Horror movie buffs praise ‘shocking and disturbing’ film that’s leaving some fainting in the cinema

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A new horror movie has left viewers ‘screaming out loud in cinemas’.

In 2022 twins Danny and Michael Philippou made their feature film debut with the movie Talk to Me, which starred Sophie Wilde and followed a group of teenagers discovering they can contact spirits using a mysterious severed and embalmed hand.

After being released in Australia, it was eventually rolled out in the United States by A24 and became a massive success.

Critics called it ‘original’, ‘compelling’ and ‘brutal’, with the film grossing grossed $92million (£67million) worldwide against a production budget of $4.5million (£3.3million), becoming A24’s highest-grossing horror film ever.

Before releasing this movie, the brothers were best known online as RackaRacka – sharing horror comedy videos on YouTube. They currently have 6.88 million followers.

Two years on from their feature filmed hitting screens around the world, they have returned with Bring Her Back, which will likely leave viewers just as unsettled.

What do we know about Bring Her Back? The new horror film Bring Her Back has already left viewers ‘fainting in the cinema’ (Picture: A24) The Australian movie stars Sora Wong and Billy Barratt as siblings put into foster care(Picture: A24)

Ahead of its release, the synopsis of Bring Her Back teased the plot, which is about ‘grief and resurrection’.

‘A brother and sister uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother,’ it reads.

Set in the outer suburbs of the sleepy city of Adelaide, the film begins with teenager Andy (Billy Barratt) and his legally blind sister Piper (Sora Wong) facing the sudden death of their father.

With Andy just a few months away from being able to legally care for his sister, they are temporarily placed in a foster home with Laura (Sally Hawkins), who is already caring for Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), who is mute after also losing his family in tragic circumstances.

It quickly emerges she’s completely unhinged and obsessed with the occult, with the siblings then facing a string of shocking events.

Running at 1 hour, 39 minutes, Bring Her Back also stars Sally-Anne Upton, Stephen Phillips, Mischa Heywood, Liam Damons and Olga Miller.

What have the directors said about the movie?

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During an interview this week on The Project about their ‘heart-pounding and terrifying’ film, the brothers revealed the extreme reactions some people were already having when watching.

After co-host Sarah Harris jokingly asked the pair ‘what is wrong with them’ after creating a movie with so many jump scares, they spilled on how scared some people had been.

‘We’ve had three faintings at the screenings,’ Danny admitted.

On Reddit one viewer even declared: ‘This movie was so shocking I almost threw up in the car park.’

In a recent interview with Variety, the Philippou’s (who self-identify as ‘bogans’) reflected on the lack of belief in them just a few years ago.

The movie was directed by twins Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou (Picture: Paul Archuleta/ Getty Images)

‘RackaRacka was a talking point in meetings, but not a good one,’ Danny admitted.

‘They just didn’t think we could do a movie. To be fair, we weren’t making deep stuff on YouTube.’

However, after the success of Talk to Me, they managed to convince Sally to sign up to their follow-up, the actress’ first time starring in a horror. She had also even watched their YouTube videos too.

‘She enjoyed them! People said our energies weren’t going to match, but we got along so well,’ Danny shared.

He also revealed that they took Sally out during filming to prank some neighbours in preparation for a scene.

Have reviews of the movie been positive? Critics have called it ‘one of the year’s best horror films’ (Picture: A24)

Early reviews have been coming in for the movie, which hits screens later this week.

‘Bring Her Back captures the darkness and fear of losing someone, all while making one of the year’s best horror films. It’s that mixture, like with Talk to Me, that makes Danny and Michael Philippou two of the most exciting filmmakers in the genre,’ Collider wrote in its review.

‘The Philippous work in a mode that’s impressionistic in an accomplished enough way to justify itself. They don’t care about tying up every bloody loose end. They’re after a feeling, a lavish sensation of malevolent shock,’ Variety shared.

‘Bring Her Back is as unutterably sad as it is disturbingly frightening… Michael and Danny Philippou may just be the premiere horror auteurs in Australia after only two films,’ The Curb added.

Since being released a few days ago, fans have rushed to share their thoughts on the movie, which currently holds an 89% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

‘I went into this movie not having a clue what it was going to be about, and it was absolutely shocking and disturbing in all the best ways. Being an avid horror fan, it is extremely hard to make me look away from the screen …but there were several moments I had to in this movie.

The brothers’ first film Talk To Me starred Sophie Wilde and was released in 2022 (Picture: Matthew Thorne/ A24 via AP)

‘Despite the extremely gory scenes it had, the storyline and acting itself was brilliant. It wove an absolutely heartbreaking trauma-filled narrative into a movie you won’t soon be able to forget, if ever.

‘Destined to rank in some of the most legendary disturbing horror film top 10 lists,’ user NMP posted on the review site.

‘A horror film that breaks your heart. Brilliant,’ Maria shared.

‘This was a really good horror movie. An unsettling, slow burn, that kept me captivated and on the edge of my seat. I also think it had a great ending,’ Billy added.

Bring Her Back is now in cinemas.

A version of this article was originally published on May 27, 2025.

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