'Bring Her Back': From YouTube to the Altar of Modern Horror

PREMIERE

After attending the pre-release screening of Bring Her Back at Cines Lys in Valencia, I can confidently say that brothers Danny and Michael Philippou have solidified their status as revitalizing forces in horror cinema. Following the impact of Talk to Me (2022), their debut feature that propelled them from YouTube to the international stage, the Philippous return with a film that elevates the genre through a profoundly cohesive vision. Bring Her Back blends dynamic editing, an original narrative, and a visual iconography that leaves no detail to chance, proving that these Australians are the messiahs of “New Horror.”

The film navigates effortlessly between psychological and physical horror, allowing both to feed off each other. Certain sequences, particularly those involving possessions or altered states, border on sensory delirium without losing narrative control. There are echoes of Hereditary, yes, but with a more energetic, almost punk pulse. The Philippous don’t aim for solemnity or rely solely on metaphor as their mode of expression. Their cinema is more visceral, rhythmic, and impulsive, yet no less complex. Where Aster lingers on pain or Eggers on atmosphere, the Philippous opt for direct emotional impact, never forgetting that cinema, at its core, is about image and editing.

Danny and Michael Philippou, known for their YouTube channel RackaRacka, started by creating chaotic, irreverent, and visually explosive content. Their YouTube background isn’t just a footnote—it’s the root of their style. The frenetic energy of their videos, with rapid edits and an innate ability to capture attention, translates into their filmmaking. The pacing is relentless, with precise cuts that sustain tension without sacrificing the narrative. This dynamism, inherited from their YouTube days, allows them to craft addictive visual sequences that don’t overwhelm, in a genre often overly reliant on cheap scares over substance. At its core, the film offers a raw portrayal of loss and the inability to let go. It uses horror as a language to express extreme emotions, with scenes that confront viewers with uncomfortable truths about attachment and sacrifice.

One of Bring Her Back’s greatest achievements is its use of visual references that aren’t mere decoration but essential pieces of the story. The Philippous build a visual universe where every element—water, eyes, circular shapes—is intrinsically tied to the plot and the ritual that unleashes the horror. Water, for instance, is not just an aesthetic motif: rain, showers, even puddles become catalysts for tension and narrative progression.

Bring Her Back is a masterpiece of modern horror, a film that combines the raw energy of the Philippous’ YouTube origins with a sophisticated narrative and a visual iconography that gives meaning to every frame. It’s a movie that makes you scream but also think, leaving an indelible mark. At Cines Lys in Valencia, the audience experienced a remarkable film. The future of horror cinema is in their hands, and if this is just the beginning, bring on more circles of horror.

@lovacaine