10 Great Horrors with TERRIBLE Premises
2. Talk To Me
A24 has maintained a rep for top-quality horror for the last few years. Having said that, Talk to Me sounded like a pretty tough sell.
In this spooky Aussie flick, Mia is at a house party, where her friends are taking turns holding an embalmed hand that allows the holder to connect with the dead. After Mia's friend holds the hand for too long, he finds himself unable to disconnect with the spirit world.
Although a film revolving around ghost hand feels like something from a cheesy 1950s B-movie, Talk to Me is legitimately terrifying.
Not scary. Terrifying. Certain sequences will curdle the blood of the most hardened horror veterans (especially that eyeball scene). Simple actions like a character grabbing the supernatural hand are overflowing with suspense, thanks to the erratic cinematography, subtle sound effects, and visceral performances.
And yet, Talk to Me is so much more than a spooky story. Dealing with heavy themes like suicide and unresolved grief, viewers will have much to unpack after the credits roll.
Though Talk to Me could've been forgettable trash in the hands of an inferior director or studio, it was one of biggest gems of 2023.