A group of teenagers in Australia discover a strange embalmed hand with the power to interact with the supernatural world. Among this group is Mia, who feels strongly drawn to the hand as she handles the grief of her mother’s death.
By lighting a candle, holding the hand and saying “Talk to me,” a random spirit appears before them. Saying “I let you in” allows the spirit to temporarily possess them, but the possession must end in 90 seconds, or else they will be permanently bound to the spirits. This hand becomes a crazy party game as they take turns possessing themselves for a few seconds, until one teen, Riley, tries to push the boundaries of the mysterious hand.
One thing I appreciate about the film is its creepy visual aesthetics. When the teens are possessed, you see the color drain from their skin, and their lips turn a bluish hue as if they, too, were dying. “Talk to Me” also doesn’t hold back in its gory scenes. Those scenes were so intense, I had to look away. That extreme quality is what makes horror films like “Talk to Me” so effective.
Naima Wilson, freshman in advertising and public relations, visited the film appreciation society and expressed her love for the film’s aesthetics.
“I thought the special effects were sick; that was my favorite part,” Wilson said. “The gore looked really cool.”
Another important aspect of the film was the role of grief in the plot. Mia’s struggle with her mother’s death makes her vulnerable to the hand’s power because of her desperation for closure. The ghostly visions Mia experiences represent how trauma can make someone lose touch with reality, and as Mia grows more attached to the spirits, she increasingly acts on her emotions rather than thinking things through.
If you’re a horror fan, “Talk to Me” is a must-watch. It takes the well-known supernatural possession themes commonly seen in horror and creates something much more interesting. Mia’s trauma and grief are a central part of the story and push the plot forward, and its incredible visual effects make for a very intense film. Overall, I’d give this film 4.5 stars out of 5.
