Review: Bring Her Back

Bring Her Back is a true test of your mental endurance. You think you’re ready for this because “I’m a horror fan, nothing fazes me!” Oh, you poor delusional potato. From the writers and directors of the outstanding “Talk To Me,” do the impossible and outdo their original. This one gets under your skin, chews on a sharp knife into their teeth and gums…

You were warned.

Bring Her Back tells us the story of Andy (played by Billy Barratt from Mary Poppins Returns) and his sister Piper (played by newcomer Sara Wong), who tragically lose their father. Thrust into the system, they are adopted by Laura (played by Sally Hawkins from The Shape of Water), who, while seeming immediately very crazy, turns out to be so much worse than they could have imagined. 

There is a lot more depth to the story here than “Talk To Me,” as they dive deeply into what loss and trauma can do. The way that it can blind you from what it is that you’re actually doing. A part of you knows it’s wrong, knows to hide it, but the tragic theatrical mask slips faster. Never underestimate the will of a mother. 

Straight up, Sally Hawkins is gold here. This is a simply outstanding performance that places her among the great tragic characters of horror. I hesitate to call her a villain, though. You can see the world behind her eyes as she chews through every scene. Without such a powerful, deep performance, the film would not have been able to hold itself together. I eagerly want to see what she does next after this one, as the horror community needs fresh blood.

It’s a slow burn. This one is straight up anxiety-inducing as you want to scream at them to get out while they still can. The layer by layer of what is really going on, what Laura is up to and the possible fate of our adorable siblings. 

This movie is a lot. It’s not what I would call “starter horror” if you’ve never seen a horror movie before, like children, like animals or have an aversion to youngsters stripping off their own skin and eating it like jerky, then perhaps this isn’t for you just yet.

I cannot wait to see what this pair does next.