When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits with an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill, unleashing terrifying supernatural forces in the eye-popping, nightmarish debut from filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou.

For in-depth thoughts on Talk To Me, please see my colleague Michael Cook’s review from its original festival debut here.

Video Quality

Talk To Me makes excellent use of its 2160p/Dolby Vision presentation in 2.39:1 on this 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc. This presentation especially digs deep when it comes to the black levels that are incredibly deep and detailed with digital noise completely absent from the screen. The 4K presentation provides a depth of field that simply cannot be accomplished as well with the accompanying Blu-Ray. The consistent presence of shadows is tightened up in the 4K presentation compared to the somewhat murky Blu-Ray presentation. The brighter scenes wow with intense clarity and a strong handle of highlights that show no trace of blooming.

The visual effects are rendered quite well in the 4K UHD presentation to maintain the illusion of the experience. Color highlights are another area of improvement in comparison to the Blu-Ray even if this is not a film bursting with magical hues. Colors look more natural in this presentation mostly in clothing and different aspects of the production design rendering quite beautifully. Skin tones look natural throughout and show a great amount of facial detail, especially when playing the game. Some of the makeup work is impressive in its own grotesque way. Overall, this is a top-notch 4K UHD presentation that offers a noticeable uptick in clarity and depth. You could not ask for better from the film.

Audio Quality

This disc comes equipped with a dynamic Dolby Atmos presentation that fully immerses you in this horrifying reality. There are elements in this track that are truly unsettling, such as the sounds of sudden banging, screaming, and more. All of the elements you would expect from a visceral horror movie. Sounds are rendered with precise directionality from the more thrilling scenes to the quieter dialogue-driven scenes filled with subtle ambiance.

The soundtrack and the original music by Cornel Wilczek bring to life a chilling soundscape that amps up the creepy factor. Dialogue is presented perfectly clearly without ever being drowned out by any of the competing sonic elements. The height channels get some unique implementation that will please those who have overhead channels. The sound design of this film is quite intense, and the implementation of environmental sounds is executed very effectively. The low end is engaged effectively at multiple points throughout the film. The mix here is very well done with nice engagement of all the channels, which makes this track a blast to listen to. There are optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles provided for the film.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Cowriter-Director Danny Philippou and Director Michael Philippou provide an entertaining commentary in which they discuss the production of the film, on-set anecdotes, the extras that nearly ruined certain scenes, the inspirations they took from their real life, thoughts about the various performers, getting a deal from Sia, and more.

In The Grip Of Terror: A nearly 14-minute featurette that delves into the inspirations for this story, maintaining a sense of relatability, some of the loose thematic associations, working with the Philippou brothers, the reaction from Hollywood studios, developing something beyond the YouTube channel, and more.

Deleted Scenes: There are six unused scenes totaling seven minutes provided here including scenes with Mia and her dad, more moments with Sue, and more.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

Talk To Me is one of the more straightforward horror films from A24, but it works very well most of the time. While the mechanics are all in place for a run-of-the-mill horror tale, the execution elevates this one to incredible heights with its visceral capturing of this haunting experience and dedication to creating an authentic atmosphere. The movie starts to lose steam as it heads into its final act, but overall the film is effective enough to linger with you after the credits have stopped rolling. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has provided a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a nearly flawless A/V presentation and a decent assortment of special features. We cannot wait to see what these filmmakers have in store next. Recommended

Talk To Me is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-ray, Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.