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Speak to Me (Vietnamese title: Summoning Evil Spirits) is the debut film of twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, owners of a YouTube channel specializing in comedy-horror-action videos with nearly 7 million subscribers.
A24 Studios has become well-known for delivering films with unique and supremely eerie styles. Following the success of horror works like Midsommar, Hereditary, and The Witch, A24 is officially back in August to bring a new horrifying experience to audiences with the summoning theme in Speak to Me (Vietnamese title: Summoning Evil Spirits).
The film revolves around a group of friends who discover a haunted hand that allows them to summon and communicate with mysterious spirits. They are gradually drawn into a game without knowing that one of them has gone too far, unleashing horrifying dark forces. Simply by holding hands and saying the simple incantation: Talk to me, the group of friends will each experience the sensation of being possessed by random spirits.
All games have their own rules, and when those boundaries are broken, everything becomes terrifyingly uncontrollable. Summoning Evil Spirits brings bloody scenes, violence, showcasing the cruelty of demonic forces as they punish humans. All are depicted directly and chaotically by the filmmakers, proving to audiences that this is the most terrifying cinematic experience of 2023.
After the release of the first trailer, audiences witness a somewhat chaotic atmosphere at the party of the group of friends, which also marks the beginning of the horrifying game. Following the main character Mia (Sophia Wilde), a girl who has just lost her mother and is lured by her friends to the gruesome party after watching a live broadcast on social media. Unfortunately for Mia, she begins to be haunted even after the summoning session ends. The battle against the demonic forces of Mia and her friends officially begins. The pain of losing her mother is still fresh, now she must face the demons tormenting her day and night, even causing the death of one of her friends. How will Mia confront this cruel fate, and where will the battle between humans and demonic forces lead?
Summoning Evil Spirits is the debut film of twin brothers Danny and Michael Philippou, who own a YouTube channel specializing in comedy-horror-action videos with nearly 7 million subscribers. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2023 and received numerous positive reviews from critics for its uniqueness and terror. According to critics, Summoning Evil Spirits impresses with its daring summoning scenes, avoiding the typical jump scares seen in recent works. Some even compare it to the famous classic The Evil Dead (Vietnamese title: Ma Cây).
Amidst a time when major Hollywood studios are focusing on exploiting franchise films or remaking old classics, Summoning Evil Spirits stands out as an original screenplay, bringing a breath of fresh air to the current film market. Despite the absence of famous names, the praise the film is receiving indicates that it will be a breakthrough, elevating their names to new heights in their careers and delivering the most horrifying experiences to horror film enthusiasts.
TALK TO ME - Vietnamese title: SUMMONING EVIL SPIRITS - is scheduled to premiere on 11/8.
