My Review of Bring Her Back (2025)

 

Written by Danny Philippou And Bill Hinzman

Directed by Danny And Michael Philippou

Laura (to Andy): "Respect my fucking privacy."

Two years ago, a duo mostly known for their YouTube content surprised everyone with the release of Talk To Me. It was an impressive debut for Danny and Michael Philippou. Could they follow it up? Oh yes they could.

Focusing on a younger group, this time around we had step siblings Andy (Billy Barratt) and Piper (Sora Wong) who end up in the care system following the death of Andy's father, Phil (Stephen Phillips). Their care worker, Sally-Anne Upton) initially planned to separate them.

However, instead Wendy decided to have Andy and Piper live with a former careworker, Laura (Sally Hawkins) and the latter's "son" Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) and it's a series of absolute horrific events after the other. Laura's legitimately a terrifying sight to behold.

Her whole control over the mute Oliver in itself did raise alarm bells but the way she tried to divide and conquer both Andy and the visually impaired Piper was something else. I mean she's genuinely nuts and Sally Hawkins played an absolute blinder here.

A huge reason why Laura's so unhinged as a character was down to the fact that her own daughter, Cathy (Mischa Heywood) died and using poor Oliver to house a demon named Tari, Laura was hoping that she could bring her own daughter through Piper as a vessel. 

Between gaslighting Andy into thinking he's pissing himself and framing the latter for punching Piper, Laura wasn't going to be stopped in her quest to bring Cathy back. She even killed for her mission and Oliver eating on Cathy's frozen body wouldn't stop. In fact, it's barely a miracle that Piper managed to get away from Laura as the latter's entire world crumbled yet again.

- Oliver was a kidnapped boy named Connor Bird. He came back to his senses towards the end of the movie.

- Andy's father was physically abusive towards him and Andy did punch Piper one time but it was Laura who did it in the film.

- Standout music: Empire Of The Sun's Alive.

- Chronology: The movie was filmed in Adelaide but I don't think they specify where it's meant to be set.

While I do slightly prefer their first movie, there's no denying that Bring Her Back absolutely delivered as a second movie from Danny and Michael Philippou. Sally Hawkins gave an incredible performance as Laura and Billy Barratt, Sora Wong and Jonah Wren Phillips are also fantastic.

Rating: 8 out of 10