With the recent July 28th international debut of Talk to Me grossing over $10 million on its opening weekend, there has been a lot of buzz surrounding the unexpected success of the film. Talk to Me’s unique Gen Z spin on the age-old supernatural horror genre has conjured widespread appeal from viewers through a combination of psychological torment and graphically unsettling visuals. It’s impossible to walk away from this film without an array of residual thoughts and questions. So here we attempt to break down some of your biggest lingering questions. Spoilers ahead!
Who are the directors of Talk To Me?
The Australian duo Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou had a humble beginning to their career in film when they began their Youtube channel RackaRacka over 9 years ago. Their dedicated work on the platform over time gained them 6.75 million subscribers as they made content spanning from elaborate prank videos to the recurring presence of a deranged Ronald Mcdonald. This unique start to filmmaking garnered a specific hype around the release of their new film Talk to Me as reflected in their recent box office success. The brothers are now on the road to great careers within the industry, with rumors of a Street Fighter film for Legendary already in the works.
Why is it considered one of the scariest horror movies of 2023?
The movie’s disturbing and compelling exploration into Mia’s (played by Sophie Wilde) struggle with the grief of her late mother leaves audiences unable to escape the true pain and terror caused by the loss of a loved one. The film’s depiction of her rapid descent into insanity as she becomes increasingly susceptible to manipulation of the spirits is well balanced by the proper utilization of gore and psychological terror. Alongside the disturbing overarching premise, the film forces audiences to unrelentingly grapple with irrevocable decisions of peer pressure and the true struggle of mental health. The thoroughly explored nature of these themes enthralls audiences as they are forced to endure Mia’s torment directly alongside her. Furthermore, the director’s modern and inventive approach to the genre generates a new thrill and sense of originality throughout the film which has helped it to garner widespread audience appeal.
Did Mia actually kill her father?
After her father comes forward and hands Mia her mother’s secret suicide note, the audience witnesses Mia being manipulated by her “mother’s” spirits as she convinces her that her father is not who she believes him to be. Immediately sent into a state of panic, Mia sprints into her room in an attempt to grapple with reality. However, in the midst of her crisis, we witness a false projection of her father barging into her room and attacking her. While no one is actually physically assaulting her, Mia’s brain is tricked into believing her father is a threat. In the midst of this frenzy, her real father becomes concerned for her state and begins banging on her locked bedroom door. Once her real father finally breaks into her room, we witness her father jump on top of her in an attempt to help save her from her frantic state. As a result, Mia stabs her real father in the neck, leaving him to bleed out as she rushes to the hospital to kill Riley, (Joe Bird). However, later on in the film after Mia throws herself into traffic, she witnesses her father exit the hospital and leave her behind. This visual suggests that her father was saved by Mia’s friend Jade (Alexandra Jensen) and was eventually able to recover from the stab wound.
What does the ending of the film mean?
In the final moments of the film, we witness Mia attempting to murder Jade’s younger brother Riley after being convinced of his perpetual state of spiritual torture. She kidnaps Riley from the hospital and wheels him towards the highway in an attempt to finally put his soul to rest. Jade, aware of Mia’s concerning state, chases after her and effectively intervenes. In an unexpected twist, Mia instead throws herself in front of moving traffic. In the final moments of the film, we witness Mia stand up from the suicide attempt seemingly unharmed. However, as the camera continues to roll the viewer witnesses her aimlessly walk through the hospital corridors calling out to her family and friends. As she continues to navigate this strange sense of loneliness she begins walking towards a bright light calling out to her from a distance. As she enters into the light she is found seated on the opposite side of the embalmed hand. Now trapped perpetually adrift in between the human and spiritual world like that of the spirits she previously exploited. This final revelation clarifies to the audiences the false reality she existed within prior to her passing, in which she was being manipulated to believe Riley was endangered by the spirits. As Mia witnesses Riley walk out of the hospital, it becomes clear that her presence was the only true danger Riley was in. In her attempt to push Riley out into traffic she was only abiding by the desires of the spirits, committing the act of murder for them, a task they were unable to complete on their own.