Dorm life is a weird cycle of instant noodles, looming deadlines, and the kind of late-night procrastination that only a truly intense movie can justify. You know the feeling — it’s 2 a.m., your history textbook is giving you the silent treatment, and your brain is desperate for something that will actually make you feel something, anything, other than the slow dread of an upcoming exam. You’re not looking for a fun escape; you’re looking for a jolt, something that grabs you by the collar and doesn’t let go.

That’s the exact mood I was in when, scrolling through https://uk.soap2day.day/, I landed on Bring Her Back. I was a huge fan of the Philippou brothers’ first film, Talk to Me, so I knew I was in for something wild. This film follows two siblings, Andy (Billy Barratt) and his visually impaired younger sister Piper (Sora Wong), who are sent to live with a new foster mother, Laura (Sally Hawkins), after the sudden death of their father. It sounds like the setup for a classic haunted house story, but what unfolds is something far more personal, psychological, and relentlessly brutal.

A Fairy Tale Gone Wrong

The film starts with a Grimm-like simplicity: two orphans arrive at a secluded house in the woods, under the care of a woman who seems a little too welcoming. Laura’s home is isolated, surrounded by a mysterious chalk circle, and she has another foster child, a silent, unnerving boy named Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips), who seems to be under her complete control. The atmosphere is thick with dread from the very first frame.

The story isn’t about ghosts jumping out of closets. It’s a slow, suffocating dive into the horror of grief. Laura is mourning the loss of her own daughter, who drowned in the backyard pool, and her sorrow has twisted into a monstrous obsession. She spends her nights watching grainy VHS tapes of a bizarre occult ritual, and it soon becomes terrifyingly clear that she doesn’t just want to foster these children — she wants to use them. Her plan to resurrect her daughter is the engine of the plot, turning the house from a potential sanctuary into a meticulously planned trap where psychological manipulation is just as dangerous as any supernatural threat.

A Masterclass in Terror

The performances in this film are what make the horror so deeply effective. Sally Hawkins, who many know from warmer roles like in the Paddington movies, is absolutely terrifying as Laura. She delivers one of the great modern horror performances, weaponizing her gentle screen persona to create a villain who is both pathetic and monstrous. She can shift from a caring maternal figure to a cold, calculating manipulator in the blink of an eye, and her descent into madness is utterly mesmerizing to watch.

The young actors are just as incredible. Billy Barratt as Andy is the film’s emotional anchor, a teenager forced to be a protector while dealing with his own trauma and resentment. His love for his sister is the one source of light in this bleak story. And Sora Wong, a visually impaired actress making her debut, is a revelation as Piper. She never plays the character as a helpless victim, but as a resilient, intelligent kid trying to navigate a nightmare she can’t fully see, which makes her ordeal even more terrifying. The bond between them feels real, which makes the horrors they endure almost unbearable to watch.

The Creative Force

  • Directors: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou

  • Writers: Danny Philippou, Bill Hinzman

  • Key Cast: Sally Hawkins (Laura), Billy Barratt (Andy), Sora Wong (Piper), Jonah Wren Phillips (Oliver)

  • Cinematography: Aaron McLisky

  • Music: Cornel Wilczek

The Philippou Touch

After the chaotic, party-drug energy of Talk to Me, the Philippou brothers prove they are masters of a different kind of horror. Bring Her Back is more mature, more patient, and infinitely more cruel. They build tension with slow, deliberate pacing, making the eventual explosions of violence feel earned and genuinely shocking. Their background in practical effects is on full display here. The body horror is visceral and stomach-churning, not because it’s over-the-top, but because it feels so painfully real. There are scenes of self-mutilation that are so intense I had to look away, and the sound design — every wet crunch and metallic scrape — will be seared into my brain for weeks. I might have to rewatch some scenes on Soap2day just to confirm they were as brutal as I remember.

Critical Acclaim and Audience Endurance

The film was a massive hit with critics, scoring a 90% on Rotten Tomatoes, with near-universal praise for Hawkins’s performance and the directors’ unflinching style. Audiences were a bit more divided, not because the film is bad, but because it is an endurance test. This is not a fun, jump-scare-filled night at the movies; it’s a feel-bad masterpiece that leaves you emotionally drained.

Financially, it was a solid success. On a modest budget of around $15 million, it pulled in over $32 million worldwide, proving there’s a real audience for smart, uncompromising horror. It may not have reached the blockbuster numbers of Talk to Me, but it has cemented the Philippou brothers as two of the most exciting and important voices in the genre.

The Verdict

As the credits rolled in the dead quiet of my dorm room, I didn’t feel the usual post-movie adrenaline rush. I just felt heavy. Bring Her Back is not a film you “enjoy.” It’s a film you survive. It’s a brutal, heartbreaking, and masterfully crafted piece of cinema that uses the language of horror to say something profound about the destructive nature of grief. It’s the kind of movie that reminds you what the genre is capable of when it’s at its best. It’s not something I’ll be casually putting on again from Soap2day anytime soon, but it’s a film I know I will never, ever forget. For anyone who thinks they’re tough enough, this is essential viewing.

Film Fast Facts

  • Release Date: May 30, 2025

  • Directors: Danny Philippou, Michael Philippou

  • Running Time: 104 minutes

  • Budget: Approx. $15 million

  • Worldwide Box Office: Approx. $32.3 million

  • Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90% (Critics), 80% (Audience)

  • Metacritic Score: 75 (Generally Favorable Reviews)

  • Rating: R