2023 Sundance Film Festival: Talk to Me movie review

Our coverage of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival continues with a review of a film out of the Midnight section of the festival, Talk to Me. Can the Australian horror film be the next big thing in the states? I will share my thoughts and whether or not it’s worth checking out when it releases.

Talk To Me Follows a group of friends who figure out how to conjure up spirits by using a hand leading to them getting caught up in how thrilling the experience is. However, after one attempt goes too far, the group finds themselves looking death in the eyes. The movie was written and directed by Bill Hinzman and Danny Phillippou and stars Sophie Wilde, Joe Bird, and Alexandra Jensen.

Well, hell, the movie starts with us seeing someone on the hunt for someone. After finding him at a party, we see them walk out of a room. Moments later, the man stabs the person who came with him, stabbing himself in his head. Now that is an opening.

Later, Mia heads to a party where we see the group is not very fond of her, but when they perform this ritual, she is the first person to volunteer. We find that you have 90 seconds to let this spirit in, or it will take over you. So let the games begin, and it is one intense wild horrifying moment that leads to a bunch of scares. One thing that stood out was the creature liked Riley. Finally, when it ends, Mia returns and gives a big thumbs up.

Talk To Me is a horror film destined to be a cult classic

However, it’s all fun and games until Riley tries out the little game. While in the middle of the ritual, Mia hears him mention her mom, causing them to delay withdrawing him from it. That leads to the demon thing going off, including Riley hammering himself against the walls. From here, this movie goes completely off the rails, and I loved every bit of it. I don’t typically love weird supernatural things like this, but the writing team did enough to make me buy into this story.

When you dig deeper into this movie and watch these kids doing this ritual repeatedly, you cannot help but see a reflection of yourself being a teenager. I can tell you that, surrounded by a group of friends, I would’ve probably given this ritual a shot myself. But we were all young and dumb once, and the writers play off that in our minds. I also have to credit them for the disturbing nature of how these people looked when they went under this spell. It was some eye-popping, creepy-looking things that appeared, and it was gross and awesome at the same time.

I have to credit Sophie Wilde for this incredible performance that will be discussed for years to come. It reminded me of when I saw Jasmin Savoy-Brown in Sound of Violence since she has moved on to a plethora of big projects (including Scream 5 & 6) and is slowly becoming a household name. Wilde is a force within this role that blends fact and fiction in a committed performance that blows you away.

Overall, Talk To Me is a widely disturbing horror movie destined to be a cult classic. Sophie Wilde gives a committed and haunting performance. News coming out of Sundance is that A24 might buy this one, which will bode well for horror fans because this would make an incredible theatrical experience.