A stunning directorial debut by Danny and Michael Philippou, Talk to Me is a frightening and innovative tale of grief, loneliness, and the dire consequences of messing with the dark arts.

Not since Jordan Peele’s 2018 debut Get Out has a horror movie come along with the potential to be a generational classic. Talk to Me in its basic form is a demonic possession horror movie, yet the filmmaking skill and storytelling approach by Australian directors Danny and Michael Philippou (also known by their YouTube channel RackaRacka) takes a worn-out subgenre of horror and elevates it to a new plateau.

Talk to Me stars Sophie Wilde as Mia, a teenager grieving the death of her mother a year prior. When Mia takes part in a unique séance ritual involving the amputated hand of a psychic encased in a ceramic cast, demonic spirits exploit her fragile psyche leading to unspeakable horrors for those in her life.

Foregoing the Ouija board and other traditional props featured in horror films, the Philippou brothers conjure their own conduit-to-the-dead in the form of a ceramic hand that is sure to become the next in-demand accessory for horror aficionados. Having the hand play centre stage in rituals in which the footage of possessed-callers-to-the-dead become viral sensations is a stroke of genius by the Philippou brothers, who as content creators know a thing or two about viral videos.

It also speaks to a real crisis in which a generation – while connected through technology – are fundamentally adrift in a sea of loneliness. That Mia must find solace and closure from the mouths of demonic spirits as opposed to her finger-tapping social-media obsessed friends and her emotionally stunted father, speaks to the tragedy that underscores the terror of Talk to Me.

Of course, we are talking about a horror movie, and Talk to Me is as frightening as they come, thankfully avoiding jump-scare theatrics in favour for creep-inducing depictions of demonic spirits feasting on the souls of foolish teens whose naive meddling with the occult conjures an ominous wave of possession and death.

Sophie Wilde is terrific as Mia, delivering a performance filled with longing and connection, and a scary good talent for contorting her face and body when used as a vessel for possession. Great too is Alexandra Jensen as Jade, the level-headed best friend of Mia who is helpless as dark forces consume her world; and young Joe Bird delivers fine demonic possession acting that is only handicapped by his limited screen time.

It is the Philippou brothers, however, who are the biggest stars of Talk to Me. In the lauded vestiges of feature film directorial debuts, Talk to Me ranks high. For the best horror film of 2023, it will be hard pressed for another terrifying creation that could better what the Philippou brothers have done here.