou, the director duo, tasted viral success after directing 2022’s arguably best horror movie, Talk To Me. The brothers are back again, and they have served us a creepy tale that explores the trauma of loss, the inner workings of a depraved psyche, and the dangers of some nefarious ideas that keep you trapped in a vicious cycle. With amazing performances, chilling scenes, and gore galore, in theaters is the new three-word-titled movie by the Philippou brothers: Bring Her Back.

Plot:

Step-siblings Andy and Piper, after the death of their father, find themselves in a foster house under the guardianship of Laura. Piper is partially sighted, and Andy is always there to guide her. Laura, their new guardian, had lost her daughter, Cathy, to a tragic accident, and now stays with a young foster child named Oliver. As the step-siblings begin to settle in their new house, they start having uncanny experiences and are forced to be part of an occult ritual.

The Good aspects:

I was glued to my seat throughout the movie as the story never let up once. What amazed me the most was the ease with which all the working parts came together to explain the horrific ritual and tell a devastating and tragic tale. Yes, the tone of the movie is sad and dark. The overcast atmosphere and the overbearing rain create a heavy experience. But all of this is done masterfully to tell a solid tale.

I was stunned by the level of gaslighting in this movie (you’ll understand this as you watch it). There are moments in this movie where you will be shocked at the decisions of certain characters. I felt that there was a lot of gore in this movie; however, it is done in a way that makes sense and does not exist just for the shock factor. The performance of the entire cast was spot on.

The Bad aspects:

There are two issues I have with this movie. First, it offers us nothing novel. We have already seen the exploration of this grief and trauma in horror movies before. In fact, this particular trauma’s resolution has been attempted on the silver screen many times.

My second issue is that most of the heavy lifting was left to be done by the emotional side of this story. Unfortunately, one of the penultimate scenes that should have been emotionally charged did not resonate with me. So did all the heavy lifting really pay off? I am not so sure about that.

Conclusion:

With all of that being said, I would like to conclude that this was a good watch. Yes, it was a story that we have seen before. But it was packaged and presented in a manner that is praiseworthy. This movie, in my opinion, is another win for A24 and the Philippou brothers. Definitely recommended for horror fans and for anyone looking for a horror movie with an emotional story.