For fans of horror cinema, the past year has delivered quite a smorgasbord of tricks and treats, including Sinners, Weapons, Heart Eyes and The Monkey, as well as sequels like Final Destination: Bloodlines and Black Phone 2. One of the most thought-provoking (and terrifying) genre films of 2025 is Bring Her Back, the sophomore effort from directors Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou, whose first effort was 2022's well-received Talk To Me. With Bring Her Back, these talented Australian filmmakers have crafted a horror film that's as much a story about about the pain and heartbreak of mourning as it is about invoking feelings of terror.
At its core, the film uses grief as a kind of emotionally fraught terrain: siblings Andy and Piper have recently lost their father to suicide. They end up in the care of Laura, a foster mother who, we soon learn, is dealing with the loss of her daughter. Laura initially seems welcoming and caring, but her behavior quickly becomes unnerving, erratic, and then absolutely terrifying. Her grief has consumed her, and formed the basis for a murderous plot to bring back her daughter from the dead.
Sally Hawkins’ work as Laura is nothing short of remarkable. Her transformation from a kind and supportive mother figure into a frightening psychopath is absolutely chilling. As the film goes on, the outward seams of her mask begin to crack. Her friendly smile suddenly seems too tight, her supportive actions seem a little too good to be true. The overall effect is that Laura is terrifying not because she is obviously evil from the start, but because her evil seems to be born out of her sorrow her twisted love for her daughter.
What makes the film compelling is how effectively Hawkins carries the emotional weight of the character. She resists turning Laura into a mere monster. Laura remains someone who has loved someone, lost them and who cannot let go. That inability to deal with her grief, turns her both desperate and deadly. It's a bravura performance from a phenomenally talented actress, and her amazing work is matched by her co-stars Sora Wong as Piper, and Billy Barratt as Andy, and Jonah Wren Phillips as Ollie, another child adopted by Laura, who currently lives with her.
While there's more than a bit of family drama on display here, make no mistake, Bring Her Back is a horror film. Be warned, there's quite a bit of blood and gore on display, but the true horror lies in the corrosive way Laura's grief takes shape: the rituals that inspire her, which are glimpsed on grainy VHS tapes, the recurring image of the rain-soaked backyard pool, and the odd behavior of the mysterious Ollie. The film immerses us in the aftershocks of dealing with a death in the family, both of Andy and Pier's father, and Laura's daughter, and effectively shows us how the characters' lives are not only haunted, but deeply fractured by these losses.
Bring Her Back is a movie that's ultimately about the pain of grief just as much as it's a tale of terror, madness and murder. The film asks what happens after someone suffers a loss, when only the emptiness remains and you're desperate enough to do anything to bring that person back. The answers are far less comforting than one might hope. Bring Her Back is terrifying, heartbreaking, and haunting in equal measure, and if you're a fan of well-crafted horror films, it's worth adding to your watch list. Here's a look at the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I15ttCedfY.
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