Good morning, House of Madness believers:
Games are fun. When the stakes are low, games can provide an immense amount of gratification for everyone involved, but after a while, they can become boring, so the stakes must be ramped up. Playing blackjack for fifty cents a hand is fun for a little while, but it doesn't take long for your inner greed to manifest its lust for more, and the next thing you know you're gambling like your bank account is nothing more than an invisible wallet, spewing out dollars so you can hit that big score. In the case of "Talk to Me", the teenagers involved are way past getting drunk at house parties for fun, and have found a new game to play where the stakes couldn't possibly be any higher.
Mia (Sophie Wilde), Jade (Alexandra Jensen), and Jade's younger brother Riley (Joe Bird) spend pretty much every waking hour together. Mia has recently lost her mother, so her bond with Jade and her family is that much more important, as she's pretty much become a member of the family as well. One night Mia and Jade head out to a house party with Riley in tow (to Jade's dismay), and although there's plenty of booze and drugs going around, the party is pretty much a dud. Well, that is, until their friend Hayley (Zoe Terakes) busts out an embalmed hand, explaining that they can use it to communicate with the dead, but there are some strict rules to be followed, and if they're not, the results can be disastrous.
Mia volunteers to go first, and what she experiences is absolutely horrifying for her and the party goers that are spectating. Once the ritual has finished, however, Mia finds herself in an almost euphoric state, and everyone has a grand time. Fast forward a few days and they're at it again, taunting the spirits and whooping it up as they all take turns playing a game of ghastly roulette, only they don't know how high the stakes are about to become. Riley insists he wants a turn, but his wishes are quickly thwarted by his sister Jade as she believes he's too young, and the two argue. Of course, reasoning leads to nowhere, and Riley does in fact take the plunge into the netherworld, which ends up having horrific results, and everyone involved must try and find a way to close the door to an unknown world before Riley is lost forever.
"Talk to Me" is very unique not only in the cinematic sense, but it really is one of those rare films that come along and send your mind into orbit, changing the horror genre for the better. The film is never dull, and builds tension psychologically rather than relying on silly jump scares which tend to dominate much of horror. Every time you think it's taking its foot off the gas, a new element emerges, which makes for an absolutely incredible 90 minutes of enjoyment. Next time someone tells you to "talk to the hand", turn around and walk away. Then run.
Madness Meter: 7.8/10
NB
