Bring Her Back, one of 2025’s must-see horrors, called a “stressful nightmare” that will leave you “squirming”

The first reactions to supernatural horror movie Bring Her Back have landed, with critics lauding it as a “horror masterpiece”, “unforgettable” and “genuinely unnerving”.

Directed by Talk To Me filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, the A24 film centres on a brother and sister who uncover a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother (Sally Hawkins).

Ahead of the film’s release in US cinemas later this month, those lucky few to have already seen Bring Her Back have taken to social media to share their first reactions to movie.

“Bring Her Back gets a big WOW from me. Scenes had me squirming to the extreme, and I can’t get over how brilliant Danny and Michael Philippou are at building lore and creating deeply shocking horror. This is a must-see,” said CinemaBlend’s Eric Eisenberg on Bluesky.

Collider’s Ross Bonaime described Bring Her Back as a “stressful nightmare” and “fitting follow-up to Talk to Me”, adding: “Genuinely unnerving and often surprisingly moving.”

A24

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“Well, I’m not going to be shaking this anytime soon. #BringHerBack is a viscerally uncomfortable and unforgettable film, augmented by Sally Hawkins’ gentle yet poisonously evil performance,” said Julian Singleton.

“The Philippous cement themselves as fiendishly inventive horror auteurs with ironclad grips on their audience.”

Gizmodo’s Germain Lussier said that Bring Her Back is “way more horrifying” than he could imagine.

“I think the story doesn’t always warrant or earn its gore, and it takes a while to get there, but when it hits, it hits big,” he added.

Sony Pictures

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Chris Lockey hailed the movie as a “bleak domestic horror masterpiece” that features all the Philippou brothers’ hallmarks, including “intensely poetic cinema language and photography, compelling characters with unflinchingly honest performances, and a brand of realistic hyper-violence that stands a few cuts above the rest”.

“Happy to say #BringHerBack delivers,” said Discussing Film’s Bill Bria. “Danny & Michael Philippou once again nail an electric mixture of gnarly, genuine terror and soul-wrenching grief; this film has bite, and then some.

“Sally Hawkins creates a fully realized, disturbing character. Disturbing & touching equally!”

Bring Her Back hits US cinemas on 30 May. In the UK, the film releases on 1 August.

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Freelance Reporter, Digital Spy After completing her joint honours degree in Journalism and English Literature at Cardiff University, Iona joined Digital Spy as a Content Production Intern in 2022. In that role, Iona wrote across both news and features, specialising in TV and movies. Following her internship, Iona now contributes to DS as a freelance reporter. 

 Iona has reported from the Black Adam red carpet, and interviewed celebrities ranging from Love Island stars to the cast of Disney’s live-action The Little Mermaid.