If you were a fan of The Nun II, I’m guessing it’s because of the supernatural demon at the center of it all. And there truly were some good moments of spookiness in the film–gruesome kills, shadowy figures lurking in the background, a demonic goat creature. The Nun II had a lot going for it as a modern horror film.
But you know what modern horror film also has a lot going for it and was released in the U.S. just a few weeks prior? Talk to Me (2022), directed by Danny and Michael Philippou. This Australian horror film does what the best horror films do–supernatural scares, disturbing performances, a mysterious story with a mystical object at its center, and a tone that is perfectly pitched to audiences from all generations. The kills aren’t plentiful, but they are shocking. And the performances, especially from star Sophie Wilde, are equal parts unsettling and riveting.
So for a true modern horror film that borrows from the best of the genre yet instills it with modern sensibilities and can reach a new generation of horror fans, I don’t think you can do better than Talk to Me. And if you’ve enjoyed the latest entry in The Conjuring Universe, then I have to assume you’ll love this Aussie ghost story, too.
