Let's get one thing straight: horror trailers are a dime a dozen. Jump scares, creepy kids, flickering lights-Hollywood recycles these tropes like a Netflix algorithm stuck on “haunted house.” But the second official trailer for Bring Her Back? It's a different beast. Like a séance gone wrong, it drags you in and refuses to let go.
A24, the studio that made “elevated horror” a meme and a movement, is pushing this film hard. Four trailers, endless teasers, and a featurette-if you haven't seen Sally Hawkins' haunted stare yet, you must be living under a rock (or in a horror movie basement). But here's the kicker: this isn't just another supernatural cash grab. The trailer hints at something deeper, nastier, and-dare I say-personal.
Rituals, Trauma, and the A24 Playbook
“How did you cope with Cathy being gone?”
“I didn't.”
That exchange is the trailer's heartbeat. It's not about ghosts. It's about grief-weaponized. The Philippou brothers (yes, the “RackaRacka” YouTube duo who shocked everyone with Talk To Me) are back, and they're doubling down on the emotional horror that made their debut a viral sensation. But this time, the pain is more intimate: a brother and sister, a foster mother with secrets, and a ritual that feels less like witchcraft and more like family therapy from hell.
The trailer's visuals are textbook A24-moody, washed-out, and just a little too close for comfort. Sally Hawkins, all nerves and quiet menace, anchors the chaos. She's not just playing a foster mom; she's the film's emotional landmine.
Horror's Ritual Obsession-And What Makes This Different
Let's zoom out. Ritual horror isn't new. Hereditary (2018) turned family trauma into a cult classic. The Ritual (2017) made backpacking in Sweden look like a bad idea. Even Talk To Me (2023) used possession as a metaphor for addiction and loss. So what's fresh here?
- Personal Stakes: Instead of faceless cults, Bring Her Back centers on the foster system-a real-world horror for many.
- Sally Hawkins: Her casting subverts expectations. She's not your typical scream queen; she's an Oscar nominee, and it shows.
- Australian Grit: Shot in and around Adelaide, the film's setting is both familiar and alien-like Picnic at Hanging Rock on a bad acid trip.
A24's marketing blitz isn't just hype-it's a signal. They know this film isn't for everyone. It's for the horror fans who want their nightmares with a side of existential dread.
The A24 Effect
Remember when The Witch (2015) divided audiences? Or when Midsommar (2019) made you question your summer vacation plans? A24 has a habit of making horror that lingers-sometimes uncomfortably so. Bring Her Back fits that mold, but with a twist: it's less about the supernatural, more about the scars we carry.
Would You Risk Watching?
So-will Bring Her Back be the next Talk To Me? Or will it alienate casual viewers with its ritualistic slow burn? Either way, A24's trailer dares you to find out.
Would you risk bringing her back? Or will you leave the lights on and sleep with one eye open?
Comment below. If this trailer doesn't convince you, check your pulse.
