PahePremium.in – Talk to Me adalah film horor supernatural produksi Australia arahan duo sineas Danny and Michael Philippou yang dikenal dengan konten live youtube horornya. Film ini dibintangi aktor-aktris lokal, yakni Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, hingga aktris senior Miranda Otto. Film berbujet USD 4,5 juta ini mengawali debutnya di sirkuit festival film tahun lalu dan rilis publik pada bulan Juli lalu di negara asalnya. Film ini banyak dipuji pengamat dan hingga kini telah meraup USD 55 juta pada rilis globalnya. Apa kunci keberhasilan film horor ini?
Di kalangan anak muda kini telah viral video yang menyajikan beberapa remaja yang kesurupan. Mia (Wilde) yang kehilangan ibunya akibat over dosis, kini tinggal di rumah sahabatnya, Jade (Jensen) bersama adik, Riley (Bird), dan ibunya (Otto). Suatu ketika, Mia, Jade, dan Riley pergi ke sebuah pesta yang menampilkan permainan supernatural yang kini tengah viral tersebut. Sebuah patung potongan tangan yang jika digenggam dan berkata, “talk to me”, maka sebuah arwah penasaran akan hadir di hadapan. Malam berikutnya pesta diadakan di rumah Jade ketika sang ibu pergi. Para muda-mudi ini begitu asyiknya bermain “talk to me” tanpa mereka menyadari konsekuensi bermain-main dengan dunia arwah dan para roh jahatnya.
Mirip permainan papan ouija dan pemanggilan roh arwah lainnya yang lazim kita lihat dalam film-film horor populer, “talk to me” memang terkesan “mudah”, seolah tanpa effort berarti untuk memanggil para arwah yang gentayangan. Terlepas ini mitos sungguhan atau tidak, selintas saya terpikir sambil tertawa geli, apa anak-anak muda ini tidak pernah menonton dan belajar dari film-film horor populer macam seri Insidious atau The Conjuring? Seperti sudah diduga, konsekuensi yang dijanjikan premisnya akhirnya muncul. Roh jahat pun mampir tanpa mereka sadari. Sebaliknya para penonton, setidaknya saya, hanya bisa menanti proses bagaimana akhirnya mereka jera dengan segala aksi edannya. Siapa sangka, prosesnya tidak buruk, bahkan boleh dibilang segar dalam beberapa aspeknya.
Tidak seperti film horor AS yang membangun mood horor dengan setting dan atmosfir seram dengan segala gaya artistiknya, Talk to Me terkesan sederhana dan apa adanya. Kita tidak merasakan ancaman dan sisi keseraman pada setting, namun justru pada teror plotnya. Tone filmnya banyak mengingatkan pada film horor remaja AS, It Follows, di mana orang yang terkena kutukan akan terus dikejar entitas jahat ke mana pun mereka pergi. Pemainan alam nyata dan mimpi juga kerap digunakan walau ini tergolong trik usang, namun Talk to Me menyajikannya dengan baik dan kadang efeknya sangat mengejutkan. Jump scare pun dilakukan secara efektif tanpa banyak inovasi berarti. Satu catatan mengejutkan adalah sajian aksi-aksi brutalnya yang dijamin bakal membuat kita bergidik karena terlihat begitu nyata.
Talk to Me adalah sebuah horor supernatural simpel nan solid dengan pesan yang efektif. Sisi trauma yang menjadi subplotnya melalui sosok Mia bukanlah sesuatu hal yang baru bagi genrenya, namun ending-nya harus diakui memang memberi efek kejutan dan jera yang luar biasa. Puluhan bahkan mungkin ratusan film horor seringkali memberi kita petuah, “jangan permah bermain dengan sesuatu yang tidak kamu pahami”. Walau sisi subteksnya tidak sedalam It Follows, namun Talk to Me mampu mewakili generasi muda kini yang sering kali menggampangkan banyak hal dan mengindahkan tradisi/aturan tanpa mau menerima konsekuensi. Akibat sukses komersialnya, kabarnya, sekuel film ini tengah dalam pengembangan.
Talk to Me is an Australian-produced supernatural horror film directed by filmmakers Danny and Michael Philippou, known for its live horror YouTube content. This film stars local actors Sophie Wilde, Alexandra Jensen, Joe Bird, Otis Dhanji, and senior actress Miranda Otto. The $4.5 million film debuted on the film festival circuit last year and had a public release last July in its home country. The film was widely praised by observers and, to date, has grossed USD 55 million in its global release. What is the key to the success of this horror film?
There has now been a viral video among young people showing several possessed teenagers. Mia (Wilde), who lost her mother due to an overdose, now lives at the house of her best friend, Jade (Jensen), with his younger sister, Riley (Bird), and her mother (Otto). Mia, Jade, and Riley attended a party featuring the now-viral supernatural game. A statue of a severed hand which, if held and said, “Talk to me,” then a curious spirit will appear before you. The next night, a party is held at Jade’s house while the mother is away. These young people are engrossed in playing “talk to me” without realizing the consequences of playing with the supernatural realm and its evil spirits.
Like the Ouija board and other summons of spirits commonly seen in popular horror films, “talk to me” does seem “easy,” as if without significant effort to summon the wandering souls. Regardless of whether this is an absolute myth or not, at first glance, I thought with amusement, have these young people never watched and learned from famous horror films such as the Insidious series or The Conjuring? As expected, the consequence that the premise promised had finally appeared. An evil spirit had stopped by without them noticing. On the other hand, the audience, at least me, can only wait for how they will finally get tired of all the crazy actions. Who would have thought the process was all refreshing in some aspects?
Unlike US horror films, which build a horror mood with spooky settings and atmosphere with all its artistic style, Talk to Me seems simple. We don’t feel the threat and the sinister side of the environment but instead the plot’s terror. The film’s tone is reminiscent of the US teen horror film It Follows, in which a cursed person is chased by an evil entity wherever they go. Real-world and dream realms are also often used, even though this is classified as an old trick, but Talk to Me presents it well, and sometimes the effects are shocking. The jump scare was carried out effectively with little significant innovation. One surprising note is the presentation of brutal actions guaranteed to make us shudder because they look so natural.
Talk to Me is a simple but solid supernatural horror with a compelling message. The side of trauma that becomes the subplot through the figure of Mia is not something new for the genre, but the ending must be admitted that it gives a surprising and extraordinary deterrent effect. Tens or hundreds of horror films often advise, “Never play with something you don’t understand.” Although the subtext is not as deep as It Follows, Talk to Me can represent today’s young generation who often simplify things and heed traditions/rules without wanting to accept the consequences. As a result of its commercial success, a sequel to this film is reportedly in development.
