“Bring Her Back” is the new A24 horror movie. While it has horror elements, it’s more of a macabre and sinister thriller. The film centers around two step-siblings, Andy and Piper, played by Billy Barratt and Sora Wong. Piper is blind. Warning there are spoilers.
The story opens with the two meeting up after school, where Piper interacts with schoolgirls who don’t seem to understand her humor. They walk home and, upon arriving, find their father dead in the shower. Subsequently, child care services take them in. Although they find a home for Piper right away, Andy requests they not be separated, and they are quickly placed in a foster home.
Their foster mother, Laura, played by Sally Hawkins, seems to take an unusual liking to Piper and insists that Piper call her “Mom.” This is where the unsettling events begin. Upon arriving at Laura’s home, the children notice that, while Piper gets her own room, Andy is placed in a junk room of sorts. In this room, they find another child named Oliver, played by Jonah Wren Phillips, who acts strangely and is claimed to be autistic.
Their first encounter with Oliver occurs outside, where he seems to live like a dog. Laura mentions that her daughter died by drowning, which explains why her pool is empty. The film has a dark and sinister tone, portraying Laura as a nightmare foster mom. There are many unsettling scenes, including one where she shows Oliver old VHS tapes of satanic rituals in a back house.
As the movie progresses, it becomes clear that Laura is involved in evil witchcraft, attempting to bring back her deceased daughter, who appears to be dead and possibly stored in the freezer. The film is indeed horrifying, filled with several jump scares, many of which involve gruesome scenes related to Oliver. One particularly grotesque moment occurs when he bites a knife and cuts his mouth, which is quite disturbing.
As the story unfolds, we learn that Oliver is not actually Laura’s son; rather, he is a child she has kidnapped for her rituals. Over time, Oliver exhibits devilish traits, including red eyes, as if he is possessed. The film portrays a troubling perspective on the foster system, suggesting the possibility of evil individuals exploiting or harming children, although I hope that’s not the case.
Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, the film was written by Danny Philippou and Bill Hinzman. Sally Hawkins delivers a superb performance, making viewers feel deeply uncomfortable. If you enjoy supernatural horror films that involve satanic rituals, I highly recommend watching this one.
